2023-11-15

Community Engagement and Inclusion Officer (Durable Solutions), Somalia

Baidoa, Somalia
Posted on November 15, 2023

Concern Worldwide

Community Engagement and Inclusion Officer (Durable Solutions), Somalia

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT – COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSION FIELD OFFICER (DURABLE SOLUTIONS)

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Job Title: Community Engagement and Inclusion Officer (Durable Solutions)

Reports to: Senior Field Coordinator, Durable solutions

Job location: The position will be based in Concern’s Baidoa office, Somalia with travel and time to support other locations like Hudur, Afgoye, Bardhere.

Contract period: One year and renewable depending on availability of funding and performance of the post-holder.

Direct reports: This position will closely work with key stakeholders in the project locations

Job Purpose:

Under the supervision of the Senior Field Coordinator, Durable Solutions the Community Engagement and Inclusion Officer will be responsible for planning, organising, supervising and carrying out Concern’s durable solutions community engagement initiatives also using Danwadaag DS programme’s neighbourhood based “derisnimo” approach in collaboration with other consortium members in the Southwest State of Somalia. He/she will ensure that the programme goals and objectives are accomplished in accordance with established priorities, strategies, timelines, and budgets. The person will be working closely with WaSH officer, project officer, livelihood officer and other related team members to ensure standard approaches to community engagement and inclusion are applied across the project. He/she will also produce all required reports and information on time and to a high standard.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership and Facilitation:

The incumbent will spearhead key community empowerment and related activities, such as:

Provide technical leadership in the DAC fora set up, maintenance, mentoring and support; and monitor their functionality – ensuring that the fora are inclusive and representative of their communities.
Leading community trainings and mentoring of community groups, including the Displacement Affected Communities (DAC) Forum on community-driven, participatory, and bottom-up approaches.
Facilitating community forums and discussions on community resources, needs, and gaps, community-driven solutions, and lessons learned.
Facilitating the development of community action planning processes, prioritization, implementation, and joint monitoring with various Durable Solutions (DS) stakeholders on the ground.
Work closely with WaSH officer, project officer, livelihood officer and other related team members to ensure standard approaches to community engagement and inclusion are applied across the project.
Ensure that our programme approaches put DACs at the centre of all initiatives, allowing them to make decisions about the services they need.
As part of the Danwadaag team, support the mobilization of community groups such as women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) as a way to foster wider social cohesion among DACs in the “derisnimo” focus areas.
Develop technical capacity and support for community structures through training and mentorship, to enable the DAC fora to develop community-led and community-owned action planning, and actively participate in its implementation and monitoring in the “derisnimo” focus areas.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to community leaders as Community Development Facilitators (CDF) in implementation of community led durable solutions initiatives in the project focus areas.

Program implementation and management.

In conjunction with partner organizations, develop a project implementation plan and report on implementation progress on community-led initiatives.
Lead inclusive stakeholder mapping process using the existing standard operating procedures under the “derisnimo” approach of the Danwadaag DS programme.
Mobilize and actively engage with diverse communities and area authorities to create a safe environment, identify priorities for inter-community agreements, development, and durable solutions, and create an inclusive forum to advocate for and build legal, physical, and material safety under the “derisnimo” (neighbourhood) approach of the Danwadaag DS programme.
Lead and support DAC forum initiatives to improve community physical, material and legal safety as part of the principles at the centre of durable solution processes.
Support leveraging and DAC forum milestones in line with the project proposal
Coordinate the utilization of the DAC forum platform for achievement of programme results and active participation of all relevant stakeholders.
Network with other Danwadaag DS consortium actors in the ‘derisnimo’ focus areas, and utilize the harmonized DAC forum as entry points for interventions that align all implementations with the prioritized needs in the community action plans for sustainable results.
Participate in the development of phased approaches that ensure programs achieve their results through community-driven, participatory, and bottom-up approaches, and particularly aligned with the ‘derisnimo’ approaches of the larger Danwadaag DS program.
Contribute to the development of programme including implementation plans, assessments, documentation of lessons, monitoring and evaluations together with the Senior M&E officer in Baidoa and entire programme team.
Identify and pursue opportunities for integration with other sectors within Concern and Danwadaag DS actors to achieve better complementarity through the derisnimo approach leading to desirable impacts.

Coordination

Liaise with local authorities and community structures’ representatives/focal points as needed to build better relations and collaboration for timely implementation, monitoring, and learning from lessons.
Foster linkages between the DAC forum and various DS stakeholders in the ‘derisnimo’ focus areas to facilitate active and inclusive community wide participation and planning of community-led initiatives.
Act as the technical focal point for all activities and outputs on community engagement and community levels.
Attend monthly and ad hoc meetings, and contribute and represent Concern at all related events and meetings.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:

Document lessons learned, case studies, and suggestions and support initiatives to improve the quality of the project.
Carry out or participate in rigorous monitoring of field activities against the project activity plan. Provide written briefs on all field visits conducted.
Conduct regular field visits to project sites and DAC forum sessions to monitor and ensure quality assurance.
Provide relevant data including success stories and lessons learnt for documentation and reporting.
Compilation of timely monthly and quarterly reports on community engagement processes, achievement, challenges and lessons.

Accountability

Ensure active community participation in project activities and continuous flow (two-way) of information between the Concern field staff, Partner organizations and target communities/beneficiaries.
Ensure that all cross-cutting issues, such as gender, disaster risk reduction, and the environment are well-mainstreamed into programme activities
Give feedback on programme quality issues and any complaints from beneficiaries to the field coordinator after field visits.

General

Participate in emergency interventions if/as required by management.
Carry out any other duties reasonably assigned by your line manager.

Other:

Any other tasks as may be reasonably assigned by line manager.
Be willing to play a role in any emergency response activities Concern may implement at request of line manager.

Concern’s Code of Conduct (CCoC) and its associated policies

Adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the (1) Programme Participant Protection Policy; (2) Child Safeguarding Policy; and (3) Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy

Skills and Qualifications

A bachelor’s Degree in Community Development, development studies, Social Sciences or any other relevant field with at least two (2) years’ experience or a Diploma in Community Development, Social sciences or any other relevant field with at least three (3) years’ experience in implementing community projects
A Trainer of Trainers in Community empowerment approaches
Have a working knowledge of Project Cycle Management
Strong written and oral communication skills
Be able to work independently, as well as in a team
Be willing to accept responsibility and to show good judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness.
Good knowledge of and skills in using participatory methodology and approaches.
Language: Excellent written and spoken English, fluent Somali. Excellent analytical skills.

ICT Skills: Strong computer skills at least on Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.

How to apply

How To Apply

Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should submit their applications (cover letter and updated CVs) by email to som.vacancies@concern.net with the subject line “Community Engagement and Inclusion Field Officer (Durable Solutions)” by Tuesday 27th November 2023.

ONLY shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the written test and interview.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer Clause

This job description is not exhaustive and may be revised by the line manager from time to time.

Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

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