Terms of Reference and Announcement

M&E and Communication Officer (Long-term Consultant, 40%)

Pakka Foundation

Kenya

 

1.    The Pakka Foundation in Kenya

Pakka Foundation is part of Pakka Group, which consists of the organic and fairtrade brand Pakka, of Pakka Finance, and of their origin partners. Established in 2018 in Switzerland, Pakka Foundation enhances the living conditions of smallholder farmers, their communities and local processing companies in the nut and dried fruit sector through the development and promotion of sustainable, organic production and processing. In Kenya, Pakka Foundation partners with economic actors, including Ten Senses Africa, to develop a fair organic macadamia value chain for European premium markets.

In January 2026, Pakka Foundation and Ten Senses Africa will start their first joint project in Kenya, more specifically in Tharaka Nithi County. The project Macadamia farmers’ participation in HRDD: Addressing the living income gap around Mount Kenya seeks to address human rights risks in the macadamia nut sector around Mount Kenya and beyond ensuring that 1) 2,000 farming families’ voices and needs are considered and addressed by the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) systems of Ten Senses Africa and other nut processing companies, 2) 1,500 farming families, including female and young members, reduce their living income gap thanks to services including access to seedlings, good agricultural practices, and women and youth empowerment, and 3) 8 companies in the nut and dried fruit sector around Mount Kenya and beyond are sensitized, motivated, and capacitated to introduce inclusive HRDD practices thanks to sharing of lessons learnt and good practices. The project is part of the Due Diligence Fund and is funded by the Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains Initiative by GIZ, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

In complement to the project, Pakka Foundation and Ten Senses Africa, with support of the Swiss Canton of Basel-Stadt, will implement the project Climate-resilient Livelihoods and Enhanced Income for Smallholder Macadamia Producers around Mount Kenya, which will allow a) 1,000 smallholder farming families, of which 35% are women-headed, to plant more climate-resilient and productive macadamia trees as well as indigenous shadow trees, b) 1,000 farmers, incl. 500 women and 100 youth, to apply regenerative agroforestry practices that protect biodiversity and allow for climate change adaptation, productivity and quality of macadamia production, and c) 100 women macadamia producers to reduce their workload, increase efficiency and be empowered to participate in the premium macadamia value chain.

As part of the project team for the project Macadamia farmers’ participation in HRDD: Addressing the living income gap around Mount Kenya, Pakka Foundation, in partnership with Ten Senses Africa, is seeking a Monitoring & Evalauation (M&E) and Communication Officer, based in Kenya and frequently working in Tharaka Nithi County. The M&E and Communications Officer will be contracted as long-term consultant covering 40% of a full-time position.

2.    Responsibilities of the M&E and Communications Officer

The Pakka Foundation M&E and Communications Officer will ensure monitoring and communication of project activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts as requested by GIZ and the Pakka Foundation. She/ he will thereby follow the project in general. In addition, the Pakka Foundation M&E and Communications Officer will be specifically responsible for the implementation of project output 3: Companies in the nut and dried fruit sector around Mount Kenya and beyond are sensitized and motivated to introduce inclusive HRDD practices thanks to sharing of lessons learnt and good practices.

The Pakka Foundation M&E and Communications Officer will be responsible for the following fields:

  • Monitor activities and results, and document learning (15%):

To be in the position to understand and measure activities and to use produced knowledge for learning, participate in and follow project activities. Therefore, closely coordinate, collaboration and exchange with Ten Senses Africa’s ESG Manager and Head of Field Operations, the farmer association and consultants.

Accompany and document learning processes, project activities and their results, which includes participation in monthly and irregular project workshops and events, as well as in local steering committee meetings.

Measure, analyze and keep track on project progress and indicators, discuss them with the project team, and draw lessons learnt, good practices and fields for improvement and project adaptation. Thereby, include a focus on gender and social inclusion, i.e. the inclusion of young women and men. Regularly formulate key lessons learnt in a target-oriented way.

  • Communicate project learning and good practices (10%): Compile and translate project learning and good practices into short and targeted monthly blogs and social media content, reaching stakeholders such as the Kenyan and global nut industry (i.e. Pakka’s origin partners in Colombia and Georgia), other partners in the macadamia value chain, the Kenyan administration at federal and county level and development partners.
  • Organization and moderation of knowledge sharing events (5%): With support of the Pakka Foundation Executive Director and Pakka Product’s Impact Team, organize an online event at global level to share project learning and experience, and to motivate origin partners to introduce inclusive HRDD mechanisms, finally improving Pakka’s HRDD process. Support Ten Senses Africa’s ESG Manager in bringing together actors from the Kenyan macadamia sector i.e. processors around Mount Kenya and the county’s Ministry of Agriculture, to raise awareness about HRDD, inform about lessons learnt and good practices established by the project, and motivate participants in their HR commitment.
  • Project reporting to GIZ (5%): Document project progress and results in project reports to be submitted to GIZ, in collaboration with Ten Senses Africa and the Pakka Foundation Executive Director. Ensure due project monitoring and reporting as requested by the donor, and ensure quality of operational and financial reports.
  • Contribute to project steering (2.5%): Organize and moderate relevant and efficient strategic steering committees, meeting every 6 months. Present M&E results, good practices and lessons learn to the strategic steering committee, and facilitate the identification of issues, potentials and project adaptation by steering committee members.
  • Support the Project Team and Pakka Foundation (2.5%): Support project consultants in strategic and practical issues, contribute to the rapid assessment of the HRDD system of three Pakka origin partners in Colombia, and contribute to the preparation of project visits and other activities. Contribute to learning events by SASI and GIZ. Establish and maintain a relevant network of professional partners, engage in target-oriented dialogue about Pakka Foundation’s opportunities and successes, position Pakka Foundation in social media, respond to enquiries, and represent Pakka Foundation at relevant meetings and workshops.

3.    Required Capacities and experience

Thematic skills:

  1. Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree related to monitoring & evaluation and communication, covering concepts, approaches and methods.
  2. Solid understanding and at least 7 years of experience in M&E and communication, including report writing to relevant funding organisations.
  3. Solid understanding and practical experience in Human Rights Due Diligence Processes.
  4. Professional experience in rural development, value chain development and/ or market systems development, including working with smallholder farmers on the ground.

Methodological skills:

  1. Sound knowledge of social media tools and experience (min. 7 years) in communication to a wider public, incl. through social media and presentations.
  2. Practical experience (min. 7 years) in project management and project cycle management, incl. preparation and monitoring of logical frameworks and theories of change, assessment of results at output and outcome levels, operational reporting, learning and project adaptation.
  3. Capacity and experience (min. 5 years) in partner coordination and stakeholder engagement.
  4. Experience in financial management, incl. budget monitoring, transparent procurement, fund flow management, and financial reporting.

Personal and social skills:

  1. Experience and social skills in working with smallholder farmers and their association on the ground, as well as with agri-businesses.
  2. Proven inter-disciplinary capacity, systemic thinking and empathy for different stakeholder groups. Strong capacity and proven interest in coordinating different stakeholders.
  3. Strategic and analytical capacity, combined with foresight.
  4. Capacity to keep an overview and prioritize relevant actions and results.
  5. Curiosity, interest in learning and adaptive project management focusing on outcomes.
  6. Strong and proven teamworking skills and capacity in stakeholder dialogue.
  7. Convincing manner to represent and position Pakka and its project within a larger professional community.
  8. Willingness and openness to align with financial partners’ legal, financial and operational requirements.

Language skills:

  1. Excellent oral and written English skills. Good oral skills in Swahili.
  2. Longstanding experience and capacity to formulate structured and convincing reports in a correct language (English).

4.    Location

The Pakka Foundation M&E and Communications Officer can work remotely from a place within Kenya. Extensive travel will be required to Tharaka Nithi county, where the office of Ten Senses Africa in Chuka Town can be used.

5.    What we Offer

The M&E and Communications Officer will be contracted as long-term consultant of the Pakka Foundation. The salary range with be communicated during the interview.

Pakka Foundation is part of a young and value-based group of companies, mainly based in Switzerland and spreading around several countries. It acts at the interface between business operation and development cooperation and thereby offers a relevant field for cross-sectoral and inter-cultural learning. Ten Senses Africa is based in Tharaka Nithi County, offering local context knowledge and network. The M&E and Communications Officer will be part of a supportive team combining knowledge from different backgrounds and experience.

6.    Application

Interested and motivated candidates who meet the mentioned requirements are invited to submit their applications (1 page motivation letter, max. 4 pages CV) in English by 26 December 2025 to jobs@pakka.ch. Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place online on 6 January 2026, written test on 9 January 2026.

Pakka Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful teamwork. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, or disability. We also uphold strong social and environmental values.

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