Head of Communications at Natural State

Position Summary

• The Head of Communications will lead and manage Natural State's communication strategy, primarily serving to enable and amplify our fundraising and partnership development efforts. This strategic role ensures our compelling story of scientific rigor and on-the-ground impact reaches key audiences, ultimately driving resource mobilisation and growing our network of supporters. The ideal candidate will possess a blend of leadership, communication expertise, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of climate, nature restoration, and scientific topics. This role will manage a dedicated communications team (anticipated to be 2-3 FTE’s and any specialists/consultants engaged for specific project activities) within the Fundraising, Communications and Partnerships (FCP) department.
• The Head of Communications will be required to travel to Natural State's Research Centre near the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Nanyuki office, The Education Centre and other key project sites, as well as for specific events, media engagements, or high-level meetings. Such visits are anticipated to occur and should be scheduled collaboratively to maximise strategic impact and foster team cohesion. All related travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses will be covered by Natural State in accordance with the Travel Policy and work plan.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications Leadership (Approx. 20% of time):

• Own the development and lead the execution of Natural State's comprehensive global communications strategy, ensuring full alignment with the organisation's mission, goals, and strategic priorities in climate action and nature restoration. This includes explicitly identifying and prioritising communications pipelines that directly support fundraising and partnership objectives, alongside broader brand-building and public awareness goals.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership and the Director of FCP on all communications matters, including brand positioning, public relations, and stakeholder engagement.

Brand Management & Reputation Stewardship (Approx. 15% of time):

• Guard and elevate Natural State's brand identity and reputation across all platforms and geographies. Develop and enforce brand guidelines, ensuring consistent messaging and visual identity that reflects the organization's values and impact.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance Natural State's visibility and thought leadership as a global authority in nature restoration and climate finance.

Content Strategy & Oversight (Approx. 25% of time):

• Lead the development of a compelling content strategy that translates complex scientific and programmatic work into accessible, impactful narratives for diverse audiences (donors, partners, scientific community, local communities, general public).
• Oversee the creation of high-quality content across all mediums, including press releases, articles, reports, website copy, social media, educational materials, and multimedia assets. Ensure content supports fundraising and partnership objectives by clearly articulating pathways for investment and collaboration.

Media & Influencer Relations (Approx. 20% of time):

• Build, nurture, and maintain high-level relationships with key media outlets, journalists, and influencers in environmental science, conservation, and development sectors globally and across Africa.
• Act as a primary media spokesperson for Natural State when required and prepare senior leadership for media engagements. Proactively generate positive media coverage for Natural State's programmes, successes, and thought leadership, enhancing our profile for potential funders and collaborators.

Team Leadership & Development (Approx. 10% of time):

• Lead, mentor, and empower the communications team (including 2-3 direct reports and external agencies/consultants), fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide guidance and training on communication best practices to internal stakeholders across Natural State.

Performance Measurement & Adaptive Strategy (Approx. 5% of time):

• Establish robust metrics and lead the evaluation of all communications initiatives against strategic objectives. Analyze performance data to inform adaptive communications strategies, ensuring optimal reach, engagement, and impact.

Crisis Communications Management (Approx. 5% of time):

• Develop and lead the execution of crisis communication plans to effectively prepare for and manage sensitive issues or crises impacting Natural State's reputation and operations, ensuring timely, transparent, and strategic responses.

Budget Management:

• Manage the communications budget, exercising delegated authority for comms-related spend within defined parameters set by the Director of FCP, ensuring efficient and responsible allocation of resources to maximize communication impact.

Qualifications & Experience

Must-Have (Applications missing any will not be considered):

• Minimum 10 years of progressive communications experience, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership or senior management role
• Experience specifically within an international non-profit, conservation, or climate-focused organization
• Demonstrated experience managing a communications team (direct reports)
• Proven ability to develop a communications strategy explicitly designed to enable fundraising and partnership development
• High proficiency in Canva (essential for day-to-day design tasks)
• Willing and able to travel locally 30–40% of the time (including to remote sites near Lewa Wildlife Conservancy)
• Based in Nairobi, Kenya (onsite/hybrid, not fully remote from another country)

Strong to Have (Strongly differentiates candidates):

• Master's degree in communications, environmental science, public relations, marketing, or a related field
• Specific experience in nature restoration, conservation, or climate finance (not just general non-profit or corporate communications)
• Advanced design proficiency in InDesign, Adobe Creative Suite (Lightroom, Acrobat), or similar professional tools (beyond Canva)
• Established media network of 8–12+ journalists and influencers in African and global environmental, conservation, and development sectors
• Demonstrated experience using communications to directly support donor acquisition, partnership conversion, or resource mobilization (with measurable results)
• Crisis communications experience specifically focused on protecting donor/partner trust and reputation in a non-profit or mission-driven context
• Cross-functional training experience delivering storytelling or communications training to non-comms staff (e.g., program, science, or field teams)