Technical Advisor – Police Oversight and Accountability

About the role

GIZ Kenya, acting on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office, supports police reform and security sector governance in Africa since 2008 and in Kenya since 2019. This Technical Advisor position strengthens the integrity, accountability and professionalism of the National Police Service through enhanced independent police oversight and community-oriented policing. The main focus is building the capacity of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate police misconduct, and the work also supports improved complaint handling and investigation procedures ahead of the 2027 general elections. The assignment is based in Nairobi, initially for six months starting 1 January 2027, with a possible extension.

Key responsibilities

• Advise IPOA technically and organisationally to strengthen its capacity, effectiveness and oversight functions.
• Lead the planning, coordination, implementation and monitoring of IPOA activities, including work plans, budgets and reporting.
• Support better complaint-handling systems, investigation procedures, case management, institutional reporting and digital information management.
• Help develop institutional strategies, SOPs, guidelines and capacity-building initiatives.
• Strengthen collaboration between IPOA, the NPS, justice sector institutions, civil society and other stakeholders while protecting IPOA's independence.
• Support public communication and outreach, especially to marginalised and vulnerable groups.
• Integrate human rights, gender equality and conflict-sensitive approaches into the project.
• Monitor progress, budgets, risks and results, and contribute to documentation and reporting.

Required profile

• Master's degree or higher in Law, Political Science, Governance, Human Rights, Security Studies, Public Administration or a related field.
• At least 5-10 years of experience in governance, rule of law, security sector reform, human rights or institutional capacity development.
• Experience with oversight institutions, accountability mechanisms or justice sector institutions.
• Good understanding of Kenya's security and justice sector, particularly IPOA and police accountability.
• Proven experience in institutional development, technical advisory and capacity-building, and managing project activities and budgets in donor-funded programmes.
• Willingness to travel within Kenya and take up further professional development.

Required skills

• Excellent command of professional English; Kiswahili is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of complaint handling, investigations, case management and reporting systems is an added advantage.
• Good working knowledge of ICT and office applications; familiarity with digital case management systems is an advantage.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, analytical and diplomatic skills.