Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) is a non-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya and New York, NY that combats urban poverty and gender inequity in the slums of Nairobi. Kennedy Odede, who grew up in the Kibera slum, founded SHOFCO in 2004 with a focus on youth and gender empowerment. SHOFCO has four initiative areas: education, health, economic an...

Job Purpose

The Governance Officer will support SHOFCO’s governance, advocacy, and youth leadership initiatives by coordinating community engagement activities, strengthening citizen participation, and overseeing the effective implementation of the SHOFCO Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to ensure meaningful youth inclusion in governance and decision-making processes.

Responsibilities or duties

Governance & Program Support

• Support in planning, organizing, and implementing governance and civic engagement programs.
• Support coordination of public participation forums, community dialogues, training, and stakeholder meetings.
• Track governance activities and ensure timely follow-up on action points.

SHOFCO Youth Advisory Council (YAC) Implementation

• Coordinate and oversee the day-to-day implementation of the SHOFCO Youth Advisory Council (YAC) activities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and capacity building of YAC members.
• Facilitate YAC meetings, forums, and engagements with SHOFCO leadership and external stakeholders.
• Ensure youth voices and recommendations are documented, communicated, and integrated into SHOFCO programs and advocacy work.
• Monitor YAC action plans and support youth-led initiatives aligned with SHOFCO’s mission.
• Maintain accurate records of governance and YAC meetings, attendance lists, and reports.
• Support data collection, analysis, and reporting for governance and youth programs.
• Support in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities related to governance and youth engagement.
• Support engagement with community members, youth groups, local leaders, CSOs, and government officials.
• Support dissemination of governance and youth-related information to communities and partners.
• Capture success stories, youth impact narratives, and lessons learned.
• Support engagement with community members, youth groups, local leaders, CSOs, and government officials.
• Support in mobilizing communities and youth for governance, accountability, and leadership initiatives.
• Promote awareness on civic rights, responsibilities, and youth participation in governance.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Governance, Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies, Youth Studies, or a related field.
• At least 2+ years’ experience in governance, youth leadership, or community development programs (with over 3 Years + highly preferred).
• Demonstrated understanding of youth participation, governance structures, and Kenya’s devolved system.
• Experience working with youth groups or advisory councils is an added advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong coordination, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to work under minimal supervision and manage multiple tasks.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse youth groups.
• High level of integrity, accountability, confidentiality and professionalism.

• Support in planning, organizing, and implementing governance and civic engagement programs.
• Support coordination of public participation forums, community dialogues, training, and stakeholder meetings.
• Track governance activities and ensure timely follow-up on action points.
• Coordinate and oversee the day-to-day implementation of the SHOFCO Youth Advisory Council (YAC) activities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and capacity building of YAC members.
• Facilitate YAC meetings, forums, and engagements with SHOFCO leadership and external stakeholders.
• Ensure youth voices and recommendations are documented, communicated, and integrated into SHOFCO programs and advocacy work.
• Monitor YAC action plans and support youth-led initiatives aligned with SHOFCO’s mission.
• Maintain accurate records of governance and YAC meetings, attendance lists, and reports.
• Support data collection, analysis, and reporting for governance and youth programs.
• Support in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities related to governance and youth engagement.
• Support engagement with community members, youth groups, local leaders, CSOs, and government officials.
• Support dissemination of governance and youth-related information to communities and partners.
• Capture success stories, youth impact narratives, and lessons learned.
• Support engagement with community members, youth groups, local leaders, CSOs, and government officials.
• Support in mobilizing communities and youth for governance, accountability, and leadership initiatives.
• Promote awareness on civic rights, responsibilities, and youth participation in governance.

• Strong coordination, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to work under minimal supervision and manage multiple tasks.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse youth groups.
• High level of integrity, accountability, confidentiality and professionalism.

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Governance, Political Science, Public Administration, Development Studies, Youth Studies, or a related field.
• At least 2+ years’ experience in governance, youth leadership, or community development programs (with over 3 Years + highly preferred).
• Demonstrated understanding of youth participation, governance structures, and Kenya’s devolved system.
• Experience working with youth groups or advisory councils is an added advantage.