Conservancy Outreach Coordinator - Kapiti Plains Estate Limited

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Conservancy Outreach Coordinator on behalf of Kapiti Plains Estate Ltd to lead and coordinate all conservation engagement activities, serving as the primary liaison between the conservancy and surrounding communities, schools, government agencies, and conservation partners. The position holder will also oversee maintenance teams and workshop operations, ensuring that infrastructure and facilities support both conservation programming and visitor engagement.

Kapiti Plains Estate Limited is a public limited company, wholly owned by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The ranch’s objective is to run as a state-of-the-art research station and a commercially viable farm. Kapiti Plains Estate Limited is located 60 km southeast of Nairobi on the Mombasa road, in Kenya’s semi-arid lands (550mm average rainfall) at an altitude of 1,650–1,900m above sea level, and is part of the Athi-Kapiti Ecosystem. Kapiti Plains Estate Limited is also home to a vast array of wildlife. These provide livestock scientists with unique opportunities to include wildlife in their research projects. Since September 2020 Kapiti Plains Estate Limited has been registered as a wildlife conservancy with the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS).

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is an international organization working for better lives and better planet through livestock. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR, a global research alliance that works to transform food, land and water systems in a climate crisis and is the only CGIAR centre dedicated to addressing multiple development challenges through sustainable livestock solutions. 

• 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)

• 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.

• 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.

• 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)

• 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.

• 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.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to navigate complex community dynamics and build trust with diverse groups.
• Team Leadership: Capacity to supervise and motivate field-based maintenance and workshop teams.
• Operational Coordination: Skill in balancing competing priorities across conservation, research, and infrastructure needs.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding of pastoralist livelihoods and community perspectives on conservation.
• Problem-Solving: Resourcefulness in addressing field-level challenges in a remote, semi-arid environment.

Kapiti Plains Estate Ltd does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). Kapiti Plains Estate Ltd also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.