Community Engagement and Communication Officer

Background Information - Job-specific

Background Information – UNOPS Hub in Amman

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects on behalf of UN agencies and bilateral donors and in close coordination with the Government and national authorities. With an established presence across the region (Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon), the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development, and technical management, and provides financial, human resources, and infrastructure-related services. The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules, and regulations of UNOPS, in order to support the response to the current needs and national priorities in the region.

UNOPS has been active in Lebanon since 2015, delivering projects in support of the Government of Lebanon and partners. Since the explosion at the Beirut Port on 4 August 2020, UNOPS has significantly scaled up its presence in the country to support the humanitarian response and both its presence and portfolio have undergone expansion.

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

UNOPS is committed to achieving a fully diverse workforce.

Background Information - Project Specific

UNOPS is undertaking a project that aims at improving access to critical municipal services and increasing the resilience of the Beirut and Bourj Hammoud municipalities which were affected by the Beirut Port explosion, through the rehabilitation of damaged municipal infrastructure and assets as well as restoration of critical urban services, such as water and sanitation, roads, waste management, and energy, including renewable energy, in an integrated and gender-sensitive manner, contributing to improved quality of life as well as by creating local economic activities for all. Besides the improved public service delivery, the project entails undertaking accompanying tension-mitigation measures, extensive community engagement activities, and grants support to local CSO/NGOs that aims at reducing tensions in the targeted communities, enhancing community resilience, and helping rebuild the trust in the local authorities.

The project has a duration of 48 months (including 12 months for the Defect Notification Period), and will be implemented in coordination with the governmental, municipal, and relevant community stakeholders in Lebanon, to ensure that projects activities are designed in consultation with relevant governmental authorities and to reflect community needs.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM), the Community Engagement and Communication Officer is responsible for performing the following duties:

Community Engagement and Outreach:

Assist the PM in drafting and maintaining a community engagement strategy and implementation plan; ensure that participatory methods are used to include the community in planning and design;

Identify potential beneficiaries; generate a profile of the beneficiaries, both individual and group profiles;

Maintain awareness among the communities and stakeholders on project goals, activities, GRM, Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) etc through various activities in liaison with the Project Manager and other stakeholders.

Liaise and work with beneficiaries, community representatives, local and regional authorities, and other project staff to ensure accountability and best use of resources;

Project Implementation Support, Coordination, and Communication:

Develop the gender sensitive communication plan and the stakeholder engagement plan with the support of the PM.

Support the PM in maintaining regular and effective communication and coordination with the project stakeholders;

In coordination with the PM, periodically document project milestones through photos, stories, testimonials, and other communication material;

Monitor the progress of the government work to obtain the necessary approval and clearances; ensure that both the UNOPS works and government works achieve streamlined progress through timely communication and follow-up;

Maintain a systematic and timely collection of agreed project data and its accurate analysis to inform project decision-making.

Provide support to the Monitoring and Reporting Officer in compilation of the project’s beneficiary database as well through conducting household assessments.

Monitoring and Progress Controls:

Number of community engagement/ field visits conducted;

Number of community engagement activities undertaken and implemented

Number of project reports/ communication documents drafted;

Number of stakeholder coordination meetings conducted and attended.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Management, International Development, Social Sciences, or related field is required.

Advanced university degree (Master degree or equivalent) in the above-mentioned t, or related field is desired and may substitute some of the required years of experience.

Work Experience

A minimum of 2 years of experience (or less depending on academic credentials) of relevant work experience in a community engagement role, including at least one year in supporting project community engagement and outreach activities is required.

Experience in community engagement including conducting focus group discussions and undertaking field visits within a project context is required.

Knowledge of UN policies, procedures, and operations is an asset, and experience of working in the UN/ International Organization is desired.

Experience in working with the G-Suite platform including, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides is desired

Language

Full domain of English and Arabic is required.

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

This position is open for the nationals of the country only

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.

For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.