Enthusiastic Communicator with history of articulating business strategies via issue-oriented campaigns. Skilled in strategic communication development for owned, earned and shared media, creatively looking to reach and engage priority stakeholders for cohesion and issue support.
Hi, I’m
Waithera Kuria
Corporate Communication
Nairobi ,6506
Summary
Overview
14
years of professional experience
5
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Telkom Kenya Nairobi
Senior External Communications Lead
02.2018 - Current
Job overview
- Grown Telkom's strategic narrative from mobile service provision into technology via proactive press office, growing consumer appreciation and brand relevance as Kenya's most affordable data network.
- Coordinating goal oriented communications through unit-news drivers (Enterprise, Financial Services and Mobile), growing distinct spokespeople to drive thought leadership, consistently enhancing Telkom's reputation.
- Trusted advisor to senior management on short and long term opportunities, appreciating corporate priorities, industry perspectives and resonating with priority audiences.
- Built on collaboration and consensus building for consumer appreciation of policy impact on mobile service access. Engaging press and independent opinion shapers to articulate the need for market correction through regulatory remedy.
- Engineered robust Public Affairs initiative, using covert content and placement in the foiled Telkom-Airtel Kenya merger, marred by editorial gags and political interference, securing an annual MPI in the upper percentile.
Dimension Data E.ANairobi
Communications Officer
04.2014 - 01.2018
Job overview
- Conceived and executed integrated communications, aligned to sector interest for via narrow-cast communications, unifying two distinct brand messages for a consistent story and relevance.
- Ideated compelling narratives, collaborating with functional heads to break down complex technology information for planned visibility on earned and paid media.
- Developed proactive message boards, influencing strategically for media buy-in as editorial, thought leadership and persona profiling, building the perception of a solutions provider driven of Kenyan expertise.
- Initiated a credible internal communication culture where all business units fed into the annual plan, growing cohesion and employee participation,amplifying brand coherence.
Hill + Knowlton Strategies Nairobi
Account Manager
06.2013 - 03.2014
Job overview
- Managed three concurrent campaigns for Communications Authority of Kenya; a rebrand, first consumer engagement campaign and digital migration. Developing consumer understanding of regulator's role in ICT and broadcast service access, enhancing the need for open channels of interface offline and online. This birthed a consumer complaints email, social media presence and Kikao kikuu forums.
- Developed and executed strategic communications, advising on media placement opportunities as per client business priorities in Finance and ICT, achieving a YoY PR Value estimate in the 75th Percentile;
- Analyzed and monitored Industry news, for insight driven proactive and reactive planning, enhancing team appreciation of client business environment, hence strategic and informed advisory.
IMG Kenya Nairobi
Client Service Manager
06.2012 - 04.2013
Job overview
- Enhanced client service support for 5 retainer clients through coaching and shadowing, growing team capabilities in writing, content management, curation and placement.
- Built collaboration and consensus between agency leadership and marketing teams, by developing tactical marketing and Public Relations playbooks for message consistency.
- Supervised a PR team of 6, drawing insights to guide performance, boost creativity and define training needs, retaining the PR retainer portfolio during my stay.
Save The Children - UK Nairobi
Communications Coordinator
09.2011 - 05.2012
Job overview
- Analyzed interventions for three programmes, creating fundraising material to showcase impact and offering advisory to the programme quality team, country office and global campaigns team on strategic communications.
- Expanded the role scope, integrating communication into programme work by infusing story-telling in funding proposals, reports and reviews.Earning Kenya accolades from the global team for captivating fundraising content.
Ogilvy East Africa Nairobi
Account Executive
01.2008 - 09.2011
Job overview
- Developed understanding of communication development, planning and agency processes, proposing new ways of engagement to meet client publicity needs.
- Proactively managed and twice delivered on Hewlett Packard's (HP) CSR mandate, integrating ICT with education despite tennis star Serena William's iconic status as brand ambassador, earning Ksh.53Million in PR Value.
- Executed media engagement plans on business and social spots of programming as Press Office, thematic roundtables and facility tours for the finance+ICT practice.
Education
Strathmore University Nairobi
from Financial Journalism - Bloomberg Media Initiative
04.2016 - 09.2016
University Overview
Daystar University Nairobi, Kenya
Bachelor of Arts from Communications - Public Relations
08.2003 - 06.2008
University Overview
Skills
External & stakeholder communications
Communications development & management
Strategic planning
Communications counselling
Collaborative & consensus Building
Editorial proficiency
Timeline
Senior External Communications Lead
Telkom Kenya
02.2018 - Current
Strathmore University
from Financial Journalism - Bloomberg Media Initiative
04.2016 - 09.2016
Communications Officer
Dimension Data E.A
04.2014 - 01.2018
Account Manager
Hill + Knowlton Strategies
06.2013 - 03.2014
Client Service Manager
IMG Kenya
06.2012 - 04.2013
Communications Coordinator
Save The Children - UK
09.2011 - 05.2012
Account Executive
Ogilvy East Africa
01.2008 - 09.2011
Daystar University
Bachelor of Arts from Communications - Public Relations
08.2003 - 06.2008