Communications Manager - Narrative & Storytelling

Role: Communications Manager - Narrative & Storytelling
Experience: 3+
Salary: 7.20-9 LPA
Location: 30% onsite in Sukma/Bastar division + 70% remote
Travel: Around 15 days every 2 months to project sites in Chhattisgarh and Odisha
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About the role:
This is not a typical communications role. We are looking for someone who can sit with a story in a remote village, understand its emotion and complexity, and translate it into a powerful narrative for partners, funders, teams, and the larger ecosystem. At its heart, this role is about building narratives, not just creating content.

The Communications Manager will help establish the organisation as a credible, field-rooted entity with deep expertise in:

• Conflict and crisis-affected geographies
• Contextual pedagogy and education solutions
• Grassroots innovations in learning
• Positive Childhood Experiences
• Childhood-centred education and systems change

The role will also contribute to strengthening our digital publications and storytelling platforms, including HAKUM and The Children's Times, ensuring that children's voices, local wisdom, and field realities become part of larger public conversations.

High-Priority Areas

1. Narrative Strategy & Organisational Positioning

• Build our public narrative around Childhood in Crisis, Positive Childhood Experiences, contextual education, and pedagogy-led innovation.
• Position the organisation as a credible entity working with children in conflict-affected and crisis-affected geographies.
• Translate field experience into clear narratives for donors, partners, government, media, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Help make childhood a central part of education, equity, and development conversations.

2. Storytelling from the Field

• Travel regularly to project locations and spend time with children, educators, parents, community members, and field teams.
• Identify powerful stories, patterns, insights, and lived experiences from the ground.
• Convert field realities into stories that are simple, authentic, emotionally resonant, and respectful.
• Ensure all storytelling reflects dignity, consent, sensitivity, and respect for children and communities.

3. Strategic Communication Outputs

• Create high-quality communication material such as case studies, donor updates, reports, briefs, concept notes, presentations, articles, newsletters, website content, and campaign material.
• Ensure consistency in our voice, tone, language, and messaging across all platforms.
• Support leadership and program teams with talking points, presentations, and external communication material.
• Convert program learnings, field evidence, and organisational reflections into meaningful knowledge products.

4. Digital Publications & Knowledge Products

• Support the editorial planning, design, and production of HAKUM and The Children's Times.
• Strengthen HAKUM as a child-and-youth-led publication rooted in Bastar, local wisdom, ecology, culture, learning, and lived experiences.
• Contribute to The Children's Times as a platform that brings children's voices, dreams, concerns, and perspectives into larger public conversations.
• Improve the editorial and visual quality of digital publications so they can be shared with donors, partners, ecosystem actors, and the wider public.

5. Social Media & Digital Communication

• Manage regular and meaningful social media outputs.
• Ensure social media reflects our larger narrative, not just activity updates.
• Coordinate with teams for photos, stories, captions, campaign posts, and announcements.
• Support website updates, newsletters, and other digital communication channels.

6. External Engagement & Representation

• Represent our narrative in meetings, events, convenings, and sector platforms.
• Build and maintain relationships with partners, collaborators, media, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• Help amplify our voice in relevant education and development spaces.

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 3 years of experience in communications, storytelling, journalism, development communication, content writing, documentation, or related fields.
• Strong writing and editing skills in English; working knowledge of Hindi will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to create high-quality narratives, reports, case studies, articles, or long-form content.
• Experience with non-profits, grassroots organisations, education programs, or social impact organisations will be preferred.
• Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders including communities, teams, partners, donors, and government stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel and spend time in remote field locations.
• Comfort with design tools such as Canva and basic digital publishing tools.
• Strong ownership, attention to detail, and comfort with ambiguity.

Selection Process

1. Application Submission: Applicants will submit an updated resume and a portfolio or samples of previous work.
2. Pre-Work Assignment: Shortlisted candidates will complete a short assignment to assess narrative thinking, writing ability, and communication approach.
3. Interview Round: Final candidates will be invited for a conversation focused on storytelling depth, strategic thinking, field orientation, and alignment with our values.

Hiring Note: Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis. This job is first posted on July 16, 2026 on Ground Zero

For any questions, ping us on WhatsApp chat: +91-8058331557