WPE Community Engagement Officer at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

JOB OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

IRC provide lifesaving integrated protection services to vulnerable individuals including women and girls, focusing on the sub-sectors: Prevention of and Response to Gender Based Violence; The intervention will focus on addressing GBV risks that have been exacerbated by displacement. IRC and E2R partners will ensure vulnerable women and girls, including PWD are provided survivor-centered case management services and are referred to specialized services based on individual needs. GBV preventive measures will be employed through awareness creation and conducting safety audits to identify and mitigate risks for vulnerable women and girls. Community mobilization strategies will be used as an effective tool for GBV prevention and to enhance ownership and sustainability of intervention among the affected persons and communities. The intervention will assist in the form of cash incentives to community volunteers who will provide group psychosocial support and community mobilization activities to the affected population, as well as in-kind assistance to community-based mechanisms.

Scope of Work/ Job overview

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious human rights and public health issue affecting women and girls around the world. It impacts all aspects of women and girl’s physical, emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It has harmful consequences for the individuals who experience it, their families, and communities. The Community Engagement Officer will be based in Mubi, Adamawa state and with support from the WPE program managers, he\she will work in coordination with the prevention and response teams to design strategies using EMAP and SASA Together! modules to prevent gender-based violence as well as takes lead in engaging community leaders, community based structures and partners through trainings and awareness raising sessions that are geared towards GBV prevention and response. This position will have 80% travel in intervention sites and coordinate with other IRC sectors including the M&E, actors to conduct assessments (baseline and end line) and share reports that will be used to inform program design and quality. 20% of the time will focus on activities planning, strategies design and development and quality report.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Community Engagement Officer assists the Program Manager in developing and sustaining a GBV community mobilization strategy that will allow members of the community to reflect on the GBV issues affecting their community and guide them in their effort to prevent GBV.  
• Work with community mobilization assistants and capacity building assistants to design key sensitization messages using the SASA Together! community sensitization guide.
• The Community Engagement Officer access training needs and works with the Program Manager to plan and implement trainings accordingly.
• Do regular field visits to assist capacity building assistants and community mobilization assistants in community mobilization using EMAP and SASA Together! modules.
• Ensure key stakeholders such as police, judiciary, heads of schools, heads of health institutions, community leaders, local groups including women and adolescent girls’ groups, community volunteers and the ministry of women and social development are engaged for trainings and community sensitizations. 
• With support from Program Manager, take the lead in the commemoration of international events: international women’s day, 16 days of activism and international day of the girl child and submit a comprehensive evidence-based report.
• Ensure the formation of women, and adolescent girls’ groups (WAG, EMAP, EASE, AG, SASA Together!) and develop guidelines for the formation of these groups and their roles with reference to the Nigeria context.
• In coordination with the other WPE officers, assist in assessment and surveys including PDM, Safety Audits, knowledge checking etc. and provide update to improve program quality.
• The Community Engagement Officer also helps to establish collaborative relationships with collaborating partners including subsector working group, local authorities: Ministry of women Affairs and Social Development, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of health to strengthen GBV prevention and response through a coordinated referral pathway

Staff Support

• Visit operational sites to monitor the progress of GBV activities.
• Supervise and support capacity building assistants and Community mobilization Assistants to deliver quality programming.
• Ensure field staff receive all necessary materials needed for training and awareness activities.
• Monitor mobilization messages and other activities to ensure field staff maintain a consistent message that follows the GBV mobilization strategy and use a variety of mobilization tools in their work with the communities.
• Encourage staff to be creative and innovative when developing and implementing their mobilization strategies.  
• Encourage staff to maximize the impact of the program by working closely with and utilizing the services of partner organizations, local authorities, ministries, and IRC program sectors in the area.
• In collaboration with the WPE Program Manager, organize quarterly on the job training to build WPE staff capacity in areas identified for support.

Partner Collaboration

• Liaise with community leaders, government agencies, IRC program sectors and other appropriate agencies to ensure that the program is meeting their needs.
• Attend GBV sub-sector working groups meetings in field bases and encourage working group members to be active advocates on GBV issues affecting the state.
• Ensure that sub-sector working groups properly assess and prioritize needs and resources before taking deliberate action.   
• In coordination with WPE Managers and prevention team, assess training needs of sub-sector working groups members and plan appropriate training.
• Ensure field staff are working closely with community leaders, government agencies, IRC program sectors, women’s groups, and other agencies in their operational area.
• Design, implement and evaluate quality GBV awareness raising sessions and training in a systematic and consistent manner by establishing GBV training procedures

Administrative Responsibilities

• Coordinate, monitor and closely supervise the capacity building and community mobilization activities in Adamawa State maintaining standardized trainings and a consistent message.
• Compile and summarize monthly statistics and narrative on community mobilization activities and training reports from the field and submit an overall weekly and monthly reports to WPE Program Managers in Adamawa.
• Ensure that all work is done in accordance with established protocols and within ethical guidelines.

Financial Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit all financial documents including supporting documents of conducted activities in a timely manner.

Planning and Coordination

• Meet with capacity building assistant, community mobilization assistant, case management officer and psychosocial support officer on a weekly basis to coordinate activities and work schedules.
• Communicate with the Program Manager on program progress, constraints, and identified needs. 
• Assist Program Manager in designing a GBV Training Strategy and IEC materials.
• Liaise closely with other IRC sectors for additional training to benefit IRC staff and community members in consultation with the Program Manager
• In collaboration with M&E, plan and implement surveys and needs assessments as required.

Qualifications

• University degree in Social Work, Political Science, or a related field.
• 3 years’ experience implementing GBV prevention programming including experience in emergency or post-conflict project management.
• Demonstrated experience in implementation GBV primary prevention activities like EMAP, SASA Together! And Advocacy.
• Excellent communication skills, cultural sensitivity, flexibility, ability to improvise, team player.
• Experience in using community based and participatory approaches.
• Experience in community mobilization and awareness creation.
• Experience in working in remote and hard to reach areas with limited amenities.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and other languages desirable. 
• Knowledge of the local language will be an added value.

Functional Skills

• Ability to use computer/Other Tech Requirements like commcare, kobo collect.
• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to live and productively work under stress and in insecure and harsh environments while maintaining a sense of humor.