Marketing, Communications & Fundraising Officer

About Kahawatu Foundation & What We Offer

Kahawatu Foundation is an independent NGO dedicated to improving the livelihoods of coffee communities in East Africa. We co-design and implement programmes in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda that strengthen professional coffee farming, improve wellbeing, build confidence, advance the economic empowerment of women and youth, and support income diversification. Kahawatu serves as a technical and sustainability implementation partner to Sucafina - one of the largest coffee exporters in East Africa - while also working with donors and public- and private-sector partners. This role offers the opportunity to join a hands-on, mission-driven, cross-cultural team that engages directly with coffee communities and help grow the Foundation's visibility, partnerships and funding.

Role Purpose

The Marketing, Communications & Fundraising Officer strengthens Kahawatu Foundation's visibility, donor engagement and resource mobilization by turning programme evidence and field experience into clear, compelling communications and fundraising materials. The role leads organizational storytelling and digital content while supporting donor research, proposal development and stewardship with programme, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), finance and leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Communications, storytelling & publications

• Develop and manage an organization-wide communications calendar aligned with programme milestones, donor cycles, fundraising priorities and relevant development and coffee-sector events.
• Produce human-interest stories, case studies, newsletters, reports, presentations and marketing materials that communicate the Foundation's impact clearly and credibly.
• Work with programme and MEL teams to translate technical updates and evidence into accessible content for donors, partners and public audiences.
• Ensure consistent branding, messaging and editorial quality across organizational publications and fundraising materials.

2. Website, social media & field content

• Manage and publish timely content on Kahawatu.org, LinkedIn and other agreed digital channels, keeping information accurate, current and visually engaging.
• Apply SEO and digital communications good practice, using website and social media analytics to improve performance.
• Conduct regular field visits to gather interviews, photography, video and producer stories with programme teams and partners.
• Maintain an organized archive of approved content and consent records, applying ethical, dignity-centred storytelling and appropriate data safeguards.

3. Fundraising, resource mobilization & donor engagement

• Research prospective institutional donors, foundations, corporate partners and funding opportunities aligned with the Foundation's strategy.
• Maintain an accurate donor and opportunity pipeline covering priorities, eligibility, contacts, funding cycles, deadlines and next actions.
• Coordinate inputs and draft concept notes, grant applications, proposals and supporting materials with programme, MEL, finance and leadership colleagues.
• Prepare donor briefings, updates and stewardship materials, and support fundraising campaigns, partner visits and visibility events.
• Maintain reusable proposal resources, including approved organizational information, evidence, case studies and due-diligence documents.

4. Coordination & delivery

• Coordinate communications and fundraising inputs across teams and countries, managing deadlines and review processes with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Provide communications content required for governance, partner obligations and organizational reporting.
• Build productive relationships with donors, partners, producers, cooperatives, field teams and relevant service providers.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, international development, business administration or a related field.
• Four to six years of relevant experience in communications, fundraising, business development or donor relations, preferably within an NGO or development organization.
• Demonstrated experience producing external communications and supporting proposals, donor research and fundraising initiatives.

Skills & Capabilities

• Excellent English writing, editing, interviewing and presentation skills, with the ability to make technical information accessible to varied audiences.
• Strong proposal-writing, donor-research, planning and information-management skills, with close attention to quality and deadlines.
• Proficiency with website content management, social media publishing tools, Microsoft 365, digital analytics and SEO.
• Ability to work independently and confidently in field environments; photography, video or graphic design capability is an advantage.
• Strong judgment, initiative, organization and relationship-building skills across teams and cultures.
• Fluency in Swahili and/or another language used in the Foundation's countries of operation is an advantage.
• Experience managing website and social media content and working across cultures; East African experience is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with coffee value chains, responsible sourcing, sustainability or rural livelihoods is an advantage.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Communications calendar maintained and agreed activities delivered on time.
• Two to four high-quality impact stories or case studies produced monthly and four newsletters delivered annually.
• Website reviewed monthly and substantive digital content published at least twice per month, with performance reviewed quarterly.
• Ten to fifteen relevant funding opportunities researched or supported annually, with the donor pipeline kept current.
• Proposal and donor-communication inputs delivered to agreed quality standards and deadlines.
• Content and consent records from field activities accurately captured, archived and made accessible.

Working Arrangements & Conduct

This is a full-time role based in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi, with regular regional travel. The postholder must comply with the Foundation's safeguarding, informed-consent, confidentiality, data-protection, anti-fraud and professional-conduct requirements, and ensure all communications and fundraising claims are accurate and appropriately approved.