The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is an international, not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organization that develops and delivers new treatments for neglected diseases that affect millions of the world’s poorest people.
Together with more than 200 public research and industry allies worldwide, we use the power of partnership, innovation, open science, and advocacy to find solutions to a great injustice: the lack of medicines for life-threatening diseases that disproportionately impact poor and marginalized people. Driven by collaboration, not competition, and by patients’ needs, not profits, we promote equitable access, foster inclusive and sustainable solutions, and advocate for a more effective global biomedical R&D system that meets the needs of neglected patients.
Since our inception, DNDi has delivered 12 new treatments for people with sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, HIV, hepatitis C, and malaria that have saved millions of lives. We now aim to deliver an additional 11-14 new treatments by 2028 – addressing R&D gaps for neglected tropical diseases and viral infections, including new pandemic-prone diseases (such as Covid-19) and climate-sensitive diseases (such as dengue) with a focus on the needs of patients in low- and middle-income countries.
With more than 250 employees of 33 nationalities located in nine offices on four continents, DNDi is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential parts of our culture and key drivers of our success. We encourage candidates of diverse profiles and backgrounds to apply.
The External Affairs Department at DNDi drives the organisation’s visibility, influence, and financial sustainability. Its teams (Policy Advocacy, Communications, and Fundraising / External Relations] ensure that DNDi is visible and respected in influential circles, supported by committed stakeholders, and successful in securing the resources needed to deliver on its mission, while being effective in driving policy change as it advocates for neglected patients.
Purpose of the position
DNDi’s External Relations and Communications teams are looking for a part-time consultant who is a communications generalist with fundraising experience and superb writing skills to provide support to the Innovation for Children programme.
In coordination with the External Relations and Communications teams, the consultant will provide communications strategy, planning, and plan execution on DNDi’s Innovation for Children programme, which is working to develop better medicines for children to fill urgent treatment gaps.
Terms of reference
This is a part-time consultancy (approx. 2 days/week) from September 2023 to December 2024. The terms of reference is as follows:
- Develop a communications strategy and plan for the Innovation for Children programme, including digital campaign(s) linked to key milestones/dates and media.
- Content assessment:
- Review DNDi’s film and photography archive to identify children-related content covering diseases and regions of interest, and create a children-related content library in the digital asset management platform.
- Identify content gaps to inform planning for additional content collection.
- Review and develop captions.
- Video:
- Plan a series of short video interviews or statements filmed using phones for social media
- Provide input to messaging for a short film
- Social media:
- Draft content for campaigns and develop “evergreen” content
- Media:
- Draft press releases as needed
- Draft pitches to journalists and target media
- Slide deck:
- Develop slide deck to be used for fundraising
- Develop core corporate slide deck related for the Innovation for Children programme for use by DNDi staff in miscellaneous presentations
- Donor reports:
- Draft periodic reports to donors, as needed
- Website:
- Develop paediatric content for the DNDi website
To apply
- Please submit your application using the online form
- Deadline for application: accepting applications until September 15, 2023
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
- Please state your availability and fees within the cover letter
- Only duly registered consultants will be considered
- Application submission may close early if we have enough suitable applicants