Manager Marketing, Communications & Research

You will be part of the largest skills development fund in Pakistan. PSDF’s purpose is to shape the future and well-being of our poor and vulnerable youth by giving them access to skills training of the highest standard so they can find sustainable employment and income-generating opportunities in Pakistan and beyond.

The impact we have created

PSDF started its operations in the 4 poorest districts of Punjab. Since 2016, the geographical remit has expanded to the entire 36 districts of Punjab and other districts of Sindh, Balochistan & KPK. PSDF has trained almost 600,000 underprivileged youth across Punjab. These graduates have been trained in approximately 250+ demand-driven and market-relevant trades across 8 sectors.

Diversified and challenging team

At PSDF, our team constantly works in a fast-paced and challenging environment and needs someone who can match and deliver at our pace. We are looking for a passionate and talented individual who can actively pursue and drive the agenda of PSDF and is always ready to take up new challenges.

Lead PSDF’s integrated Marketing, Communications and Research function to strengthen institutional positioning, drive demand generation, and embed evidence-based decision-making — positioning PSDF as a data-driven, outcome-focused leader in workforce development.

This role owns the end-to-end strategy for brand, digital growth, thought leadership, and research intelligence.

Primary Accountabilities:
Institutional Positioning & Brand Strategy

• Define and execute PSDF’s corporate narrative and positioning strategy.
• Build a differentiated brand anchored in outcomes, employer alignment, and productivity impact.
• Lead development of annual marketing strategy linked directly to trainee targets, employer acquisition, and partnership goals.
• Ensure brand consistency across all programs, departments, and external engagements.

Digital Growth & Performance Marketing

• Own digital marketing architecture across web, social, paid media, CRM and analytics.
• Build performance-driven lead generation funnels aligned with program mobilization targets.
• Deploy audience segmentation and behavioral analytics to optimize conversion rates.
• Institutionalize campaign measurement dashboards with real-time reporting.

Thought Leadership & Strategic Communications

• Position PSDF as a provincial and national thought leader in skills, productivity and workforce transformation.
• Lead production of flagship outputs: Annual Report, Impact Reports, Policy Briefs, Sector Outlooks, Employer Case Studies.
• Develop executive communication material for CEO, Board and donor engagements.
• Oversee media strategy and reputation management.

Research & Market Intelligence

• Lead design and execution of tracer studies, impact assessments and employer demand surveys.
• Develop labor market intelligence frameworks to inform program design and strategic investment decisions.
• Translate research findings into executive-ready insights and actionable recommendations.
• Build structured feedback loops from data to program refinement.

Stakeholder Strategy & External Engagement

• Develop segmented communication strategies for trainees, employers, donors and government.
• Lead visibility planning for high-level delegations, international partnerships and sector forums.
• Institutionalize stakeholder insight frameworks to continuously refine engagement models.

Function Leadership & Governance

• Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary team across marketing, communications and research.
• Establish KPIs, reporting structures and SOPs for the department.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with Programs, Strategy, Procurement and Finance.
• Ensure disciplined budget management and ROI tracking.

• Brand visibility, stakeholder recall, and strategic partnership growth.
• Cost per lead, conversion rate, digital reach-to-application ratio.
• High-level engagements secured, citations, policy influence footprint.
• Research outputs integrated into program decisions and Board reporting.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and engagement depth.
• Departmental KPI achievement and budget efficiency.

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Marketing, Business, Economics, Public Policy or related field.
• 8–12 years of experience including 2 years of experience at managerial level in strategic marketing, communications or research — preferably within public sector, development or large-scale institutional environments.
• Demonstrated experience in performance marketing, analytics, and research-led strategy.
• Proven ability to convert data into strategic narrative and executive-level insights.
• Strong leadership presence and stakeholder management capability.

Core Capabilities:

• Structured problem solving
• Data-driven decision making
• Executive communication
• Digital performance optimization
• Research design & analytical rigor
• Strategic stakeholder management

PSDF has a lot more to offer than a market competitive salary and perks. As a PSDF employee you will get:

• Professional development and career growth opportunities with the largest skills development fund in Pakistan.
• Experience a dynamic innovation-driven environment committed to empowering youth through employment and entrepreneurship.
• Opportunity to lead and execute groundbreaking approaches to skills development for Pakistan’s youth.