Community Engagement Officer

Position Profile

DRC is committed to addressing conflict sensitivity and fostering peaceful coexistence in project areas through community engagement and peacebuilding initiatives. These efforts include mainstreaming conflict sensitivity into all of DRC’s activities, conducting community relations analyses to inform our programming, identifying opportunities to achieve peace dividends from our other sectoral programming, as well as specific interventions such as Community Safety Planning, Conflict Mediation training, and Youth Campaigns.

DRC seeks a dedicated Community Engagement Officer to implement its peacebuilding initiatives in Gedaref.  The Community Engagement Officer is instrumental in supporting and implementing initiatives aimed at promoting co-existence, reconciliation, and conflict resolution in various communities. The role involves close collaboration with local stakeholders, community leaders, and project partners to facilitate dialogue, build relationships, and create sustainable peace-building strategies. Key responsibilities include organizing activities, monitoring progress, and documenting impact to contribute to positive social change.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities:

The Community Engagement Officer will:

Project Implementation

• Collaborate with project stakeholders to develop and implement community choesion initiatives and activities in line with project objectives.
• Facilitate community dialogues, workshops, and training on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.
• Support the development and implementation of local peace-building strategies, considering the cultural and social context of the target communities.
• Provide guidance and support to local community leaders, civil society organizations, and volunteers engaged in peace-building activities.
• Monitor project progress, identify challenges, and propose adaptive measures to ensure effective implementation.

Community Engagement

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key community members, local leaders, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct regular field visits to project sites and engage directly with community members to understand their needs, perspectives, and concerns.
• Foster a sense of ownership and participation among community members by promoting inclusive decision-making processes.
• Organize and facilitate community meetings and forums to encourage open dialogue, conflict resolution, and mutual understanding.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Implement monitoring and evaluation activities to track the progress and impact of peace-building activities.
• Collect data to assess the effectiveness of interventions and identify areas for improvement.
• Prepare timely and accurate reports on project activities, outputs, and outcomes for internal and external stakeholders.
• Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices to contribute to knowledge sharing and organizational learning.
• Lead the reporting of community engagement and peacebuilding activities.
• Promote a culture of learning within the team by actively sharing challenges and lessons learned.

Technical Support and Capacity Building

• Ensure understanding and adoption of conflict sensitivity concepts and approaches across all DRC interventions in Gedaref
• Support the DRC team in Gedaref on conflict sensitivity analysis and decision-making processes.
• Develop tools, facilitate training/workshops, and provide technical support on programming decisions.

Context and Conflict Analysis

• Collect relevant data on drivers/triggers of conflict and community tensions in the area of operation.
• Participate in impact assessments of community engagements and peacebuilding initiatives.
• Provide guidance and recommendations on conflict sensitivity programming to DRC partners.
• Ensure that conflict assessments are updated and shared with relevant DRC staff.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

• At least 2 years of work experience in peacebuilding, conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity, conflict management, or another relevant field.
• Knowledge and understanding of the conflict context and dynamics in Gedaref
• Experience working with local authorities, communities, and civil society.
• Experience facilitating training, workshops, and dialogues.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, including an ability to analyze and present information clearly and concisely.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking.
• Ability to set priorities and to work independently and as part of a team.
• Political and cultural sensitivity, including the ability to adapt to different contexts and work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Affinity with working with displacement-affected populations
• Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• At least a Diploma in conflict management, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development studies, social sciences or other relevant fields, or relevant working experience
• Qualified females are strongly encouraged to apply.

LANGUAGES  

• Fluency in Arabic
• Ability to work in English