Advocacy and Communications Officer – India, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

Sabin Vaccine Institute Consultant Opportunity: Advocacy and Communications Officer – India, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

Organization: Sabin Vaccine Institute

Location: Delhi, India

Program: Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

Position Title: Advocacy and Communications Officer

Reports To: Director of Programs and Operations

Position Summary:

The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) is seeking a consultant to fill a full-time Advocacy and Communications (A/C) Officer position in its Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (Global Network) program. The A/C Officer will serve as the primary representative of the Global Network in India and lead country advocacy and communications activities on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The primary purpose of these activities is to increase the political commitment, public awareness and resources necessary to achieve NTD control and elimination in India.

The successful candidate for this new, independent contractor position will be based in Delhi, India and liaise with Global Network staff based in Washington, DC. The A/C Officer will report frequently to Sabin, both informally and formally. Travel within India will be required. The A/C Officer will be contracted for an initial one year term, with the possibility of renewal for up to three years.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Global Network's primary liaison in India with officials from the Government of India, partner organizations and other constituents, including the media

• Conduct advocacy activities focusing on Government of India officials, such as Cabinet Ministers and senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Finance, including leading briefings, coordinating site visits and developing position papers and policy briefs

• Build relationships and work with national and state NTD program staff; Review key program documents (e.g., program implementation plans, budgets and data) to become familiar with the progress and status of national NTD programs, identify key milestones and achievements, assess gaps, and use this information to inform advocacy strategies and key messages

• Collaborate and manage relationships with key partners in India, including alignment of advocacy activities, organizing stakeholder meetings and proactively seeking new partners

• Serve as the primary media source for our NTD advocacy activities in India, conducting interviews with national and global outlets for media opportunities approved by Sabin's communications team

• Support the development of communications tools and help leverage opportunities for communications and media activities across India

• Support the launch of a national public service campaign on NTDs, working with the Government of India, an advertising agency, film production team, media outlets and other partners to successfully launch and promote across India and in particular in priority state(s)

• Coordinate a communications advisory committee that will provide strategic counsel in support of our public service campaign, including maintaining regular communications with advisors, coordinating meetings as needed, and following up on recommendations from the committee as appropriate

• Stay abreast of the political and budgetary landscape in India, monitoring current events, policy and fiscal decision making, particularly as they relate to health and development priorities at the national level and in priority state(s)

• Prepare regular reports and timely updates summarizing advocacy and communications activities in India and maintain regular communication with Global Network and Sabin staff in Washington, DC

• Travel within India as needed

• Perform other duties as assigned

Experience and Educational Requirements:

The successful candidate will be a self-starter and seasoned advocate with at least 5 years of experience in advocacy, policy and public relations. S/he will have:

· Experience working with senior officials in the Government of India and have a good network of contacts in the government and policy arena

· Successful experience navigating policy and budgetary processes at the national and state level

· Strong written and oral communication skills, including an ability to articulate key messages accurately and effectively to the media

· Ability to build confidence and manage relationships with prominent stakeholders

· Previous professional experience in global health or development

· Previous experience working in a global organization reporting to supervisors based outside of India desirable

· Fluent in English and Hindi, proficiency in other major Indian languages highly desired

· Authorization to live and work in India

Organization Summary:

Sabin is a U.S. non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of scientists, researchers and advocates dedicated to reducing needless human suffering from vaccine-preventable and neglected tropical diseases. Since its founding in 1993 in honor of Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the developer of the oral polio vaccine, Sabin has been at the forefront of global efforts to eliminate, prevent and cure infectious and neglected tropical diseases. Sabin develops new vaccines, advocates for increased use of existing vaccines and promotes expanded access to affordable medical treatments in collaboration with governments, academic institutions, scientists, medical professionals and other non-profit organizations. For more information please visit www.sabin.org.

Program Summary:

The Global Network is an advocacy initiative of Sabin that works in partnership with international agencies, governments, academic institutions, corporations, non-governmental development organizations and the general public to raise the awareness, political will and funding necessary to control and eliminate the most common NTDs by 2020.

NTDs are a group of 17 parasitic and bacterial infections that impact more than 1 billion people, most of whom live on less than $1.25 per day. These diseases blind, disable and disfigure their victims, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and disease. As highlighted by the 2012 London Declaration, there is a major effort to control and eliminate many of these NTDs by the year 2020 with the help of the pharmaceutical industry, many donor and endemic countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and multilateral agencies.

In India, the Global Network is working in collaboration with the Government of India and key stakeholders in order to help accelerate India's progress towards ending the burden of NTDs. The country comprises 35% of the global NTD burden and is endemic for several of the world's most prevalent NTDs, including lymphatic filariasis (LF), soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), trachoma, visceral leishmaniasis (kala azar), leprosy, dengue and yaws. India is implementing large-scale NTD programs, and achievement of NTD control and elimination goals is within reach. India's leadership and its ability to build on a history of successful disease control and elimination programs are absolutely critical to achieving global NTD control and elimination goals by 2020.

How to apply:

To be considered, please submit your cover letter, resume and compensation requirements via e-mail tojobs@sabin.org. Please be sure to reference "Advocacy/Communications Officer-India" in the subject line. Your cover letter should: (1) address the reasons for your interest in this consulting opportunity; and, (2) describe the knowledge, skills and abilities you would bring to the Sabin Vaccine Institute and its Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases program. No phone calls, please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.