Consultancy to Review KWCA Communication Strategy
Background
The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) is a national landowner-led membership organisation established in 2013 to serve the collective interests of over 170 community and private conservancies. KWCA works to create an enabling environment for conservancies to thrive by advocating for the right policies, laws and incentives and supporting them through information sharing and capacity building. KWCA recognises conservancies represent a strong mechanism to promote wildlife stewardship and custodianship by local communities and landowners sharing land with wildlife.
KWCA has grown from a relatively nascent start-up organisation to a more effective and established organisation that now plays a critical national leadership role in the country’s environmental conservation especially community led conservation. KWCA role to convene, connect, inform and represent has not only grown at the national levels but also at the global levels elevating its voice and need for enhanced strategic communications. Since the development of the communication strategy in 2017, a lot has changed; an organisational strategic plan 2019-2023 developed, growth in membership and landscape conservancy associations, proactive media and social media engagement, new and enhanced partnerships with government and conservation NGOs, demand for conservancy information and increased cross-learning and collaboration.
While KWCA has grown in scope and voice, its role and that of conservancy members and landscape conservancy associations is facing criticism. Misperceptions and misinformation about the conservancy model present a challenge for KWCA and its network of conservancies in gaining public support for community conservation. Therefore, this require thoughtful and effective communications.
Objectives and scope of the assignment
KWCA is looking for a firm/agency/individual to review its communication strategy to fulfil the organisation’s objectives in strategic communications and implement recommendations of the 2019 organisational capacity assessment that recommended a review of its external and internal communications and incorporation of public relations.
The consultant will work closely with the KWCA team to;
- Review the current communication strategy to ensure the goals, target audiences, messages and impact measurement are aligned to to the broader organisational goals
- Conduct a review of KWCA’ internal and external communications by documenting progress and identifying gaps in implementation.
- Carry out a survey and key informant interviews with members and partners respectively to assess the effectiveness of KWCA’s communication and ascertain their information needs.
- Review information, educational and information materials and recommend strategies for effective publication management
- Identify and document ways of improving KWCA’s communication brand on social media and media engagement and ensure they meet the overall communication goals
- Incorporate public relations and crisis communications and recommend cost effective strategies for implementing effective communications
- Develop a final revised communication strategy
Expected Deliverables
- An inception report and workplan
- Draft communication strategy
- Hold a validation meeting with KWCA team and incorporate their feedback
- Final revised communication strategy with a one-year action plan
Required qualifications and skills
The recruiting agency/firm/individual must meet the following specifications:
- An advanced degree in communication, public relations, marketing or related subject.
- Extensive work experience and proven record in strategic communications, public relations, marketing and digital media.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing effective communication strategies in the development context
- Experience working in wildlife conservation, community conservation and natural resource management preferred
- Strong communication, interpersonal and facilitation skills
Submission of Proposal
Eligible consultants should submit their technical and financial proposals, CVs of designated personnel and recommendation letters from previous assignments, emailed to [email protected] indicating the title of the consultancy by Friday 26th August 2022.