Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Current Job
Awards
Publications
Timeline
Generic
Parvinder Singh

Parvinder Singh

Communications Expert
New Delhi

Summary

Parvinder is a passionate storyteller, specializing in campaigns and rights-based outreach engagement. He has worked in roles spanning news media, communication, public policy and governmental affairs, and research. Parvinder has been with media and international development agencies, including ActionAid, Oxfam, Christian Aid, ICRC, Avaaz.org, Landesa, and USAID. He has a research degree in Indian economic history from Jawaharlal Nehru University, with Doctoral Fellowship from Indian Council for Social Sciences Research, and qualifications in public policy, marketing, and digital storytelling.

Overview

23
23
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages

Work History

Head Of Communications - United Nations World Food Programme India

World Food Programme
10.2020 - Current
  • I lead the communications unit of the United Nations World Programme India Country Office
  • Develop a Communication Strategy to deliver the Country's Strategic Plan 2023-27 goals
  • Create media visibility, developing Op-eds and articles for thought leadership.
  • Develop crisis management plans, preparing the organisation to handle unexpected events or issues affecting public perception.
  • Negotiate contracts with external vendors for various services related to communications activities.
  • Support leadership on brand and public engagement.
  • Boost brand visibility by developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies.
  • Create engaging communications products using research and assessments, manage stakeholders for events and advocacy with partners and governments, and develop annual reports, factsheets, donor flyers, videos and features/ change stories of impact.

Head North America

Confederation of Indian Industry International Division
10.2019 - 10.2020
  • Worked on developing collaboration with industry bodies, institutions, foundations, and government agencies through outreach, research policy inputs, and co-shared platforms
  • Anchored North America desk within the International Department in New Delhi, based at CII Headquarter
  • Pitched and bagged 140,000 CAD business mission project from Calgary Economic Development body
  • Pitched and bagged a 40,000 USD project on India-US business and strategic engagement series by the US Consulate
  • Worked on two World Bank-funded research projects for mapping the impact and needs of MSMEs during COVID-19 lockdown
  • CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organisation playing a proactive role in India's development process
  • Acted as a team leader in group projects, delegating tasks and providing feedback.

Communications Manager

International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC
06.2018 - 07.2019
  • Led the communication and dissemination vertical of the Indian Red Cross Society to work toward strengthening one of the most trusted not-for-profits, statutory humanitarian organizations
  • As IRCS moved towards the 100-year milestone, the position was focused on developing a brand and communication strategy to activate the Strategy 2030 rollout
  • Created and managed content, stories, visuals, website, social media, program documentation, corporate partnerships and capacity building for state branches
  • Some of the key highlights included, reviving social media outreach on Facebook and Twitter, website revamp and establishing a monthly e-newsletter, Kerala Flood 2018 media and fundraising outreach, working on visual brand guidelines and marketing plans for 2018-2020.
  • Leveraged social listening tools to stay informed about relevant industry trends and inform communication strategy adjustments as needed.

Associate Director | Learning and Communication

Catalyst: Inclusive Cashless Payment Partnership
06.2017 - 01.2018

Catalyst is a USAID-funded initiative housed with IFMR LEAD, seeded by an alliance between the Government of India and USAID. Its goal is to accelerate financial inclusion for the last mile through digital payments in India using an ecosystem approach.

  • I was responsible for driving external communication to position the program in a niche partnership ecosystem in the fast-changing digital finance and payments space
  • Led capturing of learning from the models and initiatives for showcasing and advocating innovations among stakeholders and policy space
  • Implementated initiatives involved an underlying component of behaviour change communication for initiating a change in mindset towards the adoption of digital transactions through a change agent model
  • Oversaw research and donor reporting

Manager Corporate Communications and Partnership

CBM India
01.2015 - 01.2017
  • Was responsible for executing external communication strategy, including developing content, storytelling and communication campaigns on disability and development issues
  • Worked with the FR team on creating digital branding, lead generation, donor communication and visibility in selected niche sections
  • Responsible for promoting partnerships with industry bodies.

National Campaigns Manager

Oxfam
02.2014 - 07.2015
  • Steered national campaigns, supported themes and regional engagements to link policy ask with transformational campaign journeys across platforms
  • I created a narrative for campaign partnerships with digital platforms for social change and institutions to deliver impact
  • Used communications, social media, events, research, community media for campaigns to ride and connect through
  • Worked on thematic pushes ahead of the national elections, women's reservation in parliament, even it up and the grow campaign.

Head of Advocacy & Communications - PACS

Christian Aid
01.2012 - 01.2014
  • My role, as part of an inspiring senior team, revolved around delivering platforms and creating narratives for rights and entitlement programs that are targeted at socially excluded communities
  • My specific responsibilities included managing a communication team and packaging PACS theory of change on addressing social exclusion; Initiating communications and advocacy capacity for community-based organizations and building online and ICT tool implementation logic
  • I worked on policy briefs for dialogues to position learning from campaigns
  • The Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme is an initiative of the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) aimed at reducing the gap in wellbeing status between socially excluded groups in India and the rest of the population.

India Communications Manager

Landesa
01.2011 - 12.2011
  • As the lead on national communications and advocacy, I worked for a global organisation with a team of State Communication Managers to provide strategic support and impact in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal for advancing land rights for some of the poorest communities in India.
  • Working closely with the global advocacy team based in Seattle, WA (USA), I was responsible for providing timely analysis of India program momentum, content (both written and visual), and strategic insight to build a global case for the cause of land rights within the International Development Community (IDC).
  • The role needed is a lot of hands-on engagement, with a good deal of time on the ground, to capture the voices of the community and partners and amplify these into national and global communications.
  • Through web, social media, media pushes and policy inputs.

Head of Communication

ActionAid
01.2008 - 01.2011
  • I was responsible for grooming and steering a high performance team handling campaign, advocacy and programme through online outreach, media, stories and special projects to highlight and inform a diverse range of audience and stakeholders on rights-based change
  • Being a partner driven association, we celebrated community leadership in shaping lives of some of the most marginalised people in the world
  • I was involved in core poverty and campaign work as a member of a global team
  • The sheer volume of stories, including on disasters, emergencies and outbreaks, publications from annual reports to international briefing papers, web and social media tools and films have played in redefining the role of communications in the organization
  • In this role, one got an opportunity to create a team, develop communication strategy, brand policy and fundraising opportunities.
  • Cultivated strong relationships with media outlets and influencers, increasing positive press coverage.

Senior Programme Officer - Media and Outreach

Toxics Link
01.2006 - 01.2008
  • I was responsible for media management and public outreach for one of the most dynamic environment advocacy and research group in India
  • Became a part of many niche campaigns on the issue of environmental equity, including Trees for Delhi, Lead in toys research, Lead in household paints, Mercury-free healthcare and E-waste reduction
  • Created new platforms for reaching out to new social groups, set-up http://enews.toxicslink.org/ and www.toxicslink.blogspot.com/
  • Was also in the thick of things for organising Environment and Health Public Monthly Lecture series, Quotes from the Earth Film Festival and many films for public information on complex yet everyday issues of toxicity.

Senior Project Coordinator Communications

National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
01.2005 - 01.2006
  • Wrote news and feature pieces, conducted interviews and photo assignments, for pioneering disability news and information service
  • I also uploaded the content onto the news website that hosted this by-monthly news magazine http://www.dnis.org/
  • Handled a substantial mailer database for the dissemination of internal communication with the disability sector
  • Actively took part in a high profile campaign, including the Temptation 2005 concert by Shah Rukh Khan for raising funds and awareness for the barrier-free environment
  • When the South Asian Earthquake rocked Kashmir, I visited for a fact-finding report to get DRR to focus on the needs of persons with disabilities
  • Http://www.rds.hawaii.edu/counter/count.php?id=20

Copy Editor

IANS India Private Limited( Indo Asian News Service)
01.2004 - 01.2005
  • Attached with news desk, the work at IANS entailed writing and editing news stories and features for India's first global news agency with a diverse media clients
  • Reported on special stories to target newspapers looking for well researched but off-beat stories
  • Specialised in handling desptaches and agency feeds for foreign networks.

Sub Editor

United News of India
01.2001 - 01.2004
  • Worked with the English Desk of one of the world's largest wire service, handling stories from a large network of centres and stringers arcoss India
  • Speed was the need of the hour to be the first to release stories on the ticker
  • Also did extensive reporting earning several byline for developmental and issue based reporting
  • From Bollywood to business news, wore many hats as is needed for an agency.

Education

MBA - Marketing And Communication

Indian Institute of Management
Delhi
04.2001 -

M.Phil - Economic History

Jawaharlal Nehru University
Delhi
04.2001 -

Master of Arts - Modern History

Jawaharlal Nehru University
Delhi
04.2001 -

Bachelor of Arts - History

Delhi University
Delhi
04.2001 -

Skills

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Current Job

Communications Head, United Nations World Food Programme, New Delhi, Delhi, 10/2020, Present, 3 years 6 months

Awards

  • National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor
  • Doctoral Fellow

Publications

  • Impact of the South Asian Earthquake on Disabled People in the State of Jammu and Kashmir
  • Activists rally against Lalit's murder in Ranchi
  • Natural Disasters: Equity and Coordination
  • Parvinder Singh: Bihar is a heartbreaking tragedy, but world has been looking the other way
  • Green hill or a black pit?

Timeline

Head Of Communications - United Nations World Food Programme India

World Food Programme
10.2020 - Current

Head North America

Confederation of Indian Industry International Division
10.2019 - 10.2020

Communications Manager

International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC
06.2018 - 07.2019

Associate Director | Learning and Communication

Catalyst: Inclusive Cashless Payment Partnership
06.2017 - 01.2018

Manager Corporate Communications and Partnership

CBM India
01.2015 - 01.2017

National Campaigns Manager

Oxfam
02.2014 - 07.2015

Head of Advocacy & Communications - PACS

Christian Aid
01.2012 - 01.2014

India Communications Manager

Landesa
01.2011 - 12.2011

Head of Communication

ActionAid
01.2008 - 01.2011

Senior Programme Officer - Media and Outreach

Toxics Link
01.2006 - 01.2008

Senior Project Coordinator Communications

National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
01.2005 - 01.2006

Copy Editor

IANS India Private Limited( Indo Asian News Service)
01.2004 - 01.2005

MBA - Marketing And Communication

Indian Institute of Management
04.2001 -

M.Phil - Economic History

Jawaharlal Nehru University
04.2001 -

Master of Arts - Modern History

Jawaharlal Nehru University
04.2001 -

Bachelor of Arts - History

Delhi University
04.2001 -

Sub Editor

United News of India
01.2001 - 01.2004
Parvinder SinghCommunications Expert