Kenya Maritime Authority Announces Nationwide Recruitment Drive for 45 Vacancies Across Multiple Departments
MOMBASA, Kenya – May 27, 2025 – The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has officially announced a comprehensive recruitment campaign aimed at filling 45 vacant positions across its departments. In a public notice dated Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the authority unveiled a wide range of job opportunities, appealing to qualified professionals and support personnel to apply for roles spanning technical, legal, administrative, and managerial disciplines.
The recruitment campaign reflects KMA’s continued commitment to enhancing its regulatory and operational capacity in line with its mandate under the Kenya Maritime Authority Act of 2006, the Merchant Shipping Act of 2009, and applicable international maritime conventions.
Diverse Job Openings Across Levels
The advertisement lists 20 different job designations, totaling 45 posts for general recruitment. Key positions include:
- Senior Maritime Transport Logistics Training Officer – 1 post
- Senior Ports & Shipping Services Officer – 1 post
- Senior Administration Officer – 1 post
- Legal Officers in Board Services, Legal Services, and Maritime Governance – 3 posts
- Surveyors in Seafarers Training Standards (Nautical and Engineering) – 2 posts
- Search and Rescue Officer – 6 posts
- Marine Environment Protection Officer – 1 post
- Driver – 5 posts
- Deckhand – 6 posts
- Office Assistant – 2 posts
Additional roles include ICT Assistant, Licensing and Seaborne Trade Officer, Maritime Labour Officer, Office Administrator, Supply Chain Management Assistant, Legal Clerk, and Merchant Shipping Fees Officer.
Each position has been assigned a specific reference number, which applicants must indicate in their cover letters.
Senior-Level and Specialized Vacancies
In a concurrent announcement, KMA also published a call for applications to fill 12 high-level and specialized roles, intended to boost the institution’s leadership and strategic departments.
These senior positions include:
- Director, Maritime, Education, Training and Labour – 1 post
- Assistant Directors for Training and Certification (Nautical) and Registration of Ships, Inspections and Survey – 2 posts
- Principal Surveyors in multiple specializations, including Nautical, Engineering, Maritime Security, and Search and Rescue – 7 posts
- Principal Maritime Labour Officer – 1 post
- Port State Control Officer – 1 post
- Principal Accountant and Principal Finance Officer – 2 posts
All positions across both advertisements are based in Mombasa, at the KMA Towers along Mbaraki Road.
Application Guidelines and Deadline
Applicants are required to submit the following documents:
- A detailed curriculum vitae
- Copies of relevant academic and professional certificates and transcripts
- Copy of National Identity Card or Passport
- Testimonials and any other supporting documents
Submissions can be made in one of three ways:
- Hard Copy: Sent to the Director General or the Chairman of the Board (depending on the level of the position applied for)
- Email in PDF Format:
- For general positions: director-generaljobs-2@kma.go.ke
- For senior-level positions: chairmanjobs-1@kma.go.ke
- Postal Mail:
- To the Director General for general vacancies:
Kenya Maritime Authority, KMA Towers along Mbaraki Road (next to the Little Theatre), P.O. Box 95076 – 80104, Mombasa - To the Chairman, Board of Directors for senior roles:
Same address as above
- To the Director General for general vacancies:
The deadline for receiving all applications is 5:00 PM on Monday, June 16, 2025.
Eligibility and Compliance Requirements
To be eligible, applicants must meet all listed qualifications and submit complete documentation. Failure to attach any stipulated documents will result in automatic disqualification.
Successful candidates will be required to present valid compliance certificates from the following institutions:
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
- Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
- A registered Credit Reference Bureau (CRB)
- Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) – Certificate of Good Conduct
Additionally, all hires must adhere to the ethical standards outlined in Chapter VI of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, which addresses leadership and integrity.
Commitment to Equal Opportunity
KMA has reiterated its policy as an equal opportunity employer, encouraging applications from women, persons with disabilities, and all other qualified individuals.
According to the Authority, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. It emphasized the importance of proper documentation and compliance with submission guidelines to avoid disqualification.
Strategic Significance of the Recruitment Drive
This mass recruitment initiative underscores KMA’s efforts to strengthen Kenya’s maritime governance, safety, environmental protection, and logistical efficiency, especially at a time when the Blue Economy is being emphasized as a pillar of national development.
The inclusion of technical roles such as Marine Environment Protection Officer and Surveyors in seafarers training indicates the agency’s ongoing alignment with global maritime standards, including International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations.
Moreover, the expanded leadership structure—evidenced by new director and assistant director roles—signals a drive toward institutional restructuring and capacity building for improved service delivery and international compliance.
What Comes Next
With the recruitment drive underway, industry observers expect the Kenya Maritime Authority to improve operational responsiveness in key areas such as maritime safety, port operations oversight, and seafarer welfare.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the official KMA website for additional details on job descriptions, eligibility criteria, and reference codes.
As the June 16 application deadline approaches, qualified professionals are advised to prepare their submissions early to ensure compliance with all outlined requirements.
At the same time, KMA also advertised more senior-level positions within management and specialized technical departments.
The advertised senior roles include Director, Maritime, Education, Training and Labour (1 post), Assistant Director, Training and Certification (Nautical) (1 post), Assistant Director, Registration of Ships, Inspections and Survey (1 post), and Port State Control Officer (1 post).
Finance and accounting-related positions are Principal Accountant (1 post) and Principal Finance Officer (1 post).
Specialized surveyor roles include Principal Surveyor, Seafarers Training and Standards (Nautical) (1 post), Principal Surveyor, Seafarers Training and Standards (Engineering) (1 post), Principal Maritime Labour Officer (1 post), Principal Ship Surveyor (2 posts), Principal Surveyor, Search and Rescue (1 post), and Principal Surveyor, Maritime Security (1 post).
As with the first advertisement, applicants must indicate the position and reference number on their cover letter and attach all required documentation.
Applications can be submitted by hard copy addressed to the Chairman of the Board, Kenya Maritime Authority; by email in PDF format sent to chairmanjobs-1@kma.go.ke or by postal mail sent to Chairman, Board of Directors, Kenya Maritime Authority, KMA Towers along Mbaraki Road (next to the Little Theatre), P.O. Box 95076 – 80104, Mombasa.
All applications must be received by the Authority on or before 5PM on Monday, June 16, 2025.
While only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, submission of all required documents is mandatory to avoid disqualification.
Successful candidates will be required to submit valid compliance certificates from the Kenya Revenue Authority, a registered Credit Reference Bureau, Higher Education Loans Board, and a certificate of good conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Additionally, successful candidates must adhere to the provisions on leadership and integrity as enshrined in Chapter VI of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
The authority has encouraged any qualified individual, including persons with disabilities and women to apply.
For further inquiries, visit the Kenya Maritime Authority headquarters at KMA Towers, Mombasa, or consult the official recruitment section at www.kma.go.ke.
Also Read: How Isuzu and CFAO Captured 80% of Kenya’s New Vehicle Sales Market
Kenya Maritime Authority Announces Nationwide Recruitment Drive for 45 Vacancies Across Multiple Departments