Conservancy Outreach Coordinator - Kapiti Plains Estate Limited

Key Responsibilities

Conservation Engagement & Community Outreach

• Develop and implement a comprehensive conservation outreach strategy aligned with Kapiti's Conservation Management Plan.
  
• Lead community engagement activities with neighbouring pastoralist communities, landowners, and local stakeholders to foster positive relationships and reduce human-wildlife conflict.
  
• Coordinate education and awareness programs for schools, youth groups, and community organizations on topics including wildlife conservation, rangeland restoration, and sustainable livestock-wildlife coexistence.
  
• Organize and facilitate stakeholder dialogues, community forums, and learning exchanges involving relevant county government departments, the Kenya Wildlife Service, and conservation partners.
  
• Mobilize community participation in conservation initiatives, including rangeland restoration activities and wildlife monitoring programs.
  
• Serve as the primary point of contact for conservancy membership matters and community benefit-sharing discussions.
  
• Assist in the development of funding proposals (community engagement, conservation education, HWC mitigation, livelihood projects) for donors (e.g., GEF, UNDP, IUCN, WWF, EU, private foundations)
  

Maintenance Teams Supervision

• Supervise maintenance teams responsible for the upkeep of conservancy infrastructure, including fencing, water systems, roads, and staff facilities.
  
• Develop and implement preventive maintenance schedules to ensure the operational readiness of all conservancy assets.
  
• Coordinate with the Ranch Manager and research teams to prioritize maintenance activities that support research operations and conservation objectives.
  
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with ILRI safety standards and environmental guidelines.
  
• Manage inventory of maintenance supplies, tools, and equipment, and initiate procurement requests as needed.
  

Workshop Operations Management

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the conservancy workshop, ensuring it supports the maintenance, repair, and fabrication needs of the conservancy.
  
• Supervise workshop staff and coordinate workflow to ensure timely completion of work requests from various departments.
  
• Maintain accurate records of workshop activities, including job cards, material usage, and equipment maintenance logs.
  
• Ensure workshop operations adhere to occupational health and safety standards.
  
• Coordinate with external contractors and suppliers for specialized repairs or fabrication work as required.
  

Monitoring, Reporting & Documentation

• Maintain databases of outreach activities, participant records, and stakeholder contacts.
  
• Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices from conservation engagement activities.
  
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports on outreach activities for internal and external stakeholders.
  
• Support the development of communication materials, including brochures, fact sheets, and social media content, in collaboration with ILRI communications teams.
  
• Support ILRI scientists and visiting researchers studying wildlife-livestock-disease interfaces, rangeland ecology, and climate adaptation
  
• Conduct ecological monitoring of rangeland health (vegetation cover, browse availability, erosion indicators, water quality)
  

Requirements

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Community Development, Environmental Science, Rangeland Management, Conservation Biology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
  
• Minimum of 5–10 years' experience in community outreach, conservation engagement, or program coordination, preferably within a conservancy or protected area context.
  
• Proven experience in supervising field teams, including maintenance or operations staff.
  
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
  
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with proficiency in English and Kiswahili.
  
• Strong organizational and report-writing skills.
  
• Valid driver's license and willingness to work in a remote field setting.
  

Desirable

• Experience working within the Athi-Kapiti ecosystem or broader Kenyan rangeland conservation landscape.
  
• Knowledge of wildlife-livestock interface issues and community-based natural resource management approaches.
  
• Experience managing workshop operations or technical maintenance facilities.
  
• Familiarity with ILRI's research mandate or experience working in a research-institution setting.