Sharmistha Chakraborty

About Sharmistha Chakraborty

Strategic communications and partnerships leader with over 15 years of experience driving transformative impact across government, non-profit, and CSR sectors. I specialize in building high-impact brands, designing award-winning advocacy campaigns, and mobilizing multi-sector partnerships at national and regional levels. My expertise combines strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and CSR grant management with a results-oriented approach to advancing social impact, sustainability, and community development.What I bring to a senior leadership role:1. Award-winning campaign leadership: Facilitated the execution of communications initiatives that secured a Guinness World Record for World Smile Day 20••••24 across India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Contributed to a face equality campaign that won the Short Impact Award 2024 in three categories.2. Strategic partnership & stakeholder engagement: Proven success in forging and managing partnerships with government bodies (NITI Aayog, Ministry of WCD), media houses, CSR donors, and international organizations like Georgetown University to amplify impact and secure multi-million-dollar grants.3. Brand development & thought leadership: Pioneered India’s first inclusive imagery campaign with Shutterstock, influencing mainstream advertising, and launched the country’s first national nutrition award (“Outlook Poshan Awards”), positioning organizations as sector leaders.4. End-to-end program management: Expertise in managing the full project lifecycle - from strategy and coalition building (150+ organizations) to digital platform launches, crisis communications, and performance measurement - ensuring alignment with organizational mission and measurable outcomes.Core expertise:Strategic Communications | Team Leadership | CSR Partnership Development | Advocacy Campaign Design | Multi-Stakeholder Engagement | Government Relations | CSR Grant Management | Digital & Social Media Strategy | Crisis Communications | Grant & Program Management | Social Impact MarketingI am passionate about leveraging strategic storytelling, inclusive advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration to address social challenges and build sustainable impact. Let’s connect if you’re looking for a strategic leader to elevate your communications, partnerships, and social impact initiatives.

Experience

1. Director - Integrated Communications

   Smile Train

   Mar 2022 — Present · Delhi, IN

   Key responsibilities include- Leading strategic branding, communication, and multi-million-dollar grant initiatives across India- Developing and executing integrated internal & external communication strategies aligned with organizational objectives, ensuring brand consistency across all platforms- Overseeing external PR agencies to implement comprehensive communication strategies across digital, social, and traditional media- Building & maintaining relationships with national and regional media to amplify messaging and increase coverage- Driving high-impact advocacy campaigns and awareness initiatives, positioning Smile Train as a thought leader in cleft care- Establishing & nurturing partnerships with government bodies and multiple CSR entities to expand program reach and impact- Introduced ground-breaking projects including the Shutterstock inclusivity campaign, Lipstick Day Campaign, and school engagement and inclusivity program to normalize cleft awareness and promote inclusivity- Strategically managed Smile Train’s goodwill ambassadors and influencer networks to raise awareness, drive engagement, and secure support for cleft treatment initiatives through targeted, data-informed marketing approaches.

Education

• Women's College, Tripura Central University

  Graduation

  2002 — 2005

• Bani Vidya Pith Girl's Higher Secondary School

  Higher Secondary

  2000 — 2002

• Visva Bharati

  Post Graduation

  2005 — 2007