Communications Manager - REAP Programme

About the role

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is recruiting a Communications Manager for its Rural Employment through Animal Feed production (REAP) programme, a five-year multi-country initiative led by ILRI and supported by a consortium including ICARDA, IITA, Bioversity International, CIAT and icipe. The role provides strategic communications leadership and oversight of the programme's communications strategy, ensuring coherent, high-impact communications across consortium institutions, country teams and thematic workstreams. The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya, at job level HG17, and is open only to Kenyan nationals.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the design, refinement and execution of REAP's integrated communications strategy, aligned with ILRI and Mastercard Foundation priorities and reporting requirements.
• Lead the external positioning and influence strategy, repositioning the livestock feed sector as a modern, dignified and economically rewarding space for young women and men through peer-led, influencer-driven and edutainment content.
• Design and own the programme-wide digital influencer and ambassador strategy, including vetting frameworks, brand-safety contract clauses and exit mechanisms, and oversee their scale-up.
• Coordinate communications across consortium institutions and country teams, ensuring consistent messaging and outputs.
• Drive strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement with high-level partners, media, government counterparts and platforms to expand regional and continental visibility.
• Ensure timely internal communication and learning exchange, working with MEL to share evidence, learning and success stories.
• Lead the evidence-based investment case for youth-led feed enterprises, translating programme data into formats for private sector partners, financial institutions, investors and policymakers, including through the PAFFIN platform.
• Mentor and build capacity of the PMU Communications Officer and country-level Communications Managers, and ensure brand integrity and risk management across countries.

Required profile

• Master's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development or a related field (a Bachelor's with significant additional relevant experience may be considered).
• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, preferably in international development, research-for-development or donor-funded programmes.
• Demonstrated experience leading communications for multi-country or multi-partner consortium programmes.
• Experience designing or overseeing influencer, ambassador or creator-partnership programmes at scale, including vetting, contracting and brand safety.
• Experience managing donor reporting and relations, ideally with foundations such as the Mastercard Foundation.
• Experience supervising and mentoring communications staff across multiple locations.

Required skills

• Excellent strategic thinking, writing and editing in English; French or other regional languages is an advantage.
• Digital and multimedia storytelling, including social media, video and campaign management.
• Knowledge of the digital creator economy and youth-relevant platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp), including brand safety and performance measurement.
• Stakeholder engagement with donors, government, media and private sector partners.
• Understanding of youth employment, gender and inclusion in agriculture or livestock systems.
• Project management and cross-cultural team leadership.

The position is a 3-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability. ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits including pension, medical and other insurances. Applications (cover letter, CV and three referees) are submitted through the ILRI recruitment portal by 11 November 2026.