Communications Coordinator – Sustain Africa - Market System Development – Office of Programs - Kenya
Current Job Openings --> Full Time --> Full Time Africa
About IFDC
IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live.
Position Summary
The Communications Coordinator works closely with the Executive Director and the Sustain Africa team, supporting strategic communications that advance Sustain Africa’s mission and engagement with stakeholders, partners, and the broader audience. This role leads content development, media relations, digital engagement, and storytelling, ensuring Sustain Africa’s messaging remains clear, impactful, and aligned with its objectives and IFDCs communications strategy. In addition to communications leadership, the Communications Coordinator provides operational support across Sustain Africa’s broader program activities, assisting with cross-functional coordination, stakeholder engagement, and logistical execution to enhance program implementation.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Communications
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Develop and implement a communications strategy aligned with Sustain Africa’s objectives and IFDC’s regional communications strategy;
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Ensure consistent branding, messaging, tone, and visual identity across all channels;
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Provide strategic guidance on reputational matters and messaging.
Communications Outputs and Storytelling
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Create diverse written content, including blog posts, press releases, newsletters, and opinion pieces;
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Support visual content development through graphic design;
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Liaise with contractors for content production and visibility materials;
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Coordinate internal communications and Sustain Africa events, campaigns, and launches.
Media Engagement
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Build and maintain relationships with media outlets and journalists, supporting media visits and interviews;
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Draft and distribute press releases and promotional materials to maximize coverage;
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Handle media inquiries in coordination with internal teams.
Social Media & Digital Engagement
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Manage digital engagement across platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram);
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Oversee Sustain Africa’s website, including content creation, optimization, and updates;
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Track performance metrics and refined digital strategies.
Projects, Processes & Reporting
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Develop and implement efficient communications processes and procedures;
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Support copywriting, proofreading, and translation of donor reports and fact sheets;
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Select and implement tools that enhance Sustain Africa’s communications efficiency;
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Manage digital assets, ensuring ethical communication practices;
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Monitor and report on communications impact and audience engagement.
Operations
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Oversee logistics, resource allocation, and execution of communications activities;
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Support procurement of materials and services related to media, events, and visibility;
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Collaborate across departments to ensure seamless execution of strategic initiatives;
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Manage communications budgets, balancing cost-effectiveness and quality;
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Provide operational support beyond communications, contributing to broader Sustain Africa program operations as needed;
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Travel within the region and potentially beyond, supporting Sustain Africa’s initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and program implementation across multiple countries.
Requirements
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A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Affairs, Knowledge Management, or a related field;
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Minimum of three to five years in communications, public relations, or media, preferably within development, donor, or impact-driven organizations;
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Proven ability to manage multi-channel communication campaigns, translating complex or technical content into compelling narratives for diverse audiences;
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Hands-on expertise in digital platform management (social media, CMS websites), with a strong focus on user engagement;
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Experience collaborating across different cultural contexts and working with international partners;
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Exceptional writing and editing abilities, delivering high-quality content under tight deadlines;
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Strong interpersonal and presentation skills, fostering relationships across internal teams and external stakeholders;
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Analytical and strategic thinking, ensuring key messages are communicated effectively;
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Proficiency in digital tools and design software (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite), with experience in analytics platforms;
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Ability to manage multiple tasks independently, ensuring timely execution of projects.
Reporting and Work Relationships
The communications Coordinator works closely with the Executive Director and the Sustain Africa team.
Location
This is a national recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC office based in Kenya.
Benefits
IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health and group life insurance coverage, a 13th-month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws and end-of-contract benefits.
Salary Clauses
The salary grade for this position is BG 7.
The determination of new employee salaries considers numerous factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.
About Program/Project
About Program Sustain Africa is a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in 2022 to support smallholder farmers (SHFs) in SubSaharan Africa (SSA) through crisis response and long-term resilience-building. Initially created in response to the global fertilizer price surge, the program has delivered over 200,000 metric tons of fertilizer to 2 million farmers across 10 vulnerable countries. Sustain Africa works closely with the private sector, agrodealers, distributors, financial institutions, and input suppliers to ensure affordable access to agricultural inputs, technical assistance, and data-driven insights that strengthen food security and farmer livelihoods.
As of September 2024, Sustain Africa operates across three strategic workstreams: its flagship Crisis Response Program, including a major intervention in Sudan; Fertilizer and Soil Health, which includes the Sustain Africa Fertilizer Monitor, liming initiatives, and a leadership role as Secretariat for the Coalition for Private Sector Engagement, a key outcome of the 2024 AU African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit; and Food Systems Transition, which supports national food strategies, import substitution, and climate resilience. Sustain Africa’s integrated, private sector–driven model ensures scalable, sustainable solutions aligned with both national priorities and continental frameworks.