The overall purpose of the Community Mobilizer Officer is to work closely with local communities, organizing awareness campaigns and facilitating capacity-building and social/occupation initiatives contributing to the community well-being. In the specific context of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) within humanitarian efforts, the Community Mobilizer Officer is to encourage active community engagement and participation in promoting hygiene practices, ensuring equitable access to clean water and sanitation facilities and improving overall public health.
Specific duties and responsibilities:
Establish strong relationships with refugee and local communities, understanding their needs, concerns and cultural dynamics to effectively advocate for improved and integrated social protection and WASH practices.
Understand and address the needs of the refugee and host communities applying the multi-faceted approach involving active engagement, communication and collaboration.
Organize and attend community meetings and forums where community members can voice their concerns, needs, and ideas, as a platform for direct interaction and dialogue.
Develop and distribute surveys or questionnaires to gather quantitative data about community needs.
Organize focus group discussions with diverse groups of community members to delve deeper into specific topics or issues.
Conduct individual interviews with community members (for in-depth insights into personal experiences and concerns), especially those who may be hesitant to share their thoughts in larger groups.
Ensure up-to-date understandings of service providers operating in the area based on available service mappings and coordination with stakeholders;
Carry out social protection services in compliance with best-practice and international standards in community-based protection response;
Provide training sessions for all WASH staff, including contractors and volunteers, to raise awareness about PSEA principles, the CoC, and importance of maintaining safe and respectful interactions with beneficiaries.
Maintain clear and effective communication with DRC protection team members for identification and referral of protection concerns (incl. addressing GBV in the context of WASH programs) within refugee and local community in Moldova.
Work actively on the community empowerment - with local leaders and community representatives to establish community-led initiatives for sustainable WASH solutions, allowing the community to take ownership of their WASH needs.
Organize and lead awareness campaigns and workshops that raise awareness about the importance of social and WASH practices, encouraging behavior change at the individual and community levels.
Contribute to the development and implementation of hygiene promotion campaigns that educate community members on proper handwashing, safe sanitation practices and waste management to prevent the spread of diseases.
Facilitate training sessions and workshops to enhance the knowledge and skills of community members on social protection and WASH-related topics, empowering them to actively manage and maintain available resources.
Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure equitable accessibility of clean water and safe sanitation facilities, particularly among vulnerable groups.
Collaborate with local community organizations, associations, NGOs to tap into their expertise and insights.
Maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including partner agencies, community leaders and service providers in Refugee Accommodation Centres (RAC) and other collective accommodations, as well as in host communities in Moldova.
Monitoring & reporting:
Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness and impact of community mobilization initiatives within the WASH and social protection program.
Implement monitoring mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of social protection and WASH interventions, collect data on hygiene practices, water quality, and sanitation facilities, and use this information to refine strategies for ongoing improvement.
Regularly conduct field visits to monitor the implementation of hygiene promotion activities, community engagement efforts, and access to clean water and sanitation facilities in RACs and local communities in Moldova.
Collect quantitative and qualitative data on behavior change, community participation, and utilization of WASH services, ensuring data accuracy and consistency.
Analyze collected data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities, and use findings to adjust strategies for improved outcomes.
Prepare timely and accurate reports on monitoring and evaluation activities, highlighting key achievements, challenges and recommended actions.
Participate in relevant capacity-building workshops, training sessions, and conferences to enhance skills and knowledge in community engagement, behavior change communication, and data collection.
Experience and technical competencies:
Minimum 2 years of proven experience in the delivery of community programs and interaction with vulnerable groups, including women and children;
Practical experience in supporting people from different ethnic, cultural sensitivity and vulnerability groups;
Understanding of basic psychosocial support concepts; previous training in these areas strongly preferred;
Ability to discuss sensitive issues with respect and empathy;
Ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients at all times;
Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility
Excellent skills in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Valid driving license, high level of professionalism evidence by clear driver’s record.
Education:
University degree in a relevant field such as Social Work, Sociology, Community Development, Public Health, International Relations, or a related discipline that can provide a solid foundation for understanding community dynamics, human behavior and development principles.
Languages:
Professional proficiency in English;
Professional proficiency in Romanian, Ukrainian or Russian (desirable).
