BACKGROUND:

 

Grow Asia was established by the World Economic Forum in 2015 in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) in response to the urgent need to transform food systems to be more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient to climate change. As a multi-stakeholder platform, Grow Asia works with more than 700 global and regional partners to design and implement market driven solutions across Southeast Asia. We do this by convening leading decision makers from public, private, and civil society organizations, mobilizing partnerships and blended funding models, and delivering best practice through the implementation of collaborative public-private projects at a field-, national-, and regional level.

 

The Grow Asia network comprises our regional office in Singapore and five country chapters in Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. The network operates through 44 national and sectoral Working Groups and is already reaching more than 3.9 million smallholders across Southeast Asia with market led solutions. In 2020, Grow Asia was accredited as an Entity Associated with ASEAN. This accreditation recognizes the important role Grow Asia plays in the region, particularly in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and acting as a delivery mechanism for ASEAN programs.

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THE ROLE: 

Grow Asia is seeking an experienced Head, Strategic Communications to lead the organization’s global outreach to new and existing audiences. 

 

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role will work side by side with our Heads of Programs and Partnerships to drive program visibility, partner engagement, and resource mobilization for Grow Asia’s four multi-donor Catalytic Funds covering: agri-food innovation, women’s economic empowerment, responsible investing, and climate resilience. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing all internal and external communications with media, donors, country chapters, regional and global business members, and 600+ partner organizations, including ASEAN and the World Economic Forum. 

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We are seeking a dynamic communicator with deep networks and experience of engaging with diverse stakeholders across Southeast Asia. The successful candidate will be an independent thinker and problem solver, who thrives in a highly collaborative environment, and is adept at distilling complex ideas and programs into world class communications and events. Excellent management skills and the ability to see opportunities and challenges from multiple perspectives is a must.

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RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to: 

 

Communications: 

• Oversee the design and implementation of a global communications strategy to further enhance Grow Asia’s profile as a leader in building multi-stakeholder, market-driven and action-oriented partnerships for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems. 

• Oversee the execution of major events, including the Grow Asia Investment Forum, Grow Asia’s Governance Council Meetings, and other key regional events. 

• Support Grow Asia’s engagement at key external events such as the World Economic Forum Annual meeting (Davos), UN Food Systems Summit, and COP30 

• Lead the generation of online and digital content that engages audience segments and leads to measurable action. Decide who, where, and when to disseminate. 

• Put in place relevant structures and protocols to support the Executive Director in the selection and delivery of key speaking opportunities, including providing briefings and speaking points. 

• Guide the Programs and Partnerships Teams and country chapters in developing communications plans that translate technical deliverables into highly effective marketing and communications initiatives that support Grow Asia’s key fundraising objectives. 

• Identify and supervise agency partners and consulting firms that are well placed to support Grow Asia’s communications objectives. 

• Identify and exploit opportunities to raise Grow Asia’s global profile with media, policymakers, implementing agencies, donors, and the public. 

• Monitor public and policy-maker opinions and trends that are relevant to Grow Asia and work with the Heads of Programs and Partnerships to deploy targeted engagements and thought-leadership. 

• Represent Grow Asia at public fora. 

• Support Grow Asia’s Country chapters in defining their communications strategies and workplans. 

• Work with the Executive Director to design and implement a Membership Engagement strategy that allows Grow Asia to provide value to its corporate members while promoting revenue growth in line with Grow Asia objectives. 

• Put in place metrics and tools for tracking partners’ satisfaction with Grow Asia. 

• Coordinate webpage maintenance to ensure that new and consistent information (article links, stories, and events) are posted regularly. 

• Track and measure the level of engagement within the network over time. 

• Manage all contacts and databases in compliance with data privacy laws. 

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Leadership and Management: 

• Guide and build the capacity of the Communications team at a regional level and provide relevant support to the in-country leadership teams. 

• Identify opportunities for staff development and advancement, tracking work progress, helping teams navigate ambiguity, and deploying mechanisms to support meaningful collaboration. 

• Work closely with the Executive Director and Head of Programs to ensure best practice from within the network is acknowledged and shared, and that global and regional knowledge is made available to all country chapters (e.g., through reports, events, and regular touchpoints). 

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THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT: 

1. Masters’ degree in a discipline related to the position (e.g., political science, communications, sociology, international development, agriculture, or business). 

2. A minimum of 10 years of work experience in increasingly senior roles in a corporate affairs, public affairs, or communications function, ideally in the food and agriculture space. 

3. Experience in a global environment, working with diverse groups of stakeholders including civil society and non-governmental organizations, multinational corporations, government agencies, and development organizations. 

4. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interface at all levels of seniority both internally and with our partners in the public, private, and civil society space. 

5. Excellent written, oral and digital communications skills, with fluency in spoken and written English and, ideally, one other Southeast Asian language. 

6. Ability to distil complex ideas and programs for stakeholders. 

7. Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders across complex geographies. 

8. High level of integrity and commitment to socio-economic development and food systems transformation. 

9. Emotional maturity, patience, curiosity, and a sustained willingness to change one’s mind. 

10. Forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions. 

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Location: Singapore 

Travel requirement: Up to 30%, mainly within Southeast Asia 

Start date: Immediate 

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WHAT’S ON OFFER: 

In addition to a competitive salary, this role provides a unique opportunity to (1) develop your capabilities and broaden your skill set in an organization that supports continuous growth, (2) work with a highly motivated, collaborative, efficient and compassionate team that also values autonomy, (3) be part of a dynamic, well-respected and credible entity in Southeast Asia, (4) connect with the World Economic Forum and its Food Action Alliance, participating in the global agenda on food security and agricultural development, and (5) contribute to social, economic and environmental progress in Southeast Asia and beyond. 

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HOW TO APPLY: 

Qualified applicants are invited to submit the application form along with your resume, cover letter and writing samples by 14 May 2025. Due to the volume of applications expected, only shortlisted candidates will be notified. 

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As a multi-stakeholder platform, we believe all voices matter, and we actively seek to bring them to the table. Aligned with this ethos, Grow Asia is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or gender identity.