Pathfinder International

Job Title: Senior Program Design Advisor and Technical Writer

Location: Preferably Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Niger, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda or the US

If you are a sharp communicator with a knack for strategy, storytelling, and turning complexity into clarity, this is your opportunity to influence global change through the written word.

About Us: At Pathfinder International, we are driven by the conviction that all people, regardless of where they live, have the right to decide whether and when to have children, to exist free from fear and stigma, and to lead the lives they choose. Since 1957, we have partnered with local governments, communities, and health systems in developing countries to remove barriers to critical sexual and reproductive health services. Together, we expand access to contraception, promote healthy pregnancies, save women’s lives, and stop the spread of new HIV infections, wherever the need is most urgent. Our work ensures millions of women, men, and young people are able to choose their own paths forward

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.

Ready to Apply? If you are passionate about financial functions and are eager to make a difference, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your experience and why you are the ideal candidate for this role via this website no later than July 31st, 2025. You are also requested to include the contact details for at least 3 references in your resume.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

Pathfinder International provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Safeguarding and Protection

Pathfinder is committed to the safeguarding and protection of the people we serve and our staff. We have zero tolerance for any type of behavior that inflicts harm on children, young people, adults, our staff, and partners including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and exploitation. We do everything possible to ensure that we recruit only those who are suitable to work with for us and expect that everyone we hire will abide by our safeguarding and related policies and will report any suspected or known violations. This job is subject to a range of vetting checks as legally permitted in the country where they are being hired. By applying, the job applicant acknowledges they understand our intent to verify suitability to work with us