Community Engagement / Mobilizer Officer at Concern for Women and Children Development Foundation (COWACDI)

Roles/Responsibilities

• The Community Engagement Officer will lead inclusive, safe, and accountable community engagement processes to support the effective implementation of GBV, protection, and nutrition interventions. The role focuses on strengthening community ownership, meaningful participation of vulnerable groups, and two-way communication between communities and the project team, in line with humanitarian principles and safeguarding standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead community entry, engagement, and mobilization activities in project locations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, groups, and structures.
• Mobilize community members for programme activities, meetings, trainings, and campaigns.
• Ensure meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
• Support establishment and strengthening of community-based groups and committees.
• Facilitate community sensitization sessions in line with project objectives and SBCC approaches.
• Support integration of accountability, protection, and gender mainstreaming in community engagement activities.
• Document community feedback, concerns, and lessons learned, and share with the programme team.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with community leaders, traditional authorities, women and youth groups, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Mobilize community members for programme activities, meetings, trainings, awareness campaigns, and dialogues.
• Ensure meaningful, safe, and inclusive participation of women, girls, boys, youth, persons with disabilities, and other at-risk or marginalized groups.
• Support the establishment, strengthening, and functionality of community-based groups, committees, and referral structures.

Tasks:

• Conduct regular field visits to support and monitor community engagement activities.
• Organize and facilitate community meetings, dialogues, and sensitization sessions.
• Support beneficiary identification, registration, and verification processes.
• Support integration of gender equality, protection mainstreaming, GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, and accountability to affected populations (AAP) across all community engagement activities.
• Promote conflict-sensitive approaches and Do No Harm principles in all interactions with communities.
• Coordinate with local authorities, LGAs, and traditional leaders for smooth implementation.
• Support collection of community-level data and feedback for reporting and learning.

Other tasks:

• Perform any other related duties as assigned by the Programme Officer or Project Manager.
• Support conflict-sensitive approaches and do-no-harm principles in all community interactions.
• Assist in documenting success stories, case studies, and community engagement reports
• Support integration of gender equality, protection mainstreaming, GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, and accountability to affected populations (AAP) across all community engagement activities.
• Promote conflict-sensitive approaches and Do No Harm principles in all interactions with communities.

Desirable Skills

• Strong community mobilization and facilitation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Experience working with diverse and vulnerable communities.
• Good reporting and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and in challenging field environments.
• Fluency in English; Hausa and Kanuri are strong advantages.
• Strong commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and accountability to affected populations.
• Support integration of gender equality, protection mainstreaming, GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, and accountability to affected populations (AAP) across all community engagement activities.
• Promote conflict-sensitive approaches and Do No Harm principles in all interactions with communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Experience working in humanitarian or development programmes.
• Resident or willing to be based in Jere and MMC.
• Familiarity with community structures and COWACDI operational areas is an added advantage.
• Support integration of gender equality, protection mainstreaming, GBV risk mitigation, safeguarding, and accountability to affected populations (AAP) across all community engagement activities.
• Promote conflict-sensitive approaches and Do No Harm principles in all interactions with communities.

Educational Qualification & Experience Requirements

• Minimum of B.Sc./HND in Sociology, Community Development, Social Work, Development Studies, or related field.
• Graduate with at least one year of experience in community engagement or mobilization roles.
• Strong understanding of donor regulations.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and in multicultural settings.