Communications Associate-Community Engagement (Roster)

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Community Engagement Associate is responsible for performing the following duties:

• Introduce the project to government authorities and local communities.
• Design Community Engagement strategy and implementation plan; ensure that participatory methods are used to include community in planning and design.
• Support the project manager in updating the Stakeholders engagement strategy.
• Identify and engage potential beneficiaries; generate a profile of the beneficiaries, both individual and group profiles and develop a database of all the beneficiaries.
• Monitor and coordinate the progress of the government works concerning the household connection to the water distribution networks; ensure that both the UNOPS works and government works achieve the streamlined progress through timely communication and follow-up.  
• Lead in creating awareness in the communities on project goals through various activities in liaison with the Project Manager and other stakeholders.
• Sensitize community about WASH; empower them through team approach by organizing project-related activities.
• Liaise and work with beneficiaries, community representatives, local and regional authorities and other project staff to ensure accountability and best use of resources.
• Ensure systematic and timely collection of agreed project data and its accurate analysis to inform project decision-making.
• Ensure regular and effective communication materials are maintained within the project, the Operational Hub in Amman, donors and partners.
• In liaison with the Project Manager, periodically document project milestones through photos, stories, testimonials, and other communication material.

Undertake any other duty as may be directed by the Project Manager

a. Education

• University degree at Bachelor level or equivalent, or accreditation from a reputable University in economics, social sciences, or related filed is required;

• PRINCE 2 foundation is desired.

b. Work Experience

• At least 5 years of working experience, including at least 3 years in fields related to community engagement and outreach is required. 
• Knowledge of UN policies, procedures and operations would be an asset.  

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including patience, diligence, diplomacy, willingness to listen and respect for colleagues
• Ability to liaise with members of local communities in a matured manner
• Previous experience in humanitarian setting
• Knowledge of the local context in terms of host communities
• Self-motivated with a demonstrable ability to work under high pressure
• Work experience in Port Sudan will be an added advantage

c. Language

• Fluency in both English and Arabic is required.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: LICA-6
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Under the supervision of the Project technical advisor and the project manager the community engagement officer is responsible for providing support in the various public involvement functions in Urban water in Port Sudan, which include the development of public involvement program, increase public awareness regarding water shortages, reach out to the group of people who are affected by the projects, organise and facilitate public consultation sessions, help the public understand how it can support the financial viability of RSWC and provide training to RSWC team on public involvement. 

The Port Sudan project team’s primary objective is to promote two-way communication between affected populations to:

1. Empower communities through public consultation sessions to ensure that the project causes “no-harm” to vulnerable  groups.
2. Help ensure efficient and effective coordination and buy in from local communities by collecting and circulating information about the urgent needs and priorities of affected populations
3. Support an environment of transparency and accountability by:

           a) Establishing an easy-to-access and safe mechanism through which affected        populations can lodge feedback and complaints

          b) Channeling feedback and complaints to r the project team to influence project design and shape adequate business model for water distribution 

UNOPS is seeking an Arabic-speaking Community Engagement Officer to strengthen field-level outreach to both affected populations and urban water for Sudan project team. The Community Engagement Officer will conduct community and partner outreach across Port Sudan through activities such as focus group discussions and trainings. Outreach activities will include a special focus on communicating with private water tankers as well as vulnerable members of the society, including women, children, the disabled and the elderly. This will lead to increasing the project support among beneficiaries, greater community feedback on the effectiveness of the water distribution system operation, and greater partner feedback on their ability to follow up on feedback. The primary objective of this position is to bolster Water providers accountability to affected populations in Port Sudan.

The position will be based in Port Sudan, with regular field visit to affected populations.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

Sudan

The FCDO Urban Water for Sudan (UW4S) programme is working to improve the health and nutrition, as well as to reduce the economic burden, for traditional residents as well as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in five state capitals in Sudan, including Port Sudan. 

The UW4S project seeks to improve the equity of water supply and complementary sanitation and hygiene behaviour change in a sustainable manner.  It focuses on holistic planning, provides basic infrastructure and helps state authorities build their ability to sustainably manage, operate and maintain their water services, with improved engagement with citizens. 

Under the first phase of the FCDO project, information of the Port Sudan water supply situation was gathered and analysed as inputs to the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The study resulted in the SIP and planning documents for 14 work packages under three stages; emergency rehabilitation and TA, priority rehabilitation and long term interventions.

Urban water for Port Sudan project

The project is based on the priorities identified in the SIP, specifically, SIP work packages 1 to 4 (emergency works and Phase 2 technical assistance). This project covers components of the Stage 1 Emergency works and part of the Stage 2 Priority works capacity building and technical assistance package. The project’s scope of work is aligned with the available DFID budget and takes account of work being funded from other sources or implemented by others such as the AfDB.

The FCDO UW4S programme- Port Sudan component objective is to support sustainable water provision in Part Sudan through strengthening the capacity of the Red Sea Water Corporation.