WPE Community Engagement Officer at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: WPE Community Engagement Officer

Location: MMC/Jerre, Borno (X1)

Scope of Work

• 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 as a whole.
• The Community Engagement Officer will be based in Maiduguri, Borno 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 modules to prevent gender-based violence as well as takes lead in engaging community leaders, community based structures and local partners through trainings and awareness raising sessions that are gear towards GBV prevention and response.
• This position will have 70% 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. 30% of time will focus on activities planning, strategies design and development and quality report

Key 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 community sensitization guide.
• The Community Engagement Officer access training needs and work with Program Managers to plan and implement trainings accordingly
• Do regular field visit to assist capacity building assistants and community mobilization assistants in community mobilization using EMAP and SASA 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 Managers, take lead in the commemoration 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, men and adolescent girls groups (WAG, EMAP, EASE, AG, SASA) 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 trainings 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 Managers, organize quarterly trainings 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 trainings
• 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 Borno State maintaining standardized trainings and a consistent messages.
• 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 Borno.
• 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 Managers on program progress, constraints, and identified needs.
• Assist Program Managers in designing a GBV Training Strategy
• Liaise closely with other IRC sectors for additional training to benefit IRC staff and community members in consultation with the Program Managers
• In collaboration with M&E, plan and implement surveys and needs assessments as required.

Work Environment

• Security level orange. The situation in Maiduguri, Borno remains unpredictable; there is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

Benefits

• Competitive Monthly salary,
• 13th Month Salary Inclusive,
• Health Insurance Coverage for Family, Pension, Creche Facilities available for Women with babies under 24 Months.

Application Closing Date
17th January, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
• IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.