Chandrakanta Kesavan Center for Energy Policy and Climate Solutions, Kotak School of Sustainability at IIT Kanpur is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Communication Expert who will be responsible for developing and executing communication strategies that promote the school's mission, engage stakeholders, and enhance its reputation. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in strategic communication planning, storytelling, content creation, and stakeholder engagement, with a passion for sustainability and environmental advocacy.

Key Responsibilities include:

1.To establish the Communication function within KSS with clearly defined strategies and plans for Internal & External Communication, Media engagements and Public Relations.

Ground zero: understanding the vision, mission and scope of the school, various centres it will house, and the courses including the research initiatives. It is also critical to know the credentials of Faculty members and important stakeholders.

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1.Setting up Internal communication flows & feedback mechanisms for all the departments within IIT K to generate engagement for KSS.

2.Setting up a clockwork of content feed to external stakeholders through key platforms like website/ social media/ digital platforms/ electronic media/ newsletter/ reports.

3.Maintaining relationship with National & International Media persons for wider spreading of the news about school's initiatives.

4. Identifying opportunities for School's faculty and student community to talk about school's initiatives.

5.Tapping the opportunities for leadership during global advocacy initiatives towards Sustainability such as COP, Clean Energy Forum, India EU Sustainability Conclave. Planning communication activities during such critical times.

6. Inform the team from time to time on new developments in the field of communication and possible expansions so that new technology/software and tools can be adopted.

7.Ensure that high quality and zero error content flow is maintained on all platforms.

8. Flag any issues immediately to your reporting officer.

9. Develop Media Partnerships with other organisations in Sustainability space.

10. Upskill oneself with the rapidly changing scenario in this field.

2.To create a ready to use Play Book for communication function.

1.Conceptualising/ rendering the brand guidelines for the school that would be reflected uniformly in all communication channels, tools, and assets.

2.Creating assorted functional stakeholder database for different communication activities.

3.Creating a comms convention sheet for ready reference where all essential dos and don'ts are clearly mentioned.

4.Creating and Maintaining KSS's Owned Communication Assets Master Document where the coordinates of all official KSS platforms, subscriptions etc. can be stored in a well organised and easily searchable manner.

5. Developing a quarterly Communication Calendar for the school taking a close view on course cycles, research initiatives etc.

3.To create a mechanism (funnel) that coordinates the efforts of various entities within the school

1.Stock taking, and gap assessment of the communication practices being undertaken by Sustainable Energy Engineering Department, Chandrakanta Kesavan Centre and re-aligning them with the objectives of the Kotak School of Sustainability.

2.Identifying key resource persons within the institution for sourcing the content.

3.Understanding and streamlining the sharing frequency through different mediums. Listing out 5-10 cross pollinated activities for each month

4. To create & implement the Strategic Communication Plan for the School based on the school's mission, values, and objectives.

1. Ensuring that the KSS handles, and website is always up with latest content and information.

2.Identifying and sourcing the right content as per the approved content mix, devising key messages, tagging or dissemination to the approved target audiences,

3.Creating compelling, accurate, and impactful content for various communication channels of the school, including the school's website, social media platforms, newsletters, press releases, and reports. Ensure that the content reflects the school's commitment to sustainability and resonates with diverse audiences, including students, faculty, donors, alumni, policymakers, and the public.

4. Collaborating with internal stakeholders, such as faculty, staff, and students, to identify and promote research, educational programs, and events that contribute to the school's sustainability goals.

5. Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including media outlets, journalists, industry influencers, and partner organizations, to secure press coverage, media partnerships, and collaboration opportunities.

6. Creation of Communication Collateral & providing Marketing Support: Contribute to the development of communication materials, such as social media creative, leaflets, backdrops brochures, presentations, videos, and digital content, to support the school's courses, research efforts, recruitment, outreach, and fundraising efforts.

7.Collaborate with the marketing team of IIT K to ensure consistency in messaging and branding across all communication materials.

8.Monitor and analyse the performance of communication efforts, collect feedback from stakeholders, and leverage data-driven insights to continuously optimize and improve messaging, outreach strategies, and digital engagement metrics.

9. Design and run communication campaigns that raise awareness of sustainability issues, promote thought leadership, and mobilize stakeholders to act on environmental and social challenges from time to time.

10. Managing stock library of images and videos

11. Plan & curate a quarterly Newsletter for the school and ensuring its reach to diverse stakeholders.

12. Reporting every month to HOD about the progress of the function. This should have analytics on outreach.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

A bachelor's degree in communication, Sustainable Development, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

Minimum of 5 years of experience in developing and implementing communication strategies in a relevant industry, such as education, sustainability, environmental advocacy, or nonprofit organizations.

Necessary Attributes:

Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with a strong ability to create compelling, clear, and persuasive content for diverse audiences and platforms.

4. Proficiency in leveraging digital communication tools and social media platforms for brand promotion, engagement, and audience growth.

5. Proven track record in building and nurturing relationships with media, partners, and stakeholders to secure impactful coverage and collaborations.

6. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

7. Experience in public speaking, media relations, and crisis communication is a plus.

8. Passion for sustainability, environmental conservation, and social impact, with a deep understanding of the latest trends and developments in these fields.

9. Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive and collaborative approach to working with cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders.

Reporting Structure:

The Communication Expert will directly report to the Principal Investigator and will work closely with the Center's and Kotak School's leadership, faculty, and administrative teams to ensure that communication efforts align with the school's strategic goals and contribute to its overall success.

Nature of employment: Continuing, performance will judged on a yearly basis

Note: This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with it. Responsibilities may change based on organizational needs.

Application Last Date: 16-May-2024.

The interested candidates should send their application to [email protected].

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KANPUR