Senior Program Design Advisor and Technical Writer at Pathfinder International

Your Impact:  

As the Senior Program Design Advisor and Technical Writer,  you will lead the development of high-quality technical proposals and materials that drive Pathfinder’s business development, organizational learning, and external visibility. You will shape and execute proposal strategies designing compelling, donor-responsive approaches grounded in Pathfinder’s technical expertise and strategic priorities. Reporting directly to the Director Business Development and Partnerships, you will manage the technical documentation, manage Pathfinder’s language style guide, and create standards, tools, and templates that streamline program design and ensure consistency across our global portfolio. In collaboration with country teams, you will build internal capacity, training staff on technical writing, proposal strategy, program design, and technical writing best practices to advance Pathfinder’s country-led approach

Key Responsibilities:

Technical publication development:

• In partnership with relevant content owners, develops, writes, edits, coordinates, and disseminates technical publications, including technical briefs, learning briefs, case studies, and peer-reviewed journal articles. These documents aim to share programmatic experiences and evidence, formulate implementation lessons and recommendations, support business development, and position Pathfinder as a thought leader in SRHR.
• Work closely with the team to support the dissemination of technical publications.

Proposal writing:

• Collaborate with the Business Development and Country teams to develop and write sound technical responses to donor requests for proposals/applications.
• Lead, guide and direct the program design process and strategic framework design, working with technical imputers.
• Develop, write, and edit Pathfinder proposals, demonstrating Pathfinder voice and style and technical familiarity with Pathfinder strategies and approaches.
• Contribute to other proposal-related needs, including editing and writing capability statements, technical reviews, and biographical statements for personnel.
• Serve as the Program Design Lead and primary writer for concept notes and proposals, including drafting theories of change and technical proposal outlines.
• Develop and maintain standards, tools, templates, and resources for program design and proposal writing

Technical Visibility:

• Work with project teams and country leadership to review project achievements and learnings and identify opportunities for technical visibility.
• Develop positioning strategies, plans, and materials for Pathfinder engagement in major conferences.
• Collaborate with the business development team and country team to identify priority countries for technical briefs that support Pathfinder's business pursuit initiatives.
• Provide support to country teams in identifying opportunities to disseminate project learning materials, including legacy documents, high-priority final reports, technical briefs, abstracts, posters, and presentations that comprehensively describe Pathfinder’s work, achievements, and lessons learned.

Program Design: 

• Collaborate with appropriate matrix teams to design the proposal strategy in response to donor requests for proposals/applications.
• Lead strategic framework design through collaborative teamwork, facilitating inputs from relevant teams and country offices.
• Lead the program design process, working with the Technical Writer, to demonstrate Pathfinder voice, style, and technical familiarity with Pathfinder strategies and approaches
• Advise on appropriate potential partners and participate in discussions with partners on their input and roles.
• Facilitate proposal planning meetings leading the group through collective brainstorming sessions to identify win themes, theory of change, and strategic approaches.

Project management:

• Strategically manage technical writing requests and assignments from across the organization, working with project team members, subject matter experts, designers, translators, the communications team, and others, to conceptualize, develop, publish, and disseminate technical publications efficiently and effectively.

Capacity strengthening: 

• Strengthen internal technical writing and program design capacity through both formal training and informal mentorship in technical writing.
• Develop and lead an in-house training program for staff on technical writing, including facilitating a community of practice, mapping of existing technical writing competencies and maintaining a database of skilled technical writers.
• Review, update, and develop new internal technical writing guidance, tools, and templates, including the Pathfinder Style Guide.

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, social sciences or a related field, or a combination of education and experience that yields the required competencies.
• 10 years’ experience as a writer/editor, with record of designing and writing successful non-USAID, private foundation, and other donor-funded proposals/applications.
• Advanced knowledge and application of technical writing principles and practices.
• Advanced knowledge and skills in developing project dissemination strategies, including leveraging project dissemination opportunities for donor positioning.
• Proven writing and speaking skills using English language

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, social sciences or a related field, or a combination of education and experience that yields the required competencies.
• Experience in graphic design and desktop publishing
• Experience in managing staff.
• Experience in mentoring staff and strengthening capacity.
• Proven writing and speaking skills using English and French languages

Why You’ll Love Working with Us:

• Join an innovative, forward-thinking organization that values your growth and ideas.
• Work within a supportive, collaborative environment.
• Make a meaningful impact on our program design and proposal process
• Enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Benefit from the opportunity for global engagement.