About Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy

ILRI’s Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy spans across 13,000-hectare located in Machakos County, southern Kenya, 60kms away from ILRI’s Nairobi campus. The facility has three functional arms, namely, Research, Conservation and serves as a Commercial Livestock Ranch. Community engagement, capacity building and education cut across the three areas of work. 

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Ranch/Farm Management

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy, including supporting the Board of Kapiti with strategy development and operational planning aligned with institutional goals.
• Lead budgeting and resource allocation across ranch, conservancy, and team functions.
• Develop and implement annual work plans for the different teams in line with institutional objectives and investment plans.
• Lead the development and implementation of organizational policies, guidelines, and procedures.
• Oversee fundraising for conservation efforts at Kapiti and partner management.
• Oversee all ranch operations and activities ensuring effective and efficient use of financial and other resources including revenue generated from both livestock and farming operations.

Livestock farming and forage production 

• Oversee daily farm activities including feeding, breeding, and health management of livestock.
• Monitor and maintain animal health and well-being of livestock including vaccination, disease management.
• Develop and implement breeding and multiplication program to improve production, productivity and commercialisation.
• Maintain accurate records of farm activities.
• Develop short-term and long-term plans for production and commercialisation of fodder.

ILRI, CGIAR and partners research facilities

• In close coordination with the ILRI and the CGIAR research and development leadership manage and support research projects under implementation at Kapiti.
• Develop and implement a costing for project implementation at Kapiti.

Conservancy Management and community relations

• Lead the implementation and update of the conservation management plan in collaboration with KWS and AKPCA.
• Oversee the development of institutional monitoring systems that track ILRI’s progress in achieving strategic objectives and impact targets for conservation.
• Enhance the marketing and conservancy visibility at the local and national level.
• Represent ILRI and Kapiti in the conservation community in Kenya and East Africa.
• Lead Fundraising efforts to raise funding for the conservation of the AKPCA.
• Develop conservation and tourism plans by utilizing the resources at the Kapiti Ranch and Wildlife Conservancy.
• Undertake capacity building and community relations with neighbours and neighbouring communities.
• Work in close collaboration with national and county governments.
• Raise the funding and resources necessary to provide long-term development support to communities neighbouring Kapiti, focusing on education, animal and human health, agriculture and livestock extension and enterprise development.

Ecotourism and hospitality

• Oversee Kapiti housing and conferencing facility.
• Ensure optimum guest management and collaboration with local communities.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or PhD in veterinary or animal science, conservation, business administration, or relevant field. Relevant professional certification.
• Ten years’ relevant experience with masters’ degree or five years relevant experience with PhD.
• Experience in managing similar research facilities.
• Experience with operating environment of ranches and conservancies in Kenya or East Africa.
• Strong success in leading organizations in the areas of conservation, community/rural development, livestock farming, tourism, fund raising.
• Proven experience implementing and monitoring strategies and establishing long term partnerships.
• Ability to research information and analyse data to arrive at valid conclusions, make recommendations effectively, and execute plans of action within a team dynamic.
• Prior experience working with donor organization in conservation.