Mensen met een Missie is an organisation for international cooperation and solidarity. We challenge beliefs and narratives that normalise exclusion, repair relationships between people on opposing sides, and address the patterns and structures that sustain inequality. Together with locally rooted partner organisations across Africa, Asia and Latin America, we work for peace and equality.
Through dialogue, reflection and collaboration, we seek to challenge harmful beliefs, reduce mistrust and division, and strengthen relationships across social and religious divides. Our team in The Hague works closely with partners and changemakers to contribute to more peaceful and inclusive societies.
Faith in Freedom is a new Mensen met een Missie programme that seeks to strengthen Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) and contribute to more peaceful and inclusive societies. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the programme works in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, building on existing relationships and networks of civil society, faith-based and community actors.
At the heart of Faith in Freedom is the principle that everyone should be free to hold, practise, change or abstain from a religion or belief without experiencing discrimination or violence. For Mensen met een Missie, FoRB is closely connected to wider questions of dignity, equality, social cohesion and inclusive citizenship. Religion can contribute to exclusion and division, but religious actors and communities can also play an important role in promoting dialogue, solidarity, reconciliation and social change.
The programme combines three mutually reinforcing areas of work: strengthening inclusion and constructive change within religious communities, building trust and cooperation across religions and beliefs, and advocating for more inclusive FoRB-related policies and practices. Particular attention is given to the meaningful participation and leadership of women, youth and religious minorities. Faith in Freedom takes an adaptive approach, with a strong focus on conflict sensitivity, learning, local ownership and evidence-based advocacy.
For the Faith in Freedom programme in Kenya
we are looking for qualified candidates for the position of
Network Coordinator Kenya
Starting date: October 1, 2026
In Kenya, 4-6 partner organisations will work together as a country network to implement the Faith in Freedom strategy and workplans. The Network Coordinator facilitates this collaboration and helps partners bring together their complementary strengths. The coordinator supports country-level planning, reporting, learning and advocacy processes and helps maintain strong collaboration between partners and relevant external stakeholders.
Based in Kenya, the Network Coordinator serves as an important link between the Kenya partner network and the wider Faith in Freedom programme. The coordinator represents Mensen met een Missie at country level while representing the interests of all partners equally and promoting an inclusive, gender- and faith-sensitive way of working.
The coordinator will be contracted by Mensen met een Missie.
Tasks and Responsibilities
- Coordinate and facilitate the Kenya Faith in Freedom partner network and strengthen collaboration, trust and shared ownership among partners.
- Support implementation of the Kenya strategy across the intrafaith, interfaith and extrafaith pathways, helping partners contextualise approaches to Kenya’s FoRB context.
- Promote the meaningful participation and leadership of women, youth, religious minorities and other marginalised groups.
- Promote conflict-sensitive, power-aware and Do No Harm approaches and help partners respond to changing risks and tensions.
- When requested, provide strategic advice and accompaniment of the individual partners.
- Serve as the bridge between Kenya and the team in The Netherlands: signal relevant changes and opportunities in the context and among partners, communicating back and forth, translating the overall programme framework to local realities and vice versa.
- Coordinate the Kenya advocacy agenda and connect partner priorities and community experiences to relevant local and national stakeholders, drawing on technical support from the Mensen met een Missie team where needed.
- Maintain strategic relationships with relevant stakeholders, including government institutions, religious bodies, civil society networks and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Programme coordination, learning and advocacy
- Coordinate annual planning, reflection and country reporting processes, bringing together partner inputs in collaboration with the Mensen met een Missie’s programme management and PMEL teams.
- Follow up on partner reporting and support consolidation of the country’s overall narrative reports; the coordinator is not expected to write all reporting independently.
- Work with the PMEL team to coordinate monitoring, evaluation and learning processes, including baseline, mid-term and endline activities where relevant.
- Create opportunities for partners to reflect on progress, context changes, risks and learning, and support follow-up on agreed adaptations.
- Organise linking and learning events, peer exchange and cross-country learning opportunities.
- Identify capacity-strengthening needs with partners and organise appropriate technical assistance, training, accompaniment or peer learning.
- Coordinate logistics for visits and missions, including arranging appointments, travel and accommodation, and coordinating security assessments and other practical arrangements.
Safeguarding, inclusion and accountability
- Promote gender equality, inclusion, local ownership and mutual accountability throughout the programme.
- Ensure partners are familiar with relevant SEAH, safeguarding, integrity and risk-management policies and procedures.
- Signal and report suspected misconduct, fraud, safeguarding incidents or other integrity concerns through the appropriate channels.
Organisational position
The Network Coordinator is a Kenyan citizen, based in Kenya and works closely with the Kenya partner network, the Faith in Freedom Programme Manager and PMEL team, regional and international Lobby & Advocacy (L&A) colleagues, and network coordinators in other FiF countries. Technical expertise in PMEL, advocacy, FoRB and other areas is available from the wider Mensen met een Missie team.
Required Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge
- Relevant academic background and professional experience in international development, human rights, peacebuilding, governance or a related field.
- Good understanding of FoRB and of Kenya’s religious, social and political context, with willingness to further develop thematic expertise.
- Experience working with religious actors, faith-based organisations and/or diverse civil society actors, with sensitivity to religious diversity and inclusion.
- Experience coordinating partner networks, multi-stakeholder processes or consortium programmes, with strong facilitation and relationship-building skills.
- Experience with programme coordination, planning and reporting, monitoring, evaluation, learning processes and familiarity with advocacy.
- Commitment to gender equality, inclusion, conflict sensitivity, Do No Harm and safeguarding.
- Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills, with an ability to turn complex issues into practical actions.
- Excellent written and verbal English; knowledge of relevant Kenyan language(s) is an asset.
- Kenyan citizenship and ability and willingness to travel regularly to programme locations within the country.
- Proactive, collaborative and reflective working style, and confidence using Office 365 and online collaboration tools.
Our offer
- An inspiring and challenging position and assignment within an enthusiastic and motivated partner network.
- A competitive country-specific salary.
- Opportunities for personal development and training.
- Essential supplies (laptop, internet subscription, etc) to set-up your own workplace.
How to apply
Interested?
Send your application letter (in English) together with your CV to sollicitatie@mensenmeteenmissie.nl by September 8, 2026.
Please clearly mention the job title you are applying for in the subject line of your email.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
For more information about this position, please contact Christina Maasdam via email at christinamaasdam@mensenmeteenmissie.nl.
Mensen met een Missie is an organisation where diversity and inclusion are paramount, and everyone feels welcome and valued. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or age.