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TERMS OF REFERENCE
PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
Position Title Programs Assistant
Department/Programme; Livelihoods & Just Economies
Line Manager Programs Officer
Duty Station Kitui
Contract Duration Two (2) years(With possibility of renewal based on
performance)
About TISA
TISA (The Institute for Social Accountability) is a national civil society organization
committed to the realization of sound policy and good governance in Kenya. TISA,
registered as a trust, has been operational since March 2008 and continues to engage
with various relevant state and non-state actors in its quest to promote effective local
governance in Kenya. TISA has built up considerable expertise and networks in local
governance, participatory governance, advocacy strategies, capacity building and
practice learning while growing in experience and capacity in the development of
capacity building tools and curricula in these areas.
Job Summary
The Programs Assistant will support TISA’s overall mandate and, in particular, advance
gender transformation in food and trade systems to promote dignity and economic
justice. Based in Kitui County, the role will support the planning, implementation and
coordination of gender-transformative activities, including household dialogues, Gender
Action Learning System (GALS) processes, male engagement, women’s leadership
development and safeguarding, while working directly with women producers,
community structures, cooperatives, county government and other relevant
stakeholders.
The Programs Assistant will serve as TISA’s lead liaison in Kitui County, providing day-to-
day coordination with communities, county government, partners and other
stakeholders. The role will lead the preparation of first-draft reports for all activities and
coordination processes, ensure timely submission of accurate field documentation, and
report directly to the Programs Officer. The Programs Assistant will also support
community organizing, participatory accountability processes, data collection and
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learning, and efforts by social movements, women-led groups and duty bearers to
influence policies, practices and resource allocation across food and trade systems.
Duties and Responsibilities
Program Implementation Support
• Support the planning and field-level implementation of gender transformative
agrifood systems activities and work plans in Kitui county.
• Assist in applying gender-responsive and feminist approaches in day-to-day
programme activities.
• Support timely delivery of field activities against agreed timelines, budgets and
reporting.
Stakeholder Engagement and Community Coordination
• Support engagement with women’s groups, cooperatives, producer groups,
county government departments and community leaders.
• Coordinate logistics for community dialogues, trainings and stakeholder meetings
• Serve as TISA’s lead liaison in Kitui County and represent the organization at
community- and county-level forums.
• Mobilizing community members and project stakeholders, particularly women for
participation in project activities and decision-making spaces.
Monitoring, Documentation and Learning
• Support data collection through maintaining accurate participant records with
unique identifiers segregated by gender, sex and other social inclusion
parameters.
• Track activity progress against indicators and deliverables.
• Lead the preparation of first-draft reports for all activities and coordination
processes, including session reports, attendance records, case studies and field
learning documentation, for review by the Programs Officer.
• Contribute input to donor reporting and programme monitoring requirements.
Feminist Movement Building and Community Mobilization
• Support relationships with grassroots structures, women-led groups, producer
groups and community organizations.
• Support the rollout and monitoring of safeguarding and grievance referral
mechanisms at community level.
• Support facilitation of community organizing and participatory accountability
processes.
• Assist in delivering capacity-building sessions and training materials to
community members.
Administrative and Logistical Support
• Support the project team with field budget tracking, procurement planning and
activity reports for Kitui-based activities.
• Report directly to the Programs Officer, maintain regular communication on
implementation progress and emerging issues, and perform other duties
assigned by the Programs Officer or Head of Programs.
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Required Skills and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Gender Studies, Development Studies, Agriculture,
Community Development, Social Sciences or a related field
• 2 to 4 years’ field or community-level experience in gender programming, agrifood
systems, livelihoods or accountability sectors
• Experience working in Kitui County is an added advantage
• Familiarity with GESI approaches, household dialogues or male engagement
methodologies
• Experience working directly with smallholder farmers, women producer groups or
cooperatives
• Experience working with County Governments to influence policy.
• A good understanding of agrifood systems and value chain approaches
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili; working knowledge of Kamba is an added
advantage
• Proficiency in MS Office and data management tools
Personal attributes/Competencies
• Passionate about gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Strong communication, interpersonal and community mobilization skills
• Able to work independently with minimal day-to-day oversight in the field
• Willingness to travel frequently to project sites within Kitui County and other areas
• High integrity, accountability and commitment to safeguarding principles
• Commitment to social justice, inclusion and transformative change
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with ability to manage multiple
field activities concurrently
• Collaborative team player, comfortable working within a multi-partner consortium
• Adaptive, resilient and solutions-oriented under dynamic field conditions
How to apply
Interested and qualified candidates are requested to submit one document containing a
cover letter indicating expected salary and their resume with at least three professional
referees via email to hr@tisa.or.ke. Please include the reference “Programs Assistant –
Livelihood and Just Economies” as the subject of the email application. The application
should demonstrate experience in feminist organizing, governance/accountability work
and gender transformative programming within community and policy spaces.
Applications close on: 5th October 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.