Community Mobilization Associate

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Based in Addis Ababa, the Horn of Africa Multi-Country Office (HAMCO) delivers project management, procurement, and infrastructure services across Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan, with a primary focus on health, agriculture, and economic development. Established in 2009, HAMCO partners with governments and development stakeholders to implement impactful, results-driven initiatives that contribute to sustainable development. Since 2024, new projects have been aimed at expanding access to healthcare, education, energy, and livelihoods, particularly in underserved and conflict-affected regions. HAMCO also provides human resource management services, supporting the effective implementation of development initiatives. Key efforts include equipping research facilities, strengthening education and health systems, building vaccine research capacity, and enhancing resilience in communities affected by crisis. Through these interventions, HAMCO contributes to inclusive growth, regional stability, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Horn of Africa.

The Community Engagement Associate will contribute to the interventions of Community-based rapid response and recovery activities to meet the basic needs of selected communities and recovery of local infrastructure and services of the damaged facilities in Tigray that resulted from the recent conflict. The facilities concern mainly the sectors of health, education and wash such as schools, health centers and water supply facilities. S/he will support the UNOPS expertise within the United Nations Regional Team and assist in identifying actual priorities concerning the recovery plan of local infrastructures based on the discussions with the communities and the relevant stakeholders.

The Community Engagement Associate will support the Senior Community Mobilizer in implementing participatory, community-based approaches to rehabilitation projects, ensuring effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and accountability in the use of resources

1. Community Engagement and Mobilization

• Introduce the project to government authorities and local community members, including women and vulnerable groups.
• Support the systematic application of participatory, community, rights based, and gender responsive approaches throughout the phases of the design and the operations related to the rehabilitation.
• Assist the design team in the provision of the required information such as the site conditions, the availability of construction materials, the estimated unit costs, and any relevant information to the design.
• Support the project manager in updating the Stakeholders engagement strategy.
• Assist in identifying and engaging potential beneficiaries, both women and men; generate a profile of the beneficiaries, both individual and group profiles, including women’s groups, and develop a database of all the beneficiaries.

2. Project Monitoring and Coordination

• Support in the monitoring and coordination activities of the progress of the government works concerning the rehabilitations works.; ensure that both the UNOPS works and government works achieve the streamlined progress through timely communication and follow-up.
• Participate and support in creating awareness among both women and men in the communities on project goals through various activities, tailored to the needs and schedules of both women and men, in liaison with the Project Manager and other stakeholders.
• Support in the hiring process of junior engineers and interns at the ‘Kebelle” levels in order to constitute the intervention team.

3. Communication and Reporting

• Sensitize community members, both women and men, about the project; empower them through team approach by organizing project-related activities.
• Liaise and work with female and male beneficiaries and community representatives as well as 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, effective and gender-sensitive communication materials are maintained within the project, the MCO in Addis Ababa, donors and partners.
• In liaison with the Project Coordinator, periodically document project milestones through photos, stories, testimonials, and other communication material.
• Undertake any other duty as may be directed by the Coordination and Liaison Specialist.

Required

• High School Diploma or equivalent OR

• A Bachelor Degree or equivalent in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering field Business Administration, Economics, Management, Economics, Social Sciences, or related field with 1 year of experience 

Required

• At least six (6) years’ of relevant experience in community engagement and activities with a high school diploma.

• At least one  (1) years of relevant experience in community engagement and activities with a Bachelor Degree or equivalent. 

Desired

• Experience of working in community engagement in post conflict areas is desired.

• Experience in rehabilitation community engagement in post conflict areas.

• Familiarity with Tigray region is desired.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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.

• 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. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.