29th Oct 2026
Introduction
KHPT is a registered non-profit organization that has, for over two decades, worked alongside India’s most vulnerable communities to improve their health and wellbeing. Our journey began in 2003 with focused initiatives to reduce the prevalence of HIV in Karnataka, and since then, our work has expanded to address a wide range of public health issues across the country. In places where health remains out of reach, held back by stigma, silence or systemic gaps, we have worked to change that reality. We believe the answers already exist in local knowledge, the culture of the place, and in collective intent. While health is our focus, we see it in its full context shaped by poverty, gender, social norms, urbanization and climate. We bring together technical expertise and community wisdom, blending data, dialogue and systems thinking to strengthen health systems and empower communities. Because health and wellbeing are rights. And every community deserves not just access, but the power to shape its own wellbeing.
The role will lead the Adolescent Health thematic programme’s government engagement, advocacy, strategic partnerships and coalition-building. Working with government departments, local governance institutions, civil society, academic institutions, development partners and media, the Lead will strengthen institutional ownership of adolescent girls’ leadership and wellbeing, translate programme evidence into policy and system-level action, and support Prabala’s scale-up. A key priority is coordinating with government counterparts on integrating adolescent-related data into Panchatantra 2.0.
KHPT is seeking application for the following position.
Lead – Advocacy, Government Engagement and Strategic Partnerships
Positions: 1
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka with frequent travel
Qualification, Skills & Competencies:
• Postgraduate degree in Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, Political Science, Governance, Social Work or a related field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience, including 5 years engaging government departments, public institutions or policy stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in advocacy or policy influence, partnership and multi-stakeholder coordination, capacity-building, and preparing policy briefs, proposals and presentations.
• Strong facilitation, relationship-management and written communication skills.
Desirable:
• Experience in adolescent health, gender equality, girls’ empowerment, child rights or local governance.
• Experience working with state governments and district administrations, preferably in Karnataka.
• Experience in digital governance or government data systems, coalition management, media engagement and resource mobilisation.
Key Competencies:
• Strategic thinking and influencing; understanding of government systems; evidence-to-policy translation; partnership and coalition management; training and facilitation; proposal development and resource mobilisation; ethical, gender- and inclusion-sensitive communication; collaboration and results orientation.
Roles and Responsibilities:
A. Government Engagement and Institutionalisation:
• Develop and implement a government engagement strategy; build relationships with relevant state and district departments, including RDPR, WCD, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
• Advance integration of adolescent girls’ priorities into government policies, plans, programmes and Gram Panchayat processes; support interdepartmental coordination and track commitments.
• Coordinate with government and technical counterparts on adolescent-related data integration in Panchatantra 2.0, including data requirements, consultations, milestones and follow-up.
B. Capacity-Building, Advocacy and Policy Influence:
• Design and facilitate orientations for government officials, elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries on girls’ leadership, governance participation, gender-responsive planning and adolescent wellbeing.
• Translate programme evidence and field learning into policy briefs, advocacy notes and recommendations; identify opportunities to influence policies, plans, budgets and implementation mechanisms.
• Organise policy dialogues and stakeholder consultations, and represent KHPT in relevant government forums, networks and sector platforms.
C. Strategic Partnerships and Coalition-Building:
• Build partnerships with civil society organisations, academic and research institutions, networks, philanthropic organisations and development partners.
• Coordinate the coalition-based Prabala pilot in Kundapura block, Udupi district, with CWC, including joint planning, partner coordination, progress reviews and documentation of learning.
• Use pilot learning to strengthen collaborative implementation and inform replication; develop joint proposals and partnerships to expand Prabala.
D. Media Engagement and Public Visibility:
• Work with KHPT’s communications team to identify opportunities to communicate programme evidence, promising practices and policy priorities.
• Coordinate media briefings, interviews, field visits and stakeholder events as appropriate; ensure communication is accurate, ethical, gender-sensitive and consistent with KHPT protocols.
E. Resource Mobilisation, Coordination and Reporting:
• Identify funding and partnership opportunities and maintain relationships with philanthropic foundations, CSR partners, institutional donors and prospective collaborators.
• Lead or coordinate joint proposals and partnership pitches with the Thematic Lead, programme and technical teams, and partner organisations.
• Work with the Programme Implementation Lead, technical specialists, MERL and communications teams to align advocacy with implementation and evidence; track commitments and prepare government-facing briefs, updates and reports.
The role owns the thematic programme’s government engagement, advocacy, media engagement, strategic partnerships and coalition-building, including government-facing deliverables related to Panchatantra 2.0 and the Kundapura pilot.
The Programme Implementation Lead remains responsible for day-to-day implementation, district coordination, work plans, budgets and programme delivery. The Senior Specialist provides technical guidance on gender, community engagement and intervention quality.
Expected contribution:
• Stronger government ownership of girls’ leadership and progress towards institutionalisation.
• Progress on Panchatantra 2.0 data integration.
• Improved government capacity for gender-responsive governance.
• Stronger public visibility and cross-sector coalitions.
• Effective learning from the Kundapura coalition-based pilot.
• Strategic partnerships and joint proposals supporting Prabala’s expansion and sustainability.
Reporting:
The Lead – Advocacy, Government Engagement and Strategic Partnerships will be reporting to the Thematic Lead or person designated by him
Remuneration:
The compensation for the above-mentioned position/s will adhere to internal policies and market standards, determined by qualifications, relevant experience, budget availability, internal parity, and interview performance
KHPT is committed to providing a safe and supportive work environment for all employees. We uphold the principle of equal opportunity and actively welcome female applicants. In addition, we encourage individuals with physical challenges, provided they possess the necessary skills and knowledge, and are willing to travel to apply. We seek candidates who can seamlessly integrate into our non-discriminatory, inclusive, and equitable organizational culture.
We will follow a systematic selection process to fill this position, taking into account experience, competency, suitability, aptitude to work with our health programs, and extensive knowledge of the areas we work in. Only candidates who meet our shortlisting criteria will be invited for an interview.
The above position demands excellent communication, interpersonal and computer skills and also involves travel. Preference will be given to candidates who have work experience in the relevant field and local candidates with required experience and skillsets.
The above-mentioned position requires outstanding communication, interpersonal, and computer skills, as well as the willingness to travel. Preference will be given to candidates with work experience in the relevant field and local candidates who possess the necessary experience and skill sets.
How to apply:
Prospective candidates should submit their applications by clicking the "Apply Online" button next to the relevant vacancy on our current openings page at https://www.khpt.org/work-with-us/.
The deadline for submissions is 11th November 2026