Brand Manager

Location: Nairobi, KenyaIndustry: Nonprofit | Civic Infrastructure | CommunicationsLevel: ManagerReports to: Director of CommunicationsSchedule: Full-timeABOUT SHOFCOSHOFCO (Shining Hope for Communities) is a national grassroots movement building the civic infrastructure Kenya needs to thrive. We partner with communities across 37 counties to deliver essential services — healthcare, water and sanitation, education, livelihoods, and youth leadership — while organizing residents to drive systemic change.Our model is grounded in a simple truth: communities are the infrastructure of change.As SHOFCO scales nationally, protecting the clarity, integrity, and discipline of our brand across programs, partners, and counties is essential.ROLE OVERVIEWSHOFCO is seeking a highly skilled Brand Manager to serve as the organization’s internal brand and sub-brand guardian and in-house design lead.The Brand Manager will ensure that all SHOFCO materials across programs, events, partnerships, and campaigns are visually strong, strategically aligned, and consistent with our national brand identity.You will lead design execution internally, build brand systems and templates, train teams on brand usage, manage our visual asset ecosystem, reduce last-minute design chaos through clear processes, and protect brand quality across the organization.This role exists to ensure that the Director of Communications can focus on strategic leadership, positioning, and narrative while the Brand Manager ensures operational brand excellence. The Brand Manager will help ensure that as SHOFCO expands, our communications remain coherent, compelling, and true to the communities we serve.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES1. In-House Design Leadership* Serve as SHOFCO’s primary internal designer. * Design high-quality materials across: * Event collateral * Annual reports * Program reports * Donor, board, and program decks * Campaign materials * Signage and print materials * Templates for program teams * Design work for Social Media * Ensure all designs align with SHOFCO’s brand identity and visual standards. * Review and approve externally produced design work to ensure brand alignment.2. Brand Systems and Governance* Own and maintain SHOFCO’s brand guidelines, including visual identity standards, typography, and layout systems. * Develop and manage standardized templates across platforms such as Canva, PowerPoint, and report layouts. * Create systems that ensure teams consistently use approved templates. * Establish structured brand request workflows and timelines. * Reduce last-minute design emergencies by implementing clear processes for design support. * Serve as the final quality control checkpoint before materials are published.3. Program-Embedded Brand Support* Work closely with program teams including Health, WASH, Youth, Education, and Livelihoods to anticipate communications needs early. * Embed brand planning into program calendars and project timelines. * Support major events, campaigns, and program launches. * Engage regularly with program teams to understand upcoming communications needs. * Ensure partner visibility requirements are integrated appropriately while maintaining SHOFCO’s brand integrity.4. Digital Asset and Visual Archive Management* Manage and maintain SHOFCO’s photography and video library. * Filter, organize, and keyword photography from field teams. * Maintain asset management systems that allow staff to easily access approved visuals. * Improve efficiencies in how visual assets are stored, organized, and used across the organization.5. Brand Training and Culture Building* Conduct brand onboarding sessions for new staff. * Train program teams on how to use brand templates correctly. * Support teams in understanding what strong, on-brand communications look like. * Act as an internal advocate for brand quality and consistency across SHOFCO.6. Website and Platform Support* Support visual updates and improvements to the SHOFCO website. * Ensure brand consistency across digital platforms and communications materials. * Collaborate with the Communications team on campaign rollouts and thematic storytelling.WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT* This is not primarily a social media growth role. * This is not solely a graphic design role. * This is not a generic marketing coordinator position. * This is not a strategy-only communications advisor role. * This role is focused on disciplined brand execution, strong design, and building systems that support high-quality communications across the organization.IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILEWe are looking for someone who combines strong design ability with systems thinking and operational discipline and is extraordinarily passionate about design and consistent, strong, visual identity. If you obsess over good design and read devour journals, this job is for you.* Design Skills * The candidate should demonstrate strong visual design capabilities including layout, typography, and visual storytelling. A portfolio showing high-quality design work is essential. * Systems Thinking * The candidate should be able to design workflows, improve efficiencies, and manage shared tools and platforms. They should be proactive in identifying operational gaps and proposing improvements. * Program Communications Experience * Experience working closely with program teams is highly valued. The candidate should understand the dynamics of nonprofit communications and be able to support multi-stakeholder environments. * Operational Discipline * The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, and comfortable setting timelines and managing expectations. They should be able to maintain quality under pressure and communicate clearly when timelines are unrealistic.REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS* Bachelor’s degree in Design, Communications, Marketing, or a related field. * 5-8 years of experience in brand management and design leadership. * Strong proficiency in: * Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) * Canva (advanced level, able to teach) * PowerPoint or Google Slides * Experience managing and developing brand guidelines and ensuring brand consistency across multiple teams. * Experience working in fast-paced organizational environments.HIGHLY DESIRABLE* Experience working in a nonprofit or social impact organization. * Experience supporting large events and donor-facing communications. * Experience building internal communications systems or design workflows. * Familiarity with digital asset management platforms.PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES* Strong attention to detail. * Ability to remain calm under pressure. * Clear and confident communication skills. * A structured and process-oriented mindset. * Comfortable pushing back respectfully when timelines are unrealistic. * Deep respect for community-centered storytelling.WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS* As SHOFCO grows nationally, maintaining clarity and consistency in our communications becomes increasingly important. * A strong brand is not simply visual polish. * It represents institutional discipline, credibility, and trust. * The Brand Manager will help ensure that as SHOFCO expands, our communications remain coherent, compelling, and true to the communities we serve.HOW TO APPLYAll interested applicants should send their CV and detailed cover letter to [email protected] with the job position “Brand Manager” in the subject line and include a link to your portfolio in your application**.** Applications due by March 20, 2026.Portfolio RequirementsApplicants must include a portfolio demonstrating strong visual design and brand execution. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.Your portfolio should include examples of:* A multi-page report or publication layout (e.g., annual report, research brief, program report) * Event or campaign collateral (posters, signage, print materials, or event branding) * Presentation design (PowerPoint or Google Slides decks) * Brand system work such as templates, guidelines, or standardized layoutsExamples of work produced for organizations, programs, or institutions rather than purely commercial marketingSHOFCO Recruitment and Hiring Notes:Please note that SHOFCO does not charge any fee in the recruitment process, as the entire hiring process is free and fair.SHOFCO is committed to upholding Gender Equality, Diversity and Social inclusion, and seeks to reflect the communities that we serve. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply. Additionally, SHOFCO seeks safety for the people that we serve, and employment with SHOFCO is conditional upon successful background and reference checks and other verification as needed. SHOFCO has a zero-tolerance policy on gross misconduct, including sexual exploitation, harassment, and abuse. SHOFCO will request a certificate of good conduct and information from the job applicant’s previous employers about any findings of sexual misconduct, fraud, or abuse. By submitting an application to SHOFCO, the applicant confirms her/his/their understanding of these recruitment procedures.