The GIZ project “Youth Employment in the Agri-Food Sector” (YEA) is implemented in Western Kenya in the Counties of Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisumu, Siaya and Vihiga. It has been commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to create sustainable income and employment opportunities, especially for young people and women, in the agricultural and food sectors in West Kenya. It targets young farmers, owners of agriculture-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and their employees. The primary focus is on individuals aged 18 to 35.
The project aligns with Kenya’s national policies to combat youth unemployment and supports the country’s development goals, including ending poverty, and hunger, promoting gender equality, sustainable economic growth, and addressing climate change. The project’s approach entails collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including government entities, private sector associations, and civil society organisations.
The project focuses on:
- Bolstering the capabilities of both public and private actors in implementing strategies for youth employment within the agricultural sector.
- Enhancing young farmers’ access to essential services, resources, and markets, particularly focusing on sectors with significant potential and leveraging digital solutions.
- Nurturing the entrepreneurial skills of young individuals and startups within the agricultural and food sectors and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises as well as startups.
- Promoting the appeal of the agricultural and food sectors as contemporary, inclusive, and profitable avenues for income generation and employment opportunities for young people.
Overall, the project seeks to create a sustainable and resilient agricultural and food sector in Kenya while empowering young people, particularly women, to participate and thrive in this vital sector.
The YEA project employs the integrated employment approach jointly with the Kenya country project “Employment in rural areas with a focus on youth” (RYE) under the special initiative “Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems of the German Federal Government. Both projects together are named Agri-Jobs 4 Youth.
Responsibilities
A. Responsibilities
The Junior Rural Communication and Visibility Advisor supports the Project Management and Technical Advisors in various components of Agri-Jobs 4 Youth, in particular:
- in component 4,
- in communication, awareness raising and visibility towards the political partners, donors, other stakeholders and the general public.
He or she will report to the Project Manager of Agri-Jobs 4 Youth.
B. Tasks
Technical Tasks and Duties
- Supporting the implementation of the GovStack Initiative’s activities related to the strengthening of digital government in Kenya. This
includes, e.g.:
Project Management
- Support the development of a communication and awareness creation
strategy and materials that foster the climate-resilient transformation of
agricultural and food systems; - Support in the implementation and steering of awareness-raising and image campaign activities to promote the attractiveness of the agricultural and food sector as an inclusive, modern and lucrative source of income and employment for young people;
- Support to the M&E team on results-based monitoring of the above-mentioned initiatives Initiate and manage procurement of services and goods in line with the above-mentioned initiatives according to GIZ rules and regulations.
Event Management, Communication and Knowledge Management
Tasks
- Support project communication through drafting and updating of
information materials such as factsheets and project background
information, developing and marketing of success stories and project
updates through internal and external communication channels; - Document experiences and learnings from the implementation of output 3 in a co-creative manner together with project staff and various partners;
- Support the technical teams in the development of knowledge products e.g. briefing papers and reports on learnings and good practices as well as cross-country knowledge exchange;
- Support project management in the organization of communication and promotion events.
Other duties/additional tasks
- Performs any other duty as required by the superior
C. Profile
The Junior Advisor should have the following qualifications, competences
and experiences;
Qualifications
- University degree in communication, public relations, social sciences, marketing or any field related to the assignment.
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Professional experience
- First relevant work experience in campaigning or behaviour change communication;
- Previous work experience or exposure related to employment promotion in the agri-food sector and youth empowerment is desirable
Other knowledge, additional competence
- Proficient in using Microsoft Office applications (MS Office and MS
Teams); - Experience with software such as InDesign, Adobe Illustrator or comparable is desirable;
- High degree of digital affinity and skilled in working with social media;
- Languages: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Kiswahili;
- First experiences in developing tailored, audience-specific communication messages and products;
- Ability to produce high-quality knowledge and communication products;
- Good interpersonal and negotiation skills and the ability to motivate individuals to participate to share information, knowledge and experience;
- Be a team player;
- Integrity regarding GIZ values and ethical standards.
D. Duration of Assignment
The duration of the assignment will be until 31st December 2025 with prospects of contract extension.
E. Duty location
The duty location is Kisumu with frequent visits to rural areas in Western Kenya.
F. Submission of Application
Vacancy Reference Number: GIZ/AGR/01/01
