About the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)

Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), is a premier Institute of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India for research and capacity building for urban sector in India. NIUA’s broad objective is to bridge the gap between research and practice on issues related to urbanization. For more than 40 years now, NIUA has been the vanguard for contributing to and building the urban narrative for a fast-evolving Urban India.

The Institution has been actively working on bringing forth key areas of concern for urban India in order to build the urban discourse at various urban scales. It has utilized its competencies in research, knowledge management, policy advocacy and capacity building to address urban challenges and continuously striving to develop sustainable, inclusive, and productive urban ecosystems in the country. It has emerged as a thought leader and knowledge hub for urban development in India and is sought out by both Indian and International organizations for collaborations and partnerships in India’s urban transforming journey. NIUA is committed towards aligning its efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through all its initiatives and programs.

About CITIIS 2.0

CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). The program approved by the Union Cabinet on 31 May 2023 and it envisages to support eighteen competitively selected projects promoting circular economy with focus on integrated waste management at the city level, climate-oriented reform actions across twenty-one States, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National level.

The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of Rs.1760 crore (EUR 200 million) from AFD and KfW (EUR 100 million each) and a technical assistance grant of Rs.106 cr. (EUR 12 million) from the EU.

Following the CITIIS 1.0 model, CITIIS 2.0 has three major components:

Component 1: Financial and technical support for developing projects focused on building climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation in 18 cities through selection of competitively selected projects promoting circular economy with focus on integrated waste management.

Component 2:  The States will be provided support to (a) set-up/strengthen their existing State climate centres/ Climate cells/ equivalents (b) create State and city level Climate Data Observatories (c) facilitate climate-data driven planning, develop climate action plans and (d) build capacities of municipal functionaries.

Component 3:   Interventions at all three levels; Centre, State and City to further climate governance in urban India through institutional strengthening, knowledge dissemination, partnerships, building capacity, research and development to support scale up across all States and Cities.

The CITIIS 2.0 program is strategically aligned with the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban. The SBM-U 2.0 was launched on 1st October 2021, for a period of 5 years (till October 2026). The vision for SBM-U 2.0 is to achieve “Garbage Free” status for all cities by 2026 and institutionalizing ‘Swachh’ behaviour amongst the citizens. The Government of India in partnership with States/ UTs and ULBs is committed to make all cities ‘Garbage Free’ under SBM-Urban 2.0 to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030, which will ultimately improve the quality of life and ease of living of urban populations, thus leading to urban transformation.

Responsibilities

The Communications Specialist will be responsible for developing and executing the CITIIS 2.0 communication strategy to promote the program's vision, achievements, and impact across various platforms. The role involves planning, creating, coordinating, and disseminating communication and visibility materials across multiple channels in alignment with the program’s communication action plan.

The Specialist will ensure that all communications align with branding guidelines, engage key stakeholders, and contribute to the overall visibility and outreach of the program. The responsibilities of the Knowledge Management Specialist will include, but will not be limited to:

1. Strategic Communication Planning

• Lead the development and implementation of a Communication Action Plan for CITIIS 2.0 in consultation with internal teams and partner agencies.
• Define key messages, communication goals, roles, timelines, formats, and platforms for stakeholder outreach.
• Coordinate the communication budget and secure necessary approvals from the competent authorities.

2. Content Development and Dissemination

• Design and produce high-impact IEC materials, including brochures, newsletters, infographics, digital stories, video content, and presentations in coordination with the design team at NIUA.
• Create tailored content for target audiences such as policymakers, development partners, city officials, media, and the public.
• Manage and regularly update communication channels including program website, social media handles, newsletters, and press releases.

3. Visibility and Outreach

• Ensure high program visibility through planned campaigns, success stories, media features, and stakeholder events.
• Develop and execute a dissemination plan to ensure effective outreach across offline and online channels.
• Identify and engage with key media outlets, influencers, and networks to amplify the program’s messages.

4. Coordination with External Agencies and Vendors

• Work with third-party vendors such as graphic designers, content creators, videographers, photographers, printers, and media consultants to develop communication material as per program requirements.
• Manage contracts, timelines, and quality control for deliverables aligned with the communication plan and budget.

5. Compliance and Monitoring

• Ensure accurate and consistent branding and visibility in line with MoHUA, NIUA, and development partner guidelines (AFD, KfW, EU).
• Maintain documentation of all communication activities and provide regular progress reports to the Program Manager and funding agencies.

Reporting

The Communications Specialist shall report to the Program Coordinator & TL- CITIIS at NIUA, New Delhi.

Skills and Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Studies, Development Communication, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 - 7 years of experience in leading communication roles, preferably within government, development, or urban sector programs.
• Experience working with donor-funded programs or in collaboration with multilateral/bilateral agencies (e.g., AFD, KfW, EU, UN, World Bank) or with government entities.
• Experience with digital and social media strategy, content management systems, and multimedia production.
• Familiarity with government programs related to urban development such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

References

Please provide name and contact information of three references.

Remuneration

As par with the industry standards, depending on experience and skills and fitment with NIUA remuneration structures. Proof of past remuneration (last received salary/monthly contract payment) would be required.

Application process

Submit CV and cover letter through the NIUA portal.

Last Date of Application: 04 August 2025