Communications Officer - India

We are looking for an organized, flexible, and personable individual with strong communication and writing skills. They will be culturally competent with experience living and working in India, across multiple sectors. The candidate will be a part of a team working on the intersection of air pollution, climate change and human health and play a central role in supporting Health Care Without Harm’s work in India. The candidate will work with the communications team on different deliverables and projects as requested by the India Programs Manager and will collaborate in the project management and amplification of other deliverables.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Health Care Without Harm seeks to transform health care worldwide so the sector reduces its environmental footprint and becomes a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) works with hospitals, health systems, health professionals, NGOs, ministries of health, and multilateral organizations to achieve its mission. It has offices in Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia, a global secretariat, a dynamic Latin America team, and partner organizations in Australia, Brazil, India, Nepal and South Africa. Its Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network has over 2,200 members in 87 countries who represent the interests of more than 70,000 hospitals and health centers.

Health Care Without Harm and its partners in India have been working collaboratively for several years to engage the Indian health sector to be an active and persuasive voice about how dirty energy harms human health and how a transition to clean energy can protect health. This work has made air pollution an important work area in the intersection with climate change, health care sector decarbonization, and sustainable procurement.

CONSULTANCY DESCRIPTION:

The Communications Officer - India is responsible for all aspects of strategic communication of Health Care Without Harm’s growing portfolio of work in India. Working with HCWH partners in India, as well as HCWH staff around the world, the Communication Officer - India will facilitate the effective communication of the organization’s activities in India, including those of partner organizations. The Communication Officer - India will provide strategic inputs to India partners organization in developing long term project strategy and work closely in execution of the same.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

The Communications Officer - India will lead the design and implementation of strategic communications for Health Care Without Harm’s growing portfolio of work in India. Working closely with HCWH’s India partners and global teams, the Communications Officer - India will serve as the focal point for all communications planning, coordination, and content development. The role combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution — ensuring high-quality storytelling, consistent messaging, and strong visibility for HCWH’s work in India across multiple projects, partners, and funders.

The Communications Officer - India will also strengthen the communications capacity of partners in India, enhance alignment with global campaigns, and highlight the organization’s mission to transform healthcare to reduce its environmental footprint and promote climate and health justice.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Strategic Communications & Coordination

• Serve as the main liaison between HCWH’s global communications team and India-based partners to ensure alignment, consistency, and collaboration across projects.
• Develop and implement strategic communications plans that support multi-year program goals and highlight the impact of HCWH’s initiatives in India.
• Support India partners in integrating communication objectives into their project strategies and plans.
• Facilitate regular coordination calls, webinars, and meetings between HCWH staff and India partners.
• Provide logistical and project backstopping support for communications-related events, conferences, and program activities.

Content Development & Storytelling

• Produce and edit high-quality written and visual content, including success stories, newsletters, social media posts, press releases, infographics, and reports.
• Support the development of India-specific content by working closely with partners in the country.
• Develop and execute communication strategies that effectively convey the scope and impact of HCWH’s India programs to external audiences.
• Collaborate with the global communications, climate, and sustainability teams to produce project-related materials and campaigns.
• Create and review website articles, project reports, and materials in English and Hindi, ensuring adherence to HCWH’s brand and style guidelines.

Social Media & Digital Communications

• Develop bilingual (English and Hindi) graphics and messaging, ensuring quality and cultural relevance.
• Track engagement and analytics to assess performance and prepare monthly social media reports.
• Support India partners in developing and promoting social media content via their channels.

Project Management & Partner Support

• Oversee communications deliverables, timelines, and budgets across multiple India projects.
• Coordinate with vendors such as translators, designers, and agencies, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to budget.
• Maintain trackers, expense logs, and communication reports for all active projects.
• Provide administrative, analytical, and research support to partners as needed.
• Build communications capacity among India partners through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and alignment with HCWH’s global standards.

General Responsibilities

• Apply professionalism, discretion, and cultural sensitivity in all communications and relationships as a representative of HCWH.
• Collaborate effectively across time zones and cultures, maintaining regular communication through Slack, Zoom, and email.
• Be available for meetings across different time zones (including the U.S. and Europe).
• Travel within India (and occasionally internationally) up to 15–20% of the time.
• Perform other communications-related duties as required to meet program and organizational needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be/have:

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail;
• Proven ability to effectively coordinate stakeholders and resources for a common purpose;
• Discretion, confidentiality, and excellent professional and managerial judgement;
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.

Cultural competency:

• Strong understanding of Indian cultural context, with experience living and/or working in India;
• Oral and written proficiency in Hindi and/or one or more Indian regional languages (e.g., Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, etc.);
• Ability to navigate between Indian and other cultures (e.g., Southeast Asian, European, North American, South American) with ease and fluidity.

Relationship and communication competency:

• Mature networking and relationship building skills;
• Proven ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in written form, for internal and external communication to a wide range of audiences, and for the development and review of grant proposals, briefing documents, etc.;
• Ability to tackle difficult issues, manage challenging or complex relationships, and convey learnings and experience in a constructive, collaborative, and results-driven way to various individuals and teams;
• Ability to take a risk management and compliance approach, balanced with the ability to empower and support partners and staff directly implementing projects and programs;

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in communication management and program support or equivalent experience.
• Preferred education and/or working experience in relevant issues such as air pollution, climate change, environmental justice, public health, health policy and management, etc.

Other qualifications:

• Highly motivated and adaptable self-starter with the ability to work effectively within a complex NGO, with quickly growing needs and remote team environment;
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the year;
• Commitment to the investment in, and empowerment of, HCWH staff and partners in India and globally.

Knowledge and experience with the following programs and platforms are required:

• WordPress or Drupal
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Social media tools: Canva and Hootsuite
• Preferred experience with the following programs and platforms:

1. Adobe InDesign
2. Adobe Premiere or similar software
3. Mailchimp

What’s In It For You?

• Work for an organization where the mission is inspiring, and your colleagues care deeply for the mission and the network of people carrying out that mission.
• Play a key role in helping drive growth, influence impact, and advance efforts to create a more sustainable health care sector and community.
• Be part of an inspirational global network.

Oral and written proficiency in English

Oral and written proficiency in Hindi and/or one or more Indian regional languages (e.g., Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, etc.)