Community Engagement and Accountability Officer at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Job purpose

The position holder will serve as the cluster Officer on defining strategies and approaches as well as supporting National Societies with identifying priority CEA needs and enhancing CEA efforts to more effectively and efficiently deliver operations response and support long term programming.

Job duties and responsibilities

Strategy development and capacity building

· Ensure harmonisation of CEA interventions within sectoral programmes to improve mainstreaming of existing best practices.

· Roll out CEA trainings with staff and volunteers engaged in the operations, providing them with the skills and knowledge to launch and manage CEA tools and approaches within existing sectorial activities

· Support the rolling out and adaptation of CEA Movement tools, methodologies and activities, as defined in the CEA Movement guide and toolkit, to support operations interventions

· Provide guidance on the setting up and management of an appropriate mix of communication channels, suitable to the local context and cultural practices, and ensure field teams have the support and technical skills required to roll out risk communications efforts and promote healthy and safe behaviours.

· Support operations teams to increase levels of engagement and accountability to people and communities, through the establishment of appropriate feedback mechanisms and training frontline staff/volunteers to improve their participation and complaints handling skills and ensure that community feedback loops are closed.

· Prioritise and champion the voices of women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, to ensure they have equal access to information channels and feedback mechanisms particular to their needs, and taking into account any specific protection issues.

· Support evidence-based learning by assessing and monitoring levels of community engagement through research, impact surveys, perceptions studies and case studies.

· Work closely with operations teams to seek opportunities for mainstreaming CEA data into existing Information Management systems and platforms to inform decision-making processes at strategic and operational level.

· Support National Societies to develop and/or scale up a systematic and appropriate approach to engaging with affected people and communities within the Africa food crisis operation.

Technology and innovation

· Work closely with the operations team and key external stakeholders to drive and advocate the roll out of appropriate technology and innovation for CEA (with a focus on the use of existing platforms and messaging systems).

Coordination, representation and reporting

· Work closely with the IFRC CEA Regional Advisor for Africa to ensure there is consistency and sustainability between CEA in emergencies and CEA in long term programming within the region

· Support CEA coordination efforts within the Movement partners

· Create and nurture partnerships, particularly with the government and corporate sector, to allow scaling up of regional Red Cross CEA activities.

· Identify and create opportunities to build internal and external partnership networks to support the development of community engagement approaches in National Societies programmes and operations.

· Support positioning and visibility of Red Cross and Red Crescent CEA achievements and share data with the wider humanitarian network to inform and influence the overall response.

Position Requirements

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master's) in Communication or Social/Behavioural Sciences (i.e. Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology or Health Education) or relevant experience is required.

  Experience

• Five years’ experience in community engagement approaches, beneficiary communication, risk communication or social mobilisation activities with at least 3 years in developing countries.

• Experience in setting up and managing media, communication and engagement tools such as social media, radio, TV, SMS, cinema/drama and community feedback mechanisms.

• Proven experience in strategic communication processes for behaviour change in emergencies.

• Solid experience in delivering community engagement and accountability capacity building efforts with local organizations, with focus on accountability tools and feedback mechanisms

• Knowledge about community engagement interventions under emergency situations, in complex and delicate situations

• Technical knowledge of quantitative, qualitative and participatory research methodologies and analysis

• Experience working with Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies

  Knowledge and Skills

• Good understanding of - or training in - current developments in the field of communication with communities, behavioural and social sciences, community engagement and accountability planning and processes, community media; also strategic communication planning, behaviour analysis, formative research and evaluation of communication interventions.

• Good understanding of disaster management issues

• Ability to negotiate with varying partners and develop relationships with key stakeholders and partners

• Advanced analytical skills and able to capture learning and use it to make improvements in programming

• Highly motivated, self-starter able to lead a process, engage others and create ownership.

• Team player, self-motivated and proactive on own initiative to set and achieve goals

• Planning and Programme Management and Monitoring

• Ability to negotiate and establish partnerships with varying partners and develop relationships with key communications providers

• Ability to multi task, work under pressure and advanced analytical skills

• Advanced analytical skills and able to capture learning and use it to make improvements in programming

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills

  Languages

• Fluently spoken and written English

• Good command of French

  Competencies (to be filled in by HR)

• Professionalism

• Communications

• Collaboration and teamwork

• National Society and customer relations

• Building alliances

• Accountability

• Creativity and innovation