What It’s Really Like to Attend a NEMA Job Interview (My Experience & Lessons)

As a seasoned professional already employed by the Government of Kenya, I wasn’t desperately job hunting.

But when I stumbled upon a job advert from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on a popular job board, something clicked. Some of the roles aligned perfectly with my skills, experience, and education.

I verified the job advert’s authenticity by checking NEMA careers portal, which lists vacancies under their careers section. This step is crucial, as fake ads are rampant in Kenya’s job market.

In this article, I’ll share my firsthand experience from NEMA job interview. If you’re eyeing roles in NEMA or government transitions, this could save you time and frustration.

What Is NEMA in Kenya? A Quick Overview

Before diving into my story, let’s address a common question: What exactly is NEMA?

The National Environment Management Authority is Kenya’s principal agency for overseeing environmental activities. Established under Section 7 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) No. 8 of 1999, NEMA coordinates sustainable environmental management across the country.

NEMA’s objectives include supervising all environmental matters and implementing government policies on sustainability. From handling Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) to issuing permits and monitoring air quality, NEMA plays a critical role in protecting Kenya’s ecosystems.

According to the Green Climate Fund, NEMA serves as a national entity focused on climate resilience and environmental coordination—making it an attractive employer for those passionate about green initiatives.

How I Applied For The NEMA Jobs Kenya

Unlike my previous experiences on the Public Service Commission (PSC) portal, where applications sat in “PROCESSING” status for months or years—before outcomes like “NOT SUCCESSFUL” or “ADVERT CANCELLED”, I decided to approach this opportunity differently.

I did not apply randomly.

I carefully reviewed each advertised role—skills required, implied competencies, academic and professional qualifications, and salary structures. After this scrutiny, I applied for two roles that genuinely matched my background.

To understand each position clearly, I wrote down the requirements on paper and assessed myself against them. This process alone filtered out uncertainty and improved focus.

The Application Process: Simple but Serious

Updating my resume was straightforward. I used a free resume builder (Resume.com) to make quick updates. I did not obsess over ATS optimization—yet the resume worked.

Because I keep soft copies of my academic and professional documents, creating my profile on the NEMA recruitment portal was efficient. I completed all sections: personal details, education, experience, professional memberships (at that I had none), and referees. Both applications were submitted successfully.

What Are Some of The Professional Memberships Recognized By NEMA Kenya?

The professional memberships recognized by NEMA include:

• Computer Society of Kenya (CSK)
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK)
• Environmental Institute of Kenya (EIK)
• Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPA)
• Institute of Certified Public Secretaries (ICPS)
• Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM)
• Institute of Internal Auditors of Kenya (IIAK)
• Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK)
• Kenya Institute of Management (KIM)
• Law Society of Kenya (LSK)

You will need to select the professional membership from a dropdown list in the NEMA recruitment portal.

How Long Did it Take Before Shortlisting?

About four months later, I received an interview invitation for one role. Later that same evening, another invite arrived—for the second role, scheduled on a different day but at the same Nairobi venue.

How I Prepared For The NEMA Job Interview (and What I Later Realized)

My preparation focused on:

• Reading NEMA’s website materials
• Understanding EMCA, EIA/SEA processes, and institutional functions
• Watching interview preparation videos
• Rehearsing common behavioral questions such as:
  • “Tell us about yourself”
  • “What are your strengths?”
  • “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

At the time, this felt sufficient. In retrospect, it was incomplete.

What is it Really Like to Attend a NEMA Job Interview?

I arrived 30 minutes early. The venue was busy—candidates for multiple positions were present. Most people were silent, some reviewing notebooks, others scrolling on their phones.

What struck me was the scale.

When we assembled, the hall held 60–70 candidates. This was unlike any interview I had previously attended. At the ODPP, for example, only 12 candidates had been interviewed for an administrative role (but two positions)—through a panel.

This felt different.

What Surprised Me at The NEMA Job Interview

Instead of an oral panel interview, we were issued question papers.

It was a written exam. Apparently, NEMA uses written exam for first round of interviews, then proceed to oral interview for those who qualify.

There were 50 structured questions, not multiple choice. The questions were heavily grounded in environmental science, legislation, and NEMA-specific mandates—EMCA, EIA, ozone regulations, and related frameworks.

I think this format strongly favored candidates already working within NEMA or closely aligned institutions.

Fortunately, my prior reading helped. But the experience was a wake-up call.

If you are preparing only for behavioral questions, you are preparing for the wrong interview.

The second interview followed a similar structure in terms of numbers, but the assessment format was different. This time, it was a multiple-choice exam, which felt more approachable—but still technically demanding.

The key lesson became clearer: each role is assessed differently, and preparation must be role-specific.

After the Interview: Silence

No feedback came.

This, too, is part of the job hunting reality. Silence does not always mean failure. It often reflects long internal processes, approvals, or systemic delays. The worst case scenario which is common— ‘NOT SUCCESSFUL’ and this is what happened to me— I guess.

What You Should Know Before Attending a NEMA Job Interview

If you are planning to apply or attend a NEMA job interview, here are the most important lessons from my experience:

1. Expect written exams (for initial screening) before proceeding to oral interviews (if successful in round one)
2. Study NEMA deeply, not generic interview questions
3. Understand the technical mandate of the role
4. Behavioral questions are secondary but mandatory to prepare
5. Insiders may have an advantage, but preparation still matters
6. Silence after interviews is common—do not take it personally

Final Thought

Public sector interviews in Kenya are not about how well you speak—they are about how well you understand the institution, its mandate, and its technical environment.

If you are serious about transitioning into institutions like NEMA, stop rehearsing answers and start researching systems.

That is where the real interview begins.

FAQs About NEMA Job Interview

Written by an experienced public servant committed to helping others prepare effectively for job interviews—and succeed.

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