Community Liaison Officer

SOKIFY JOBS Job Title: Community Liaison Officer Company: Tana River Sugar Location: Bura, Tana River County About the Role Tana River Sugar is seeking a skilled Community Liaison Officer to serve as the vital bridge between the company and the communities in which it operates. In this pivotal position, you will build and nurture meaningful relationships with local communities, government representatives, and key stakeholders while ensuring the company maintains its social licence to operate. Your work will directly impact how the company engages with its environment and the positive change it brings to surrounding areas. Key Responsibilities You will develop and execute comprehensive stakeholder engagement programmes that connect the company with community leaders, county officials, farmer groups, youth organizations, women's associations, and civil society groups. You'll organize community forums, public participation meetings, and consultations that promote open dialogue and transparency. Your role includes managing the full lifecycle of community grievances—receiving complaints, documenting concerns, investigating issues, and guiding resolution processes. You'll maintain detailed records, track timelines, and report emerging issues to management to help prevent operational disruptions. You will coordinate the design, delivery, and evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives across education, healthcare, environmental protection, youth development, livelihood support, and infrastructure projects. This includes assessing community needs and recommending initiatives that align with both company strategy and genuine community benefits. Government and external relations management is central to your work. You'll maintain strong partnerships with county departments, national administration, regulatory bodies, development partners, and security agencies, often representing the company at official forums. Proactive conflict prevention and resolution will be crucial. You'll monitor emerging tensions, facilitate mediation, and use collaborative problem-solving to maintain peaceful coexistence and operational stability. You'll also lead awareness campaigns sharing information about company projects, employment opportunities, environmental commitments, and safety initiatives through targeted communication channels. Your monitoring work includes documenting all stakeholder interactions, maintaining databases, and producing regular reports to track progress and identify improvements. Required Qualifications and Experience You must hold a Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Community Development, Sociology, Development Studies, Public Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences, Communication, Environmental Management, International Relations, or a related field. Professional certifications in stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, mediation, Corporate Social Responsibility, or community development are highly valued. You'll need a minimum of three years of hands-on experience in community relations, stakeholder engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility, public relations, social performance, or community development—preferably in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, or large-scale development projects. Experience working with rural communities is particularly desirable. Essential Skills and Competencies You must demonstrate strong command of stakeholder engagement principles, community mobilization techniques, conflict prevention and resolution strategies, and mediation practices. Expertise in grievance management systems, government relations, public participation processes, and environmental and social safeguards is required. You'll need solid project coordination abilities, proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, and exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Your interpersonal strengths should include relationship management excellence, negotiation prowess, cultural sensitivity, diplomacy, and strong problem-solving capabilities. You must demonstrate integrity, accountability, teamwork orientation, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to maintain composure and positive stakeholder relationships under pressure. Additional Requirements You must be willing to reside and work at the TRSC Farm in Bura, Tana River County. Extensive travel within project areas and neighbouring communities is expected, with flexibility to work beyond standard hours when community engagement requires it. Fluency in English and Kiswahili is essential, with knowledge of local languages spoken in Tana River County being an advantage. A valid Kenyan Driving Licence is preferred.