Mukutan Conservancy is a sanctuary on the Great Rift Valley’s eastern rim in Laikipia, Kenya. It offers refuge to countless species of wildlife and hosts a myriad of ecosystems. Covering 88,000 acres of iconic and diverse landscapes it is recognised as a Key Biodiversity Area and an Important Bird Area

About the role

The Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager will report directly to the CEO and will play a pivotal role in driving the success of the conservancy’s many initiatives benefiting the community around the conservancy. You will help secure essential funding for initiatives as well as partner with major government, community and conservancy stakeholders to drive the strategy, implementation and monitoring of initiatives.

Who you will relate with

1. All Conservancy Staff,
2. Mukutan Community Committee which represents 120,000 people across 6 distinct ‘zones’ adjacent to the conservancy,
3. Community Enterprise Groups, CBOs, Community Schools and Healthcare Establishments,
4. Government Partners such as but not limited to : Local Government Administration, County and National Government Officials, elected representatives, KWS, KFS,
5. NGO partners as defined in Mukutan’s Annual Plan,
6. Donors and partners

What you will do

• Develop the conservancy’s community strategy in partnership with leadership and other key stakeholders within and outside of the conservancy.
• Support the delivery of all necessary livelihoods and social baselines to inform, design and develop a Community Development Programme for Mukutan Conservancy.
• Collaborate with community members and conservancy teams to implement major initiatives.
• Facilitate conflict resolution between different communities and the conservancy on need basis.
• Identify training needs and develop and implement training plans to educate community members on important conservation topics.
• Manage the team of Community Liaison Officers, Education Officers, and Social Enterprise Officers.
• Establish an effective process and tooling for data collection to measure and report on the impact of major initiatives.
• Research and identify  funding opportunities and craft compelling proposals and grant applications.

Requirements

What you will bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in Rangeland Management and Natural Resources Management; Master of Science Degree in Rangeland Management or related disciplines is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience working in community engagement with a conservation institution. Experience in conflict resolution is a plus.
• Proven experience working with pastoral, agro-pastoral and farming communities in remote areas.
• Demonstrated skills in grant and report writing, preferably in the non-profit or conservation sector.
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct social surveys, gather and evaluate impact data.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and digital applications.
• Ability to take proactive initiative, work independently with minimal supervision, and balance multiple competing projects and deadlines.
• Strong work ethics, high integrity and honesty, and ability to work well in a team.
• Passion for community service and able to work in multicultural settings.
• Must be between the ages of 35 and 50.

What we’ll offer

• A very competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Accommodation on site at Mukutan Conservancy.
• A 1-year renewable contract.

The unique opportunity to work alongside a talented team passionate about having an impact on protecting Kenya’s natural landscapes and wildlife