Regional Communication Advisor, Food Policy Program, Africa

REGIONAL COMMUNICATION ADVISOR, FOOD POLICY PROGRAM, AFRICA About the Role Vital Strategies, a leading global public health organization, is seeking a Regional Communication Advisor to drive food policy communication initiatives across Africa. This is a new, full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya that sits at the intersection of strategic communications and public health advocacy. You will represent Vital Strategies on the ground across selected African countries, coordinating communication projects designed to advance critical food policies including taxation on sugary drinks, clear front-of-package nutrient labeling, restrictions on unhealthy food marketing to children, and healthier public sector food policies. Working closely with country partners, governments, and regional stakeholders, you will develop and execute integrated communication strategies that amplify advocacy efforts and drive policy change. Your impact will extend beyond food policy communication, positioning you as an ambassador for Vital Strategies' broader work across Africa. Key Responsibilities In this role, you will lead strategic planning and execution of mass media, digital media, and public relations campaigns across up to three African countries. You will assess political feasibility in target countries, identify and build relationships with key stakeholders, in-country partners, and local grantees, and ensure all communication plans align with broader advocacy agendas and public health priorities. You will manage all food policy program sub-grants across Africa, collaborating with leadership and country-level communication managers to ensure deliverables, budgets, and reporting meet agreements and deadlines. You will coordinate communication managers across the region to facilitate information sharing between leadership, country teams, and external partners while working with the internal PR team to develop press releases, newsletters, fact sheets, and other materials. Additional responsibilities include monitoring news and trends to pitch story ideas and secure media coverage for key spokespeople, managing and participating in workshops, training sessions, conferences, campaign launches, and press briefings, and bringing creative ideas to how the organization communicates its work to diverse audiences. What We're Looking For You bring a Master's degree and a minimum of ten years of professional experience, with at least five years working directly in advertising, digital marketing, strategic communications, public relations, or public health. You have demonstrated success thinking strategically, leading diverse teams, and working independently in multi-cultural settings. You possess advanced-level proficiency with Microsoft Office packages and strong experience with grants management, financial compliance, and donor relations. Your project management skills are exceptional, allowing you to juggle multiple complex activities under tight deadlines while maintaining quality and meeting milestones. You communicate clearly and strategically, with the ability to translate complex concepts for non-technical audiences. You are a self-starter who thrives in collaborative environments, fostering team discussions that value different perspectives. You communicate and collaborate effectively across time zones and platforms. Preferred experience includes work in government relations, public health and advocacy, NGOs and public policy initiatives, international settings, and cross-cultural environments. Familiarity with multilateral organizations, foundations, and technical assistance agencies is a plus. You must have expert command of written and spoken English. Compensation and Logistics Vital Strategies offers highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position is KES 11,060,000 to KES 14,220,000. You will be required to travel internationally up to twenty percent of the time. You must have authorization to work legally in Kenya at the time of hire. About Vital Strategies Vital Strategies works in more than eighty countries, strengthening public health systems and addressing the world's leading causes of illness, injury, and death. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We believe our programs are strengthened by diverse teams whose varied life experiences enhance our understanding of social and cultural issues.