Director Communications

This position is being recruited by Pakistan Single Window (PSW) on behalf of the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA). NAFSA is being established as a strategic national initiative to strengthen Pakistan’s agri-trade ecosystem through enhanced regulatory oversight, facilitation, and modernization of food safety and trade processes. The selected candidate will be part of NAFSA’s foundational team, contributing to the development of systems, processes, and institutional capabilities.

Position Summary

Director Communications reports to DDG CSW. This role manages internal & external communications, stakeholders’ engagement, change management and public relations.

Main Responsibilities

• Develop and execute NAFSA’s strategic communications and stakeholder engagement plan to support the Authority’s mandate and build public and stakeholder trust.

• Support SAPW and OW in risk communication in line with the Act, including timely information to business operators and, where necessary, the general public on risks to human, animal or plant health and measures taken to prevent, reduce or eliminate such risks.

• Support consultative and stakeholder consultations during preparation, evaluation and revision of SPS measures; design communication material to enable compliance and market access.

• Manage media relations, press releases, briefings, crisis communications, and spokesperson coordination; monitor media coverage and respond to issues proactively.

• Oversee internal communications and change management messaging across SAPW, Operations Wing and CSW to strengthen alignment and performance culture.

• Establish, manage and update NAFSA’s digital platforms (website, social media, content management) and publications, ensuring accuracy, accessibility and compliance with confidentiality requirements.

• Establish and manage NAFSA helpline directly or through outsourcing.

• Develop communication toolkits, awareness campaigns, and public education materials related to SPS measures, food safety, biosecurity, and compliance obligations.

• Coordinate with provincial and federal stakeholders for unified messaging during emergencies and crisis management situations.

• Track communication KPIs (reach, engagement, sentiment, awareness) and continuously improve communication effectiveness.

Requirements

Education:

- Master’s degree (16 years of education) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Relations, Public Policy or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience in corporate/public sector communications, media relations or stakeholder engagement, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.

• Demonstrated experience in risk/crisis communication, campaign development and digital communications.

• Excellent writing, editing and presentation skills in English and Urdu; ability to translate technical content into public-friendly messages.

• Strong coordination skills and ability to work with technical teams, regulators and external stakeholders.

• Experience in public sector or regulatory communications, including liaison with federal/provincial stakeholders and business associations.

• Proven ability to manage agency relationships (media/creative/digital) and oversee production of high-quality communication deliverables.

• Strong understanding of reputational risk management, stakeholder mapping and communication measurement.

For contact, kindly reach out to [email protected].