Communications Officer at Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT)
Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) seeks to recruit a competent
and highly motivated individual as its Communications Officer to
be based in its Head Office in Nairobi.
About Biovision Africa Trust
BvAT, a not-for-profit organization established in Kenya in
2009 is situated in the main campus of the International Centre of Insect
Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kasarani, Nairobi. The Trust’s goal is
to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in
Kenya and other African countries, through dissemination of information and
knowledge and building capacity of famers for uptake of appropriate technology,
to improve human, animal, plant, and environmental health. BvAT runs a Farmer
Communication Programme in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), the African Union
Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) initiative in nine countries and in collaboration
with PELUM Uganda coordinates the Knowledge Hub for Eastern Africa (KHEA) in
five countries under the global Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture in
Africa (KCOA) covering the five regions of Africa – West, East, North, Central
and Southern Africa.
Job Purpose:
The Communications Officer will collaborate closely with the
Executive Director, Head of Programme, Project Managers, Partnership and
Business Development Lead, Field Offices, partners and other colleagues to
ensure communications strategies, media relations and organizational outreach
efforts are aligned with corporate communications policies and initiatives.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead the development and implementation of communication
and outreach/advocacy strategies and plans for Biovision Africa Trust.
- Steer
the development and implementation of BvAT’s Communication Strategy and
other relevant policies and strategies.
- Lead
BvAT’s Communication Committee.
- Conduct
communication needs assessments for Biovision Africa Trust, including
projects, programmes and corporate change initiatives.
- Design,
develop, and implement communication and outreach/advocacy strategies,
including branding guidelines and social media strategies.
- Integrate
communication, advocacy and outreach strategies into proposals for
project/programmes and other initiatives.
- Participate
in BvAT meetings, conferences, campaigns and special events.
- Provide
advice and guidance to and coordinate with all BvAT offices.
Lead the development and dissemination of public advocacy
materials for the Organization.
- Develop
and produce communication and advocacy instruments and materials,
including briefing materials, press releases, and articles and coordinate
its dissemination through effective channels according to BvAT’s corporate
standards.
- Provide
advice on advocacy and communication materials and coordinate launch of
flagship initiatives and publications in the organization.
- Lead
the engagement and supervision of video producers and other communication
specialists to produce audio/ visual material for BvAT’s work.
- Develop
brochures, factsheets, stories from the field to inform media, donors and
public.
Manage web, social media and news media relations for the
Organization.
- Ensure
media strategies are implemented in line with corporate guidelines to
enhance the positioning of BvAT with the media.
- Lead
relationship building with press in the country, maintain and update
database of relevant contacts.
- Facilitate
interviews with senior and thematic managers; connect media with BvAT’s
subject experts.
- Respond
timely and clearly to media and general public.
- Identify
impactful success stories/, media talking points, news-related
developments, and coverage of interest and support the team in developing
high quality materials.
- Pitch
and write impactful programme stories for corporate platforms:
organizational website, social media channels regularly.
- Organize
press conferences and press briefing sessions with internal experts and
external partners.
Build and maintain communications and advocacy focused
partnerships:
- Identify
and develop new communication partnerships and alliances to enhance
visibility; manage and nurture existing partnerships.
- Liaise
with advocacy partners and undertake outreach to civil society
organizations, governments, and other groups to ensure that newsworthy
information reaches the public and donors.
- Provide
inputs to Partnership and Business Development Unit with programme/
results-oriented communications.
Oversee the Organizations web/online presence and social
media platforms
- Develop
a strategic social media calender.
- Oversee
and maintain organizational websites, including developing content
regularly.
- Keep
the BvAT web-presence updated and in line with corporate web policy.
- Oversee
and manage BvAT’s social media accounts in line with corporate social
media policy.
Working Relationships:
Internal Relationships: Executive Director, Head
of Programme, Partnerships and Business Development team, Project
Managers and other staff.
External Relationships: Country Implementing Partners of
BvAT regional programmes, Consultants, Organic Agriculture member
organisations, National and International Media and donors partners, etc.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s
degree in communications, public relations, Journalism or a related field.
- At
least 5 years of professional work experience at national or international
levels in public relations, communications or advocacy, including in media
relations is required.
- Experience
in the use of social media is required.
- Experience
in media relations is desirable.
- Familiarity
with agroecology, food systems, or sustainable agriculture is desirable.
- Experience
with content management systems (CMS), preferably WordPress.
Required Skills and Competencies:
Technical Skills
- Ability
to communicate sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different
areas.
- Strong
knowledge of managing web-based knowledge management systems.
- Strong
understanding of production, graphic design, and photography standards.
- Strong
writing, editing, and storytelling skills across technical and
non-technical content
- Strong
knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media
outreach.
- Ability
to provide advice and be strategic and analytical.
- Ability
to simplify and organize complex knowledge for diverse user groups.
- Proficiency
in web publishing, SEO, basic graphic design tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe
Suite).
- Good
knowledge of Africa and global media landscape.
Behavioural Skills
- Excellent
coordination and time management skills.
- Strong
interpersonal communication and stakeholder engagement experience.
- Ability
to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
Responsibility for finances and physical assets:
- The
jobholder has accountability for the laptops and office assigned
furniture.
Decision making:
- The
jobholder has no final authority on key decisions in the project other
than routine decisions related to execution of work.
Information:
- The
job holder has access to confidential information – Bio data such as age,
level of education, Income, etc, of stakeholders.
HOW TO APPLY
If you believe you qualify for this position, please apply
by submitting your CV and a cover letter as one file indicating a
summary of your key qualifications and expected salary and benefits to careers@biovisionafricatrust.org with
the job title: Communications Officer, on the subject
line to be received not later than 7th May,2026.
We will not accept applications without a CV and cover letter. Only shortlisted
candidates will be contacted for interviews.
ICT Internship Opportunity at Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT)
Objective of the Internship
Under the Agroecology Promotion Programme in Africa ( APP)
and Porticus Project in Kenya, the intern will provide technical support in IT
systems, Microsoft 365, Azure and cloud optimization, email and account
management, website maintenance and updates, and document/visual design within
the organization.
Scope of Work / Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Head of Programmes ( EOA &
KCOA) , the intern will support the following areas:
Software and IT Support
- Assist
with software installation, updating, and troubleshooting to resolve
technical problems promptly to minimize any downtime.
- Support
staff in resolving common IT issues (hardware/software)
- Document
software assets and monitor license compliance
- Assist
in developing IT support materials such as user guides
Cloud-Based Services Management
- Support
administration of cloud platforms (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365,
Dropbox, SharePoint)
- Help
with account setup, access control, and permissions management
- Organize
and maintain shared drives, backups, and cloud folders
- Troubleshoot
syncing or access issues across cloud platforms
- Assist
with training staff on basic cloud tools use
Website and Digital Content
- Assit
in the development and maintenance including revisions of basic projects
and events websites e.g conference websites, project websites
- Support
in minor website troubleshooting and CMS updates (e.g., WordPress)
- Ensure
website content is up-to-date, well-organized, and aligned with branding
- Monitor
and analyze and basic website analytics to determine website performance
Document and Design Support
- Design
and format documents, reports, and presentations
- Create
simple graphics and layouts for flyers, posters, and social media using
tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator
- Maintain
brand consistency in all visual materials using the organisational and
project branding manuals
System Maintenance
- Assist
in the maintenance and monitoring of computer systems, networks, and
applications to ensure optimal performance.
- Perform
regular system updates and backups to safeguard data integrity and
security.
Administrative and Technical Tasks
- Support
online meetings/webinars (setup, tech check, recordings)
- Organize
digital files and ensure data is properly archived
- Provide
technical support during trainings or workshops
- Provide
training and support to staff on the use of hardware, software, and IT
systems
Duration and Location
- Duration: 12
months (renewable based on performance and organizational needs)
- Location: [Physical
location at Biovision Africa Trust offices located at ICIPE Duduville
Campus, Kasarani, Nairobi Kenya]
Reporting Line
The intern will report to the Head of Programmes (
EOA and KCOA), and collaborate with the Communications and
Fundraising Team and other departments.
Required Qualifications and Skills
- Recently
completed a degree in IT, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a
related field
- Familiarity
with cloud-based tools (e.g., Google Workspace, OneDrive, SharePoint,
Dropbox)
- Basic
knowledge of website CMS (WordPress preferred)
- Proficiency
in MS Office and document formatting
- Basic
graphic design skills (e.g., Canva, Adobe Suite)
- Strong
communication, troubleshooting, and teamwork skills
Learning Opportunities
The intern will:
- Gain
experience in managing software and cloud services in a professional
setting
- Learn
about cloud storage administration and collaborative tools
- Develop
skills in digital communication and document design
- Engage
in cross-functional technical support work
How to Apply
If you are interested in the above internship and can
demonstrate your ability to meet the qualifications required, then submit your
expression of interest with the above mentioned documents to careers@biovisionafricatrust.org
for the advert: Internship Opportunity in IT, Software Maintenance,
Website, Document Design, and Cloud Services Support at Biovision Africa Trust
( BvAT)
The closing date for applications is 8th August
2025, EAT 11:59pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for
interviews.