Evonia Arina

Resource mobilization, partnerships and program management professional with 12+ years of experience building and stewarding multi-stakeholder ecosystems across UN platforms, government, private sector, civil society and agricultural development networks. Proven track record mobilizing over KES 480 million in partnership, sponsorship and donor value, and managing engagement across a network of 300+ institutional stakeholders, including direct oversight of 100+ actively onboarded organizations. Experienced in designing inclusive engagement systems, capacity-building programs and resource mobilization strategies that convert mission into measurable, funded impact – with deep grounding in agriculture, ESG/sustainability, and responsible business practice.

Partnerships & Sustainability Ecosystem Manager at UN Global Compact Network Kenya (2023-02 – Present)

Lead engagement strategy and relationship management across a national sustainability network of 300+ institutional participants advancing responsible business practices, inclusion and sustainable development. Official title: Participant Engagement Assistant Manager

• Strengthened engagement across 100+ member organizations by designing structured engagement systems, convenings and collaborative learning platforms aligned to sustainability and inclusion priorities.
• Increased sustained stakeholder participation by 40% through relationship stewardship, continuous engagement systems and network activation strategies.
• Improved engagement effectiveness by 62% through structured feedback systems, learning capture and stakeholder insight analysis translated into strategic recommendations.
• Coordinated capacity-building initiatives and training programs covering human rights, labour standards, sustainability reporting, climate action and responsible business conduct, including Communication on Progress trainings, executive roundtables and onboarding workshops.
• Mobilized 20+ strategic institutional partnerships across finance, manufacturing, agriculture and technology sectors.
• Facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogue on climate action, disability inclusion and local capital mobilization, and supported engagement initiatives aligned with the Women's Empowerment Principles.
• Manage stakeholder pipelines and engagement performance using Salesforce CRM.

Partnerships & Commercial Growth Lead at Agricultural Society of Kenya (2020-02 – 2023-01)

Official title: Membership, Trade & Marketing Officer

• Coordinated stakeholder engagement platforms reaching 500,000+ participants annually through exhibitions, regional convenings and public participation platforms.
• Generated over KES 23 million in sponsorship funding and KES 238 million in exhibition revenue through structured partnership development and stakeholder engagement.
• Increased membership retention by 42% through stakeholder value creation and relationship management strategies.
• Facilitated collaboration across government institutions, private sector actors, youth groups, educational institutions and community-based organizations, and supported initiatives increasing participation of women, youth and smallholder farmers.

Acting Branch Manager at Agricultural Society of Kenya (2018-12 – 2020-01)

• Directed branch operations and led planning and execution of the Mombasa International Show, a flagship annual event with 67,000+ attendees.
• Managed and mentored 60+ event coordinators and volunteers, improving team efficiency by 25%.
• Achieved a 30% increase in female and youth participation through targeted engagement strategies and secured local government and private-sector partnerships that generated 6% revenue growth.

Trade & Marketing Officer, then Marketing & Communications Assistant at Agricultural Society of Kenya (2014-03 – 2018-11)

• Coordinated large-scale trade events and partnership development across 3 regional branches, managing logistics and stakeholder engagement for 500,000+ attendees annually.
• Generated KES 10 million in sponsorship revenue and KES 2 million in exhibition fees during the 64th World Ploughing Contest through strategic proposal development.
• Delivered events on schedule and within budget, identifying cost-saving opportunities worth KES 3 million annually, and drove a 20% increase in event attendance through targeted marketing.
• Grew organizational social media following by 2,600%+ (362 to 9,815 followers) and coordinated post-event surveys to inform future engagement design.

Customer Relations Executive at Horizon Contact Centres (2013-01 – 2014-03)

• Managed customer engagement and stakeholder relationship management across multiple client portfolios, using performance analytics to improve service delivery.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategic Management – University of Nairobi

Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, Minor in Public Relations – Daystar University (2009-09 – 2013-06)