Communications Associate

Title: Communications Associate

Reports to: Senior Business Advisor (SBA)- Markets

Location:  Nairobi, Kenya 

TechnoServe Background

At TechnoServe, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better life. For over 50 years, we have given smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs the skills, connections, and confidence to lift themselves out of poverty. We leverage the power of markets and the private sector to create sustainable economic growth to benefit people and the planet. Our unique mix of business solutions, deep knowledge of local contexts, and data-driven insights is helping to fight poverty across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 

TechnoServe staff are local–95% are from the countries in which they work. We put a high premium on collaboration and entrepreneurship. We hold ourselves and each other to the highest standards of integrity and transparency. And we focus on delivering lasting impact for our mission.

Program Description

Globally, 30–40% of food is wasted, according to FAO estimates. In Kenya, the WHO reports that only 2% of the population meets the daily recommended intake of fruits and vegetables, with average consumption at just 140g per person. At the same time, discarded fruits and vegetables contribute to 6-8% of greenhouse gas emissions from food waste—fuelling climate change and global warming.

TechnoServe funded by Gates Foundation and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) launched a three-year innovative program - NutriSave -  with dual and equal objectives to reduce food loss and waste by redirecting surplus fruits and vegetables to wholesalers and retailers serving low-income communities to increase access and nutrition. After a deep exploratory phase using Human-Centered Design, formative research and market analysis with key ecosystem actors, TechnoServe is now developing and piloting sustainable models with partners committed to scaling and sustaining the initiative long-term. 

Position Description

NutriSave is seeking a creative, strategic, and highly organized Communications Associate to support the project’s communication strategy and showcase the impact of innovative interventions designed to reduce food loss and waste (FLW) while improving access to affordable, nutritious foods among low-income consumers.

The Associate will take full ownership of the end-to-end communication workflow and document the journey of two core pilots:

1. B2B Digital Platforms: Rescuing surplus fruits and vegetables by connecting supply and demand actors.
2. Washing, Cutting, Peeling, and Packaging (WCPP): Providing convenience through minimally processed, rescued produce.

The Associate will serve as the strategic storyteller and brand custodian of the program, translating technical milestones, research findings, and pilot results into high-impact narratives that ensure NutriSave’s "Global Access" and "Adaptive Management" successes are visible to donors, corporate partners, academic collaborators, and the public.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Stakeholder engagement

• Communication: Assist in the design, implementation, and tracking of NutriSave’s communication and dissemination strategy in alignment with TechnoServe's regional and global guidelines under the direction of project leadership.
• Donor compliance: Support the implementation of branding compliance and review cycles for primary project donors (Gates Foundation and FCDO), escalating key decisions to the project lead for final approval.
• Stakeholder engagement & field diplomacy: Serve as the primary communications liaison during field travel, building trust with diverse and sensitive stakeholders, including private sector executives, pilot partners and market actors.
• Independent vendor management: Manage external creative contractors, including professional printers, graphic designers, and voiceover artists, overseeing engagements and quality control.

Multimedia content production & creative direction

• Multimedia content creation: Execute the production lifecycle (including storyboarding, filming, and post-production) for project-level campaigns and visual assets, incorporating feedback and approvals from management.
• Value chain documentation: Undertake structured field visits to capture professional-grade photography and videography documenting activities from farm-gate rescue to WCPP processing and final retail distribution ahead of the in person conference in September 2026.
• Short-form video production: Produce a series of "Impact Bites"—highly engaging 60-90 second videos optimized for social media, webinars, and partner channels to highlight pilot milestones.
• Annual commemoration content: Assist in drafting, filming, and editing a "year in review" flagship video to support NutriSave’s presence at major annual events (e.g., IDAFLW) and the NutriSave convening in September 2026.

Research translation & high-impact storytelling

• Research & data translation: Collaborate with the MEL Manager and Learning Partners to help translate dense quantitative data, learning questions, and qualitative research findings into accessible drafts, narratives, and policy briefs.
• "People of NutriSave" series: Conduct narrative interviews with market traders, women-led enterprises, and mama mbogas to draft authentic, human-centered "Success Stories" for internal review and approval.
• Technical case studies: Assist in converting complex pilot metrics such as retailer efficiency data into compelling narratives that demonstrate how small businesses enable the affordability of nutritious foods.
• Webinar & convening lead: Design visual presentations, interactive multimedia segments, and video reels to support the project's presentation and thought leadership during the convening event.

Visibility, brand guardrails & digital analytics

• Editorial gatekeeping & brand guardrails: Review public-facing narratives and visual assets to ensure they align with NutriSave's core values of gender inclusivity, food loss reduction, and nutritional equity, flag potential risks.
• Knowledge product design: Assist in the copy-editing, visual layout, and production of high-quality learning briefs, infographics, and "Lessons Learned" reports based on templates and guidance from donors and TNS protocols.
• Media asset stewardship: Organize and maintain a digital asset library of photography, videography, and program briefs, ensuring it is structured and accessible for regional and global TechnoServe teams.
• Data-driven channel growth: Monitor and analyze social media metrics and audience engagement data across LinkedIn, YouTube, and other digital platforms to continuously optimize content and scale channel reach.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Academic background & field experience

• Education: A Degree or Diploma in Communications, Journalism, or a related field.
• Professional tenure: Minimum of 2 years of experience in communications or digital storytelling.
• Contextual expertise: Proven experience documenting agricultural, market-based, or international development programs, specifically within Low-Income Country (LIC) settings or the AG-tech sector.

Content creation & creative excellence

• Multimedia production: Practical mastery of videography and photography, including scriptwriting, shooting, and high-end video editing (Adobe Premiere/Final Cut).
• Graphic design: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite or Canva to produce professional-grade visual assets.
• Digital storytelling: A strong portfolio showcasing the ability to translate complex food systems data into compelling "hooks" for donors and policymakers.
• Narrative inquiry: Exceptional interviewing skills, with a focus on capturing authentic stories from diverse stakeholders, such as women-led businesses.

Digital strategy & platform management

• Social media mastery: In-depth understanding of YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram as strategic communication tools.
• Web management: Hands-on experience in WordPress management and digital asset organization.
• Data-driven growth: Ability to use social analytics and data to inform content creation, drive engagement, and scale digital channel growth.
• AI and innovation: Interest and ability to champion AI, chatbots, and digital innovation.

Soft skills & professionalism

• Communication: Elite written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize technical data into accessible narratives. Quick learners who enjoy staying up to date with digital trends
• Organization: Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, communication and project management skills. Capable of managing field-based projects and stakeholder relationships simultaneously and the ability to interact with internal and external clients.

Narrative mastery & human-centric storytelling

• Possesses a deep-seated ability to identify the human heartbeat within complex food and market systems. Their approach to storytelling is rooted in narrative inquiry, moving past surface-level metrics to capture the authentic lived experiences of stakeholders, particularly within women-led businesses and LIC hubs.
• By blending elite interviewing techniques with a cinematic eye, able to transform abstract food systems data into high-impact "hooks" that resonate with donors and stakeholders alike. Able to curate immersive journeys that bridge the gap between field-level realities and global development goals, ensuring every visual and written asset serves as a powerful catalyst for engagement.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of an innovative team driving digital transformation in the agriculture and food sector, reducing food loss, improving farmer incomes, and increasing access to fresh produce in low income communities.
• Opportunity to shape inclusive and tech-forward supply chains that benefit people and the planet.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.