Community Mobilisation and Engagement Officer

Job Description

• Link Community Development

Link Community Development is an international NGO delivering innovative programmes to promote access to education in marginalised, rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1992, we’ve worked in over 3,000 schools and improved the lives of over 1.7 million learners and their families. Our priority is developing interventions for long-term systematic change and improvements that communities can sustain, therefore a large focus of our activity is capacity building with governments, communities and schools. Link has been working in Malawi since 2006.

• The National Reading Programme

The National Reading Programme (NRP) is a five year, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Activity designed to assist the Government of Malawi’s efforts to improve reading skills of Malawian students in Standards 1-4 nationwide. NRP’s goals include 1) improved reading instruction for primary grade reading outcomes in Standards 1-4; 2) increased parental and community engagement in supporting student reading; 3) safer learning environments for reading created; 4) pathways for sustainability instituted.

Link is responsible for delivering Component 2, community mobilisation and engagement, which has the following specific objectives:

1. Increased number of parents and communities implementing evidence-based interventions to improve student reading, and
2. Increased number of parents and community members advocating for appropriate evidence-based interventions to improve student reading.

The Community Mobilisation and Engagement (CME) Specialist leads Component 2.

• Role of the Community Mobilisation and Engagement Officer

The CME Officer provides support to the CME Specialist to enable the effective delivery of Component 2.

Specific duties include:

1. Providing budgeting and financial management support for Component 2 activities.
2. Supporting the CME Specialist to manage Division Community Mobilisation and Safe Spaces Officers, including developing and delivering on monthly work plans for Component 2.
3. Coordinating all written documents, reports and presentations on behalf of Component 2 to ensure they are clear, concise and professionally presented (spelling and grammar check, logos, layout); coordinating and incorporating feedback from multiple stakeholders.
4. Providing administrative and technical support to the CME Specialist for meetings, workshops and research.
5. Undertaking any research, writing and communications tasks to support the Component 2 work plan as directed by the CME Specialist.
6. Coordinating the written monthly report and plan for Component 2 activities to the COP/DCOP; communicating any changes in a timely manner and securing the necessary approval for changes.
7. Providing weekly updates on Component 2 activities to the Link Community Development Malawi Programme Director and Link Community Development International Programme Manager.

The role will be primarily based in the NRP office in Lilongwe. Some travel within Malawi may be required occasionally.

• Reporting

The CME Coordinator reports to the CME Specialist.

• Length of contact

Full time, immediate start, 1 year initial contract, renewable annually until 2020.

• Person Specification

Required:

1. Strong knowledge and understanding of education and community engagement in Africa (particularly Malawi).
2. Strong budgeting and financial management experience.
3. Proven track record of coordinating complex, multi-district projects.
4. Capacity development experience.
5. Excellent written and spoken English.
6. Experience working on large, multi-partner projects.
7. Excellent interpersonal skills and experience working in a multicultural environment.
8. Competence with Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
9. Ability to self-manage a demanding workload.
10. Demonstrable ability to complete work to a high standard.

Preferred:

1. Fluent Chichewa

• Application process

Interested candidates should submit a CV and covering letter detailing how they meet the required criteria in the person specification, and their available start date.

About the Organization

Founded in 1989, Link Community Development (Link) envisages a world where every child in sub-Saharan Africa has access to a quality basic education. In over 25 years, Link has helped nearly 2 million students in over 3,000 schools in Malawi, Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda to access a better quality education. Link works directly with government staff, district education officers, communities and schools by providing support and training for more effective teaching, improved school management and increased community engagement.