Community Engagement Officer 154 views0 applications

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organization committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.

We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

In Mozambique, we are working to eradicate early marriage and early pregnancy through projects that focus on adolescent girls in Inhambane, Sofala and Nampula. These projects are programmed along our three strategic pillars: Girl Education, SRHR, and YEE. Our work is gender transformative and includes influencing work at national and sub-regional level.

ROLE PURPOSE
The Community Engagement Officer will be responsible for implementing the Project’s Community Engagement Strategy, to ensure understanding and practice of community engagement is embedded in all project activities.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE
Research, develop and implement a range of innovative and effective techniques to engage communities in project’s advocacy work and processes, including support staff and community members to ensure effective community engagement in Project’s activities.

ACCOUNTABILITIES (BUT NOT LIMITED TO)
•    Design and implement Project’s Community Engagement Strategy
•    Develop, regularly review and update community engagement procedures and tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of project’s community engagement in Mogovolas
•    Ensure Project’s Community Engagement framework is adopted and enacted across projects, including Sponsorship
•     Build and maintain productive internal relationships and use internal/community networks to ensure best practice community engagement practices
•    Deliver staff training for community engagement processes and techniques
•    Ensure relevant communities are consulted at the appropriate time in a project and receive follow up information on the decision-making process and outcome
•    Design and implement a variety of innovative engagement techniques and research methods which facilitate the capture of varying community views and which encourage community engagement
•    Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
To maximize overall project impact and optimize contribution of others, the post holder will be required to initiate, develop and maintain a range of working relationships externally with government counterparts, local relevant clusters, implementing partners and other development organizations and internally with Program Area Manager, Child Protection and Safeguarding Senior Manager, Gender and Influencing Specialist and MERL Specialist.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 
Essential
•    University degree or equivalent in Social work, Social Science, development studies or equivalent combination of relevant training and experience
•    Minimum 3 years work experience community engagement/community mobilisation
•    Proven capacity to design and implement Community Engagement activities with holistic approach and integrated to child protection right
•    Computer literate
Desirable
•    High level of personal integrity, commitment and professional responsibility with CP and GBV exigencies.
•    Excellent communication skills,
•    Team player with strong leadership skills
•    Mature personality with life experience is an advantage
•    Able to be a self-started and work in challenging contexts and fragile environment.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE
We are open and accountable
•    Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
•    Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
•    Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
•    Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
•    Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
•    Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
•    Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
•    Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
•    Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
•    Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
•    Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
•    Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
•    Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

•    Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
•    Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
•    Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
•    Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The position is based at Mogovolas. Hot weather is prevalent throughout the year with limited basic amenities. The incumbent will be required to travel to Nampula PA office and perform official responsibilities as required.
The incumbent shall reside in Mogovolas while executing official duties.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN
High interaction with adolescent children

Location: Mogovolas (in Nampula province).

Relocation not covered

Reporting: Project Coordinator

Contract: Fixed term contract

Salary: Competitive

Closing date: 17/01/2021

Expected Start date: 01 March 2021

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Child Protection Policy. 

As an international child-centered community development organisation, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children’s rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. 

Plan International operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all areas of the international community.