Open to opportunities

Thandiwe Makena

@thandiwemakena

Youth engagement specialist and digital campaign strategist delivering measurable impact for brands and young people in Kenya.

Kenya

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a role where I can blend youth engagement with integrated digital and offline campaigns—using clear strategy, strong stakeholder management, and reporting to deliver measurable outcomes and real momentum for people and brands.

I’m a Youth Engagement Specialist with a Degree in International Relations and a Diploma in Journalism (Distinction) from Riara University. I work at the intersection of people and impact, leading large-scale initiatives and building partnerships across institutions nationwide to move young people forward.

In my current role, I led the Employability Support stage of the Gen Kazi Program, overseeing career readiness and development for youth aged 18–35, and I exceeded the target by engaging over 100,000 recorded young people across Kenya. I design and deliver end-to-end programs—training modules adopted by institutions, webinars, career clinics, and data-driven stage operations—while collaborating with marketing to grow awareness and participation. Previously, as an Account & Digital Campaign Lead at Express DDB (Full Service Agency), I planned and delivered 30+ integrated campaigns, improved engagement by 43% on average, and maintained 100% compliance with OEM and CFAO brand guidelines—bringing a hands-on, detail-focused, measurable-results approach to every campaign.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Youth Engagement Associate

Current

BrighterMonday Kenya

Apr 2025 - Present (1 year 3 months)

Led the Employability Support stage of the Gen Kazi Program, designing and delivering career readiness initiatives for youth aged 18–35. Managed webinars and career clinics, built nationwide partnerships, and exceeded the 80,000 target by engaging over 100,000 youth.

Youth Engagement Program Management Career Readiness CV Reviews Digital Engagement Strategy Partnership Management Data Management Record keeping Curriculum Development Event Planning Performance Monitoring

Current

Organization & Communications Consultant

Current

Emma's Knoll Logistics

Jan 2020 - Present (6 years 6 months)

Developed monthly content and activity calendars aligned to business goals and supported event coverage. Implemented feedback and reporting processes and designed operational workflows using Excel, Google Sheets, and Airtable to improve tracking and coordination.

Content Planning Activity Calendar Development Event Coverage Oversight Google Sheets Airtable Team Coordination Data Tracking Excel

Current

Digital Campaign Strategist (Volunteer)

Current

Kipepeo Green Heritage

Jan 2018 - Present (8 years 6 months)

Led environmental initiatives, including planting 300+ trees, and managed awareness-driven digital content. Wrote grant proposals and supported youth data-collection and outreach programs in partnership with Red Cross.

Tree Planting Awareness Content Grant writing Outreach Community Engagement

Account & Digital Campaign Lead

Express DDB

Sep 2023 - Sep 2025 (2 years)

Planned and delivered 30+ integrated campaigns across Meta, LinkedIn, and X for CFAO Mobility (Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz), Avenue Healthcare, and KCC. Drove engagement growth and lead generation, ensured OEM/brand compliance, oversaw digital creative for multiple formats, and compiled monthly performance reporting.

Integrated Marketing Campaigns Digital Campaign Management LinkedIn Lead Generation Brand Governance OEM Creative Oversight Digital Ad Management Event Branding Reporting Performance Optimization Content Planning

Digital Marketing Specialist

African Rally Championship, Kenya

Apr 2021 - Apr 2022 (1 year)

Managed WRC Kenya digital platforms during the African Rally Championship and executed online campaigns. Drove event awareness, attendance, and sponsor visibility.

Digital Platform Management Event Marketing

Marketing Specialist

Laikiana Hospitality Solutions

Jan 2021 - Apr 2021 (3 months)

Led marketing for a culinary school, hotel, and bar, supporting brand awareness, guest acquisition, and event attendance. Coordinated events end-to-end, including logistics, promotion, and execution.

Brand Awareness Guest Acquisition Event Marketing Event Planning Event Logistics Promotion Management

Digital Marketing & PR Specialist

Mianzi Designs

Nov 2019 - Mar 2020 (4 months)

Established and managed the brand’s digital presence to improve visibility and consistency. Conducted market and competitor research to inform pricing and positioning, and supported production oversight for bamboo tiling quality and delivery timelines.

Digital Marketing Market Research Competitor Research Pricing Positioning Quality Control Public Relations

Corporate Communications Intern

National Construction Authority (NCA)

Dec 2017 - May 2019 (1 year 5 months)

Designed and edited visual content for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and web platforms. Increased Instagram following by 200%, supported planning of ICORCE 2018 across PR/branding/advertising/VIP protocol, and handled event photography for reporting and marketing.

Corporate Communications Visual Content Design Social Media Content Creation VIP Protocol Event Photography Reporting Web Content Editing