Job Description: Director, Programmes and Communication
Location: New Delhi
Reports to: CEO, Samvad Samajik Sansthan
Type: Full-time, Senior Management Position
About Samvad Samajik Sansthan
Samvad Samajik Sansthan, popularly known as Samvad is a not-for profit organization committed to driving social and economic transformation and sustainable change through effective communication with the children, girls and young people thereby enhancingtheir participation and leadership in grassroots community development. Samvad was founded by young development workers in 1998 and is registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Over the past three decades, Samvad has impacted the lives of more than 20 million children, particularlygirls and boys in difficult circumstances and their families across several States of India through high impact social development actions the domains of education, health, nutrition, livelihoods and empowerment of children and women.
Position Overview
The Director, Programmes and Communication will provide strategic leadership, technical expertise and operational oversight for Samvad’s grassroots programs for promoting child rights, gender equality and socio-economic empowerment of poor and marginalized families across its program areas. We are seeking a visionary leader who can translate the organization’s mission into impactful grassroots interventions, strengthen donor and government partnerships, build and invigorate programme team capacity and ensure measurable outcomes across diverse States and geographies in India.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership & Program Development
- Lead the design, planning and implementation of high impact and multi-sectoral programs on child protection, education, market oriented vocational skills, health, gender equality, DRR and sustainable rural livelihoods.
- Align program strategies with National social development policies for children and women (e.g. NITI Aayog/ABDP, RTE, ICDS, Ayushman Bharat, Mission Vatsalya, SDGs and likes) and national and international donor priorities.
- Drive innovation in program models, ensuring scalability and sustainability.
2. Operational Management
- Oversee programme budgets, timelines and deliverables across multiple programmes and projects.
- Ensure compliance with donor requirements, government regulations and organizational policies.
- Establish robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks to track impact.
3. Partnerships & Influence
- Build and nurture partnerships with government agencies, UN bodies, donors and other civil society organizations.
- Represent Samvad at National and International Forums on child rights, social development and gender equality.
- Lead social transformation campaigns to influence community participation and ownership for grassroots development on key social issues.
4. Team Leadership & Capacity Building
- Supervise Program Managers and Technical Specialists, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
- Invest in staff development through training, mentoring and performance management.
- Promote gender-sensitive and inclusive practices within the organization.
5. Programme Communication and Donor Engagement
- Support fundraising efforts by developing proposals, concept notes and donor communication and engagement strategies and actions.
- Identify new funding opportunities, drive collaboration with potential donors and diversify program financing.
Performance Indicators
Samvad envisions the Director, Programme and Communications as both a strategist,organisational management and a hands-on team leader, balancing vision with execution. Accordingly, the incumbent to the position would be assessed on the following:
a. Achievement of program targets and outcomes.
b. Growth in donor portfolio and funding diversity.
c. Strengthened partnerships and policy influence.
d. Positive staff engagement and retention.
e. Documented impact on child rights, gender equality, and family empowerment
Required Qualifications & Experience
a. Master’s degree in Social Work, Development Studies, Public Policy or related field aligned with the mandate of the organisation.
b. At least 7 years of progressive experience in program management within NGOs, INGOs or development agencies of which 3 years must be in program leadership position.
c. Proven expertise in leading programmes and projects seeking to promote child rights, gender equality, education, health and community empowerment.
d. Strong knowledge of National and International development frameworks (NITI Aayog, Union Ministries, SDGs, UNICEF, UN Women).
e. Demonstrated success in designing and managing large-scale multi-year projects maintaining strong connect and engagement with respective donors.
f. Excellent leadership, communication, program presentation and negotiation skills.
g. Understanding and use of newage technology tools e.g. AI, Program Management Software, Dashboards is an added advantage.
h. Fluency in English and Hindi; knowledge of regional languages is an asset.
Personal Attributes
a. Passionate about child rights, gender equality, social justice and social equity.
b. Strategic thinker with problem-solving abilities.
c. Strong interpersonal skills, people’s communication and cultural sensitivity.
d. Ability to travel extensively across India.
Others
a. Salary shall commensurate with experience.
b. Position availability is immediate
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply for this position, please share on the following email ID: [email protected] OR [email protected]
(a) Detailed latest CV/Resume;
(b) Cover Note indicating the likely date of joining and expected compensation.
Last date for submission of application is 5:00 pm on 15th July, 2026 (Wednesday)
Only applications of shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.
Samvad is committed to fostering a workplace that values fairness and respect. We ensure that all applicants are treated with dignity and provided equal opportunities in all aspects of their engagement. Our recruitment system are based solely on relevant qualifications, such as experience, training and overall fit for the role, in adherence to applicable laws. We are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Samvad is a child-safe and youth friendly organization, and the safety and well-being of children and young people is a priority for our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all applicants and staff are suited to work with the children and young people served by our programs and projects.
Samvad is committed to provide protection against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse to all the individuals at our workplace and to ensure that everyone including our interns, volunteers, associates, partners, vendors and suppliers are treated with equality and dignity.
Work Location: In person
