Vacancies and Opportunities

Consultant Designer for the Integrated AJS/MHPSS Community Training Toolkit and Shirika Plan Policy Brief

1. Background
Kituo Cha Sheria is developing an Integrated Alternative Justice Systems and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (AJS/MHPSS) Community Training Toolkit for use in refugee-host community contexts. The toolkit will provide practical training guidance, exercises and monitoring tools for community justice actors, paralegals, community leaders and other stakeholders.
Kituo is also developing a policy brief on operationalizing AJS/MHPSS under the Shirika Plan. The policy brief will present legal and policy findings and practical recommendations to strengthen peaceful coexistence and access to justice for refugee and host communities.
Kituo seeks to engage a consultant designer to professionally format, brand and lay out the approved content of the toolkit and policy brief. The assignment concerns printed and visual materials and does not involve software development or preparation of the substantive technical content.

2. Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of the assignment is to produce clear, accessible, visually appealing and print-ready versions of the Integrated AJS/MHPSS Community Training Toolkit and the Shirika Plan policy brief.

3. Specific Objectives
1.      Develop a consistent visual concept for the toolkit and policy brief.
2.      Organize the approved content into clear and easy-to-follow sections.
3.      Use appropriate icons, illustrations, diagrams, tables and infographics to simplify technical information.
4.      Apply Kituo Cha Sheria and relevant partner branding requirements.
5.      Prepare high-quality print-ready, digital and editable versions of both materials.

4. Scope of Work
The consultant designer will:
·       Review the approved toolkit and policy brief content provided by Kituo.
·       Consult with the Kituo technical and communications teams on the intended users, format and visual approach.
·       Develop sample cover and internal page concepts for review and approval.
·       Design and lay out the full toolkit and policy brief using a consistent visual style.
·       Create simple visual aids, including icons, diagrams, tables, illustrations and infographics, where appropriate.
·       Ensure that the materials are readable and practical for diverse refugee and host community audiences.
·       Apply all required logos, acknowledgements, colours and partner visibility requirements.
·       Incorporate consolidated feedback from Kituo and submit revised drafts.

5. Expected Deliverables and Timeline

6. Duration of the Assignment
The assignment will be undertaken during August 2026. The exact commencement date and detailed work schedule will be agreed with the selected consultant. All final deliverables must be submitted by 31 August 2026.

7. Required Qualifications and Experience
·       Demonstrated experience designing and laying out toolkits, manuals, policy briefs, reports or similar publications.
·       Proficiency in professional design and publishing software.
·       Ability to present technical information through simple and accessible visual formats.
·       Experience designing materials for community, legal, humanitarian, refugee or development programmes is an advantage.
·       Strong attention to detail and ability to deliver high-quality work within short timelines.
·       Ability to receive and incorporate feedback professionally.

8. Application Requirements
Interested applicants should submit:

·       A brief expression of interest describing their suitability for the assignment.

·       An updated curriculum vitae or company profile.

·       A portfolio or links to at least three relevant design samples.

·       A financial proposal stating the total professional fee and applicable taxes.

·       Contact details for two professional referees.

9. Submission of Applications
Applications should be sent by email to hr@kituochasheria.or.ke by 12 August 2026. The email subject line should read: “Application – AJS/MHPSS Toolkit and Policy Brief Designer.”

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

10. Ownership and Confidentiality
All designs, illustrations, layouts, source files and final materials developed under this assignment will remain the property of Kituo Cha Sheria. The consultant must maintain confidentiality and may not reproduce, publish or share the materials without prior written authorization from Kituo Cha Sheria.

1. Background and rationale

Kenya hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, and broader East and Horn of Africa dynamics continue to drive displacement through conflict, climate shocks and
food insecurity, with over 25 million people in the region living as refugees or internally displaced persons. In this context, Kenya has embarked on a policy shift from a largely humanitarian response to a development-oriented, government-led approach to refugee inclusion, anchored in the 2021 Refugees Act, the national Shirika Plan and county-level integration strategies.

The Shirika Plan commits the Government of Kenya to integrate refugees into national systems, expand economic opportunities, and promote self-reliance and livelihoods for refugees and host communities, including measures such as skills development and recognition of prior learning. At the county level, the Nairobi County Refugee Integration and
Community Building Strategy (NCRIS) aims to enhance socio-economic inclusion by improving access to services, documentation, employment opportunities and community cohesion for refugees in Nairobi.

The present study will generate robust evidence on refugee economic contributions and missed opportunities, map refugee skills in Nairobi, and translate findings into actionable policy recommendations aligned with the Shirika Plan, NCRIS and SDGs 8 and 10.

2. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to engage a multi-skilled consulting agency for 90 days to:

• Conduct a rigorous labour market and economic impact study on refugees’ and asylum seekers access to work in Nairobi, including “what-if” scenario modelling under improved access to work.
• Undertake a political economy and stakeholder analysis to understand incentives, power dynamics and institutional bottlenecks affecting refugee economic inclusion at national
  and county levels.
• Design and implement a strategic communications and dissemination package that translates complex findingsinto compelling, accessible messages and products tailored to different audiences.

3. Objectives

Specific objectives are to:

1. Quantify the current economic contribution of refugees living in Nairobi to the city’s economy and tax base through employment, entrepreneurship and consumption.
2. Identify the economic opportunities lost due to restrictions and practical barriers to refugee access to decent work (e.g. foregone income, unfilled labour and skills gaps, constrained enterprise growth).
3. Model potential macro- and meso-level gains under improved access to work for refugees, using “what-if” scenarios to demonstrate possible increases in output, employment, tax revenue and local development.
4. Map and categorise the skills, qualifications and experience of refugee professionals in Nairobi, including formal, informal and self-taught skills, and relate these to current and projected labour market demand.
5. Analyse the political economy of refugee economic inclusion, including interests, incentives, institutional constraints, and opportunities for reform at national (executive, legislature, line ministries, regulatory bodies) and county (Nairobi City County) levels.
6. Develop targeted government relations and advocacy strategies to support implementation of the Shirika Plan, NCRIS, and the 2021 Refugees Act provisions on the right to work.
7. Disseminate findings and policy recommendations to key audiences in accessible, persuasive formats.

4. Scope of work and key tasks

The assignment will cover Nairobi City County, with reference to national policy frameworks and regional displacement dynamics where relevant.

Task 1: Inception phase

• Hold inception meetings with Kituo and relevant partners (including RAWI‑EA working group members, legal teams and refugee-led organisations) to clarify expectations, refine the research questions and agree on governance and coordination arrangements.
• Prepare an inception report that includes:
  
  • Refined study objectives and evaluation questions.
  • Detailed methodology for the labour market and economic impact analysis, skills mapping, political economy analysis and stakeholder mapping.
  • Proposed indicators and analytical frameworks, including how gender, age, disability and nationality dimensions will be captured.
  • Sampling strategy and sample size determination for surveys, interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs).
  • Data protection, management and quality assurance plan, including ethical considerations and safeguarding, including potential data gaps and/or limitations and how they may impact the study.
  • Preliminary strategic communications and government relations approach (audience mapping, key messages, channels, risks).

Task 2: Refugee Labour Market and Economic Impact analysis

• Design survey tools and qualitative instruments to capture refugee labour market participation, income, enterprise dynamics, tax and fee payments, and interactions with the informal and formal economy.
• Train a team of enumerators (with refugee participation) on the tools, research ethics and data collection protocols, and oversee quality-assured data collection in the field (surveys, key informant interviews, FGDs).
• Conduct desk review of existing literature and datasets on refugee labour market participation and economic inclusion in Kenya and Nairobi.
• Analyse data to:
  
  • Measure refugees’ contributions to Nairobi’s GDP proxies, employment, entrepreneurship ecosystem and tax base.
  • Estimate economic losses attributable to restrictive policies or implementation gaps (e.g. inability to use qualifications, restrictions on formal employment, licensing barriers).
  • Model “what-if” scenarios under improved access to work, specifying and justifying key assumptions and providing differentiated results by sector, skill level, gender and refugee status.

Task 3: Skills mapping

• Design and implement a skills mapping exercise that:
  
  • Captures formal qualifications, vocational training, informal apprenticeships and self-taught skills.
  • Links refugee skills to Nairobi’s current and emerging labour market needs (e.g. sectors linked to the Shirika Plan’s economic empowerment and livelihoods pillars).
• Produce a skills inventory and typology of refugee professionals in Nairobi, including illustrative profiles and potential pathways for skills recognition, upskilling and job matching.
• Identify implications for policies on recognition of prior learning (RPL), vocational training, private sector engagement and county-level economic planning.

Task 4: Political economy and government relations analysis

• Conduct a structured political economy analysis to:
  
  • Map key institutions, actors and coalitions shaping refugee economic inclusion at national and county levels (e.g. relevant ministries, agencies, county departments, professional bodies, business associations, refugee-led and civil society organisations).
  • Analyse their interests, incentives, capabilities and relationships, including factors driving or constraining implementation of the Refugees Act, Shirika Plan and NCRIS.
  • Identify windows of opportunity and potential risks for advancing refugee access to work and economic inclusion, including litigation, policy reforms and administrative practice.
• Develop a government relations strategy that:
  
  • Prioritises target institutions and champions.
  • Proposes tailored engagement tactics (briefings, roundtables, technical working groups, parliamentary engagement, county-level forums).
  • Aligns with and reinforces ongoing strategic litigation and advocacy initiatives.

Task 5: Strategic Communications and Narrative Support

• Develop a strategic communications plan for the study, aligned with Kituo’s broader narrative work and refugee storytelling initiatives, including:
  
  • Audience segmentation (e.g. national policymakers, county officials, private sector, media, development partners, refugee communities).
  • Key messages and framing strategies that position refugee economic inclusion as a development necessity and opportunity, not only a humanitarian obligation.
  • Products and channels (policy briefs, infographics, op-eds, social media content, slide decks, media kits, community feedback materials).
  • Draft and design one flagship synthesis report (technical).
  • Advice on managing potential political and reputational risks in public communication.

Task 6: Validation and dissemination

• Organize, together with Kituo cha Sheria, and facilitate two multi-stakeholder validation workshop with refugees, economists, government representatives, private sector actors and civil society to test and refine preliminary findings and recommendations.
• Incorporate feedback from validation into the final study report, policy briefs and communications products.

5. Deliverables

Key deliverables will include:

1. Inception report (including methodology, indicators, sample design, workplan).
2. Data collection tools (questionnaires, interview and FGD guides) and enumerator training materials.
3. Cleaned datasets and a brief methodological annex describing data collection and analysis processes.
4. Labour market and economic impact report, including “what-if” scenario modelling and clear visualisation of results.
5. Skills mapping report and skills inventory (with annexed database or structured output).
6. Political economy and stakeholder analysis report, including a government relations strategy.
7. Strategic communications plan and product matrix.
8. A summary report with key/topline recommendations
9. Final integrated study report synthesising labour market, skills and political economy findings and articulating actionable recommendations.
10. Presentation slide decks for internal and external use.
11. Validation workshop report, feedback and agreed follow-up actions.

All written outputs shall be submitted in clear, professional English, using templates agreed with Kituo and suitable both for technical and advocacy use.

6. Duration and level of effort

• Expected duration: 3 months from contract signature.
• Key milestones: inception report, completion of data collection, presentation of preliminary findings, validation workshop, submission of draft and final deliverables.
• The consulting agency should propose an indicative workplan and level of effort by role (e.g. Team leader, Human Resource Specialist/ Labour Economist, political economy specialist, Research Specialist, Government Relations Advisor, Strategic Communications/Narrative Specialist).

7. Required profile and team composition

The assignment requires a multi-disciplinary team. The lead agency may be a single firm or a consortium, but must demonstrate capacity to coordinate across components. The
proposed core team should include at minimum:

• Team Leader / Principal Investigator:
  
  • Advanced degree in Refugee/ Conflict, Security studies, economics, development studies, public policy, sociology or related field.
  • At least 10 years’ experience leading international development assignments and integrated studies with a component of refugee/ border regions in East Africa.
  • Demonstrated experience working with multi-disciplinary assignments that develop robust policy and dissemination outcomes.
• Labour Market / Economic Impact Specialist:
  
  • Strong background in labour economics or applied econometrics.
  • Proven experience in economic impact assessment and scenario modelling.
• Political Economy/ Governance Specialist:
  
  • Demonstrated experience conducting political economy analysis and institutional/stakeholder mapping in Kenya.
  • Familiarity with national and county governance structures, including experience in policy reform processes.
  • Track record in designing and implementing government engagement strategies in Kenya, ideally on social or economic policy issues.
  • Existing networks with relevant national and county-level institutions will be an added advantage.

• Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Specialist:
  
  • Proven expertise in strategic communications for public policy, advocacy or litigation support.
  • Experience translating complex evidence into clear, compelling messages and products for diverse audiences.
  • Experience working with media and digital platforms in Kenya.

• Research and Data Team:
  
  • Survey design and field management experience, including training and supervision of enumerators.
  • Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis skills.
  • Ability to ensure data quality, ethical standards and safeguarding.

• Refugee participation:
  
  • The agency is strongly encouraged to include refugee community as part of the e.g. enumerators, field supervisors, message house), and to describe how refugee voices and expertise will be embedded in the process.

The lead agency must demonstrate:

• Previous experience delivering similar multi-component assignments (political economy analysis in refugee settings, Government Relations and Strategic Communications) for
  international organisations, INGOs, or development partners.
• Strong understanding of Kenya’s refugee policy environment, including the 2021 Refugees Act, Shirika Plan and Nairobi County NCRIS.

• Robust research management, quality assurance and risk management systems.

8. Coordination and management

• The consulting agency will report to Kituo’s designated project manager, with oversight by a steering group comprising representatives from Kituo, the RAWI‑EA working group and relevant partners.
• Regular check-ins (e.g. bi-weekly) will be held to review progress, address bottlenecks and agree on key decisions.
• The agency will be responsible for recruiting, contracting, managing and paying all team members and enumerators, and for all logistics related to the assignment (unless otherwise agreed).

9. Ethical considerations and safeguarding

• The agency must adhere to high ethical standards, including informed consent, confidentiality, data protection and “do no harm” principles, especially given the vulnerability and legal precarity of refugee populations.
• Enumerators and researchers must be trained on safeguarding, referral pathways and how to handle distress or disclosures of protection concerns.
• All data must be stored securely, with clear protocols for anonymisation and controlled access.

10. Submission of proposals

Interested consulting agencies are invited to submit:

• Technical proposal including:
  
  • Understanding of the assignment and context.
  • Proposed methodology for each component (labour market analysis, political economy/Government Relations, Strategic Communications).
  • Proposed workplan and management arrangements.
  • Team composition, roles and CVs of key experts.
  • Risk analysis and mitigation measures

• Financial proposal:
  
  • Detailed budget in Kenya shillings, indicating fees, reimbursable costs and any applicable taxes.

• Relevant annexes:
  
  • Evidence of registration and compliance with Kenyan legal and tax requirements (or, for international firms, ability to operate in Kenya in compliance with local regulations).
  • Up to three examples of assignments completed in the last five years proving all in one expertise- labour market analysis, political economy/Government Relations, Strategic Communications
  • At least three references from previous clients.
  • Firm’s Corporate Profile

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of technical quality, relevance of experience, strength of the team, robustness of the proposed methodology, integration of strategic communications and government relations, meaningful refugee participation, and value for money.

Send all applications to: hr@kituochasheria.or.ke before 10th August 2026.