National Secretary

JOB DESCRIPTION – NATIONAL SECRETARY

Position – National Secretary

Organisation – India Child Protection

Reports To - Board

Duty Station - National Office with frequent travel across India

Employment Type: Full-time (Contractual)

Job Role

The National Secretary will lead the organisation's external engagement and strategic partnerships with government institutions, corporate sector, faith-based organisations, parliamentarians, civil society networks, and other key stakeholders. The role is responsible for strengthening policy advocacy, expanding national networks, organizing high-level consultations and summits, mobilizing partnerships, and positioning the organisation as a leading voice on child rights and social development.

Key Responsibilities

1. Government Liaison & Policy Advocacy

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Central and State Government Ministries, Departments, Commissions, and statutory bodies.
  
• Represent the organisation in meetings with government officials and policymakers.
  
• Facilitate policy dialogue and advocate for child protection and development initiatives.
  
• Coordinate government approvals, collaborations, and strategic partnerships.
  
• Monitor policy developments and identify opportunities for organisational engagement.
  

2. Strategic Networking & Partnerships

• Develop and strengthen relationships with NGOs, UN agencies, academic institutions, donor agencies, and national alliances.
  
• Represent the organisation at national and international forums, conferences, and stakeholder meetings.
  
• Build strategic partnerships to enhance organisational visibility and impact.
  

3. Fundraising:

·       She/he shall be responsible for developing a time-bound, written, specific and measurable strategic plan for fundraising for the Organisation

·       She/he shall be responsible for raising funds and liaison with funders for his/ her specific program

·       She/he shall be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with the funders

·       She/he shall be responsible for identifying new funders, and accounting

4. Program Management:

a.      She/he shall be responsible for ensuring overall management of the activities and  program

b.       She/he shall be responsible to work with the Finance Department to prepare a comprehensive budget for the Projects.

c.       She/he shall be responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of Organisation projects and timely communication including all reporting of the same to all relevant partners.

d.       She/he shall be responsible to administer the funds of the organisation according to the approved budget and monitor the monthly cash flow of the Organisation.

e.       She/he shall be responsible for facilitating the evaluation of projects through external agencies as per requirement.

f.        She/he shall be responsible for developing a database for donors along with the details of funding cycles, etc., and develop and send projects accordingly.

5. Organizing State Consultations

• Conceptualize and coordinate state-level consultations on child rights, trafficking, education, and social justice.
  
• Liaise with State Governments, civil society organisations, experts, and development partners.
  
• Ensure documentation, recommendations, and follow-up action plans are developed after each consultation.
  

6. CSR Engagement & Summit Management

• Develop relationships with corporate leaders and CSR foundations.
  
• Plan and organize national and regional CSR Summits.
  
• Identify opportunities for CSR partnerships and resource mobilization.
  
• Facilitate presentations, networking sessions, and partnership discussions with corporate stakeholders.
  

7. Faith Leader Engagement

• Build relationships with leaders from diverse faith communities.
  
• Develop faith-based initiatives supporting child protection, education, and community development.
  
• Organize interfaith dialogues, campaigns, and awareness programmes.
  
• Promote collaborative action among faith institutions for social change.
  

8. Parliamentarians (MP) Forum Development

• Establish and coordinate a national forum of Members of Parliament committed to child rights and social justice.
  
• Organize parliamentary briefings, consultations, and policy discussions.
  
• Prepare advocacy notes, briefing papers, and recommendations for MPs.
  
• Facilitate engagement between parliamentarians and grassroots stakeholders.
  

9. Advocacy & Public Representation

• Serve as a key spokesperson at external events when delegated.
  
• Strengthen the organisation's public profile through strategic engagement.
  
• Promote collaborative campaigns and national advocacy initiatives.
  

10. Resource Mobilization Support

• Identify partnership opportunities with CSR entities, philanthropists, and institutional donors.
  
• Support proposal development and partnership negotiations.
  
• Contribute to sustainability and long-term strategic collaborations.
  

11. Documentation & Reporting

• Prepare high-quality reports, concept notes, briefing documents, and policy papers.
  
• Maintain records of partnerships, consultations, and advocacy outcomes.
  
• Present periodic progress reports to senior management and the Board.
  

Educational Qualification

• Master's degree in Social Work, Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, Development Studies, Law, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
  
• Additional qualifications in Public Policy, Government Relations, or Strategic Management are desirable.
  

Experience

• Minimum 12–15 years of progressively responsible experience in the development sector, government relations, public policy, advocacy, or strategic partnerships.
  
• Demonstrated experience working with Central and State Governments.
  
• Proven experience organizing national-level consultations, conferences, or summits.
  
• Strong network with government agencies, parliamentarians, corporate CSR leaders, and civil society organisations.
  

Key Skills

• Government liaison and stakeholder management
  
• Policy advocacy and influencing
  
• Strategic networking and partnership development
  
• Event and summit management
  
• CSR engagement and corporate relations
  
• Public speaking and presentation
  
• Negotiation and diplomacy
  
• Proposal and report writing
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  
• Leadership and team coordination
  

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking
  
• Relationship building
  
• Political acumen
  
• Influencing and negotiation
  
• Leadership and collaboration
  
• Planning and execution
  
• Decision-making
  
• Integrity and accountability
  
• Cultural sensitivity
  
• Results orientation
  

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

·       Strengthens and maintains strategic relationships with Central and State Government stakeholders.

·       Facilitates effective engagement with government ministries, departments, and statutory bodies.

·       Contributes to policy advocacy initiatives that align with the organisation's strategic objectives.

·       Identifies and leverages opportunities for government collaboration and partnerships.

·       Expands and strengthens partnerships with NGOs, UN agencies, academic institutions, donor agencies, and national alliances.

·       Represents the organisation effectively in national and international forums, consultations, and stakeholder meetings.

·       Develops and implements fundraising strategies aligned with organisational priorities.

·       Secures funding from institutional donors, CSR partners, foundations, and other funding sources.

·       Maintains strong relationships with existing donors and funding partners.

·       Identifies and cultivates new funding opportunities and strategic donor partnerships.

·       Ensures timely submission of high-quality funding proposals, concept notes, and grant applications.

·       Oversees effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of assigned programmes.

·       Ensures programme activities are delivered within approved timelines and budgets.

·       Coordinates with the Finance team to develop and monitor project budgets and financial utilization.

·       Ensures timely submission of donor reports, financial reports, and project deliverables.

·       Maintains accurate donor databases, funding pipelines, and project tracking systems.

·       Successfully plans and coordinates state-level consultations and stakeholder engagement events.

·       Ensures timely documentation, dissemination of recommendations, and follow-up actions from consultations.

·       Builds and strengthens relationships with corporate CSR leaders and foundations.

·       Successfully conceptualizes and coordinates CSR summits, networking events, and partnership forums.

·       Develops and manages strategic CSR collaborations that support organisational goals.

·       Establishes and nurtures relationships with faith leaders and faith-based organisations.

·       Facilitates interfaith initiatives, campaigns, and collaborative programmes on child protection and social justice.

·       Coordinates the development and functioning of a Parliamentarians' Forum on child rights.

·       Organizes parliamentary briefings, consultations, and policy dialogue with Members of Parliament.

·       Produces high-quality advocacy materials, policy briefs, and briefing notes for policymakers.

·       Enhances the organisation's visibility through strategic external representation and advocacy.

·       Identifies opportunities for long-term strategic partnerships and organisational sustainability.

·       Supports negotiation and formalization of partnership agreements and collaborative initiatives.

·       Produces high-quality reports, policy papers, concept notes, and organisational documentation.

·       Maintains accurate records of advocacy initiatives, partnerships, consultations, and project outcomes.

·       Provides timely and comprehensive progress reports to senior leadership and the Board.

·       Demonstrates effective cross-functional collaboration with programme, finance, communications, and leadership teams.

·       Ensures compliance with donor requirements, organisational policies, and statutory regulations.

·       Contributes to the achievement of the organisation's strategic goals through effective leadership, stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization.