Job Description
To be considered for this position, applicants must have the legal authority to work and reside in India.
PATH is an international nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors. In India, PATH has a country office in New Delhi with site offices in Bhopal, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Mumbai. In collaboration with PATH’s global programs, PATH in India has developed a diverse portfolio of public health programming in the fields of immunization, infectious and vector borne diseases, health technology commercialization, vaccine research and introduction, HIV and sexual and reproductive health, and maternal and newborn health.
PATH’s portfolio in vaccine development in India covers a range of new vaccine initiatives for malaria, rotavirus, meningitis, and pneumococcus, with the objective of advancing development and introduction of affordable, safe, and efficacious vaccines for the developing world.
PATH is seeking to hire a Communications Officer to work in the Delhi office and support late-stage rotavirus vaccine clinical trials in India, including crisis communications planning and managing potential responses.
The Communications Officer will be a member of PATH’s Advancing Rotavirus Vaccine Development (ARVAC) project team, reporting directly to the ARVAC Program Director in New Delhi and working closely with the Communications Director for PATH’s Vaccine Development Global Program (VAC) based in Washington, DC, and in consultation with PATH India’s country program. The Communications Officer will help shape and will fully implement communications strategies for at least two late-stage rotavirus vaccine trials supported by ARVAC. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with helping set strategic direction and being directly responsible for generating the requisite materials and products.
Specific responsibilities include:
· With the VAC Communications Director, co-lead development of the communication strategy for rotavirus vaccine clinical trials in India;
· Prepare, implement, and maintain work plans, crisis communications plans, messages, and supporting materials for clinical trials and assist with organizing communications trainings for project staff and clinical trial project partners, in collaboration with VAC and India communications colleagues, and communications consulting firm.
- Establish and maintain close working relationships with project partners and the study sites.
- Develop and implement a strategy and work plan for how PATH can best work with established community engagement efforts at rotavirus vaccine clinical sites in India for one of the two trials.
- Provide (as needed) input and support on community outreach activities to help ensure that appropriate community engagement efforts are conducted to support the clinical trials.
- Manage the day-to-day work of in-country public relations consulting firm.
- Conduct outreach to local journalists in close collaboration with VAC & India communications colleagues, communications consultants, partners, site-level staff conducting the trials, and other local project partners as applicable.
- Draft press releases, internal and external reports, and other materials as needed, in close coordination with VAC Communications Director, project partners, and communications consultants.
- Develop talking points and presentations to support clinical trial spokespeople to prepare for media interviews and other external presentations and discussions.
- Contribute to the communications strategy for dissemination of trial results; manage work streams for India within the overall global strategy.
- Manage administrative tasks arising from the above activities, including liaising with subcontractors, assisting with maintenance of up-to-date database of media contacts, facilitating translation of materials, and other duties.
Required Skills
- Excellent oral and written communication in English.
- Demonstrated ability to assess the communications environment, anticipate challenges, and mitigate and manage communications risks within that environment.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
- Proven ability to work diplomatically and deftly with diverse and dispersed project partners and colleagues.
- Track record of high-quality written materials and successful media outreach.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Ability to travel frequently.
Required Experience
- Master’s preferred, in Social Sciences/ Public Health, Communications, with ten years experience; at least four years of that experience in a strategic communications role.
- Experience in crisis communications planning and response.
- Experience in assisting spokespeople with media interviews and presentations, and working with the media.
- Experience writing and presenting about health and scientific topics for nonscientific audiences.
Job Location
New Delhi, INDIA
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular