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Community Development Officer (national position)

Bratislava

  • Organization: DRC - Danish Refugee Council
  • Location: Bratislava
  • Grade: Mid/Senior level - Mid/Senior - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Infrastructure and Urban-Rural development
  • Closing Date: Closed

 
Background 
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has worked in the South Caucasus since 1996 in addressing the displacement of approximately 900,000 IDPs in the region as a result of three main conflicts (in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh). Currently DRC works on the issues related to the displacement of 273,944 IDPs (as per the Georgian IDP Ministry’s statistics of December, 2016) in Georgia proper and in Abkhazia. The caseload consists of a complex mix of old and new IDPs in Georgia proper and returnees in Abkhazia. Recently, Syrians of Caucasian origin and Ukrainians in Abkhazia were added to the group targeted by DRC interventions. 
Currently DRC works through 4 offices in Georgia (including a main office in Tbilisi) in the following sectors: 
  • Livelihood and economic activities; 
  • Rehabilitation of community infrastructure;  
  • Capacity building of Government institutions at the central and municipal levels; 
  • Protection monitoring, advocacy and civil society development;
 
DRC’s donors are EU, NMFA, PRM and Danida.  
 
The successful applicant will play a key role in our efforts to support the protection of IDPs and other conflict-affected persons through projects focusing on empowering IDPs and their host communities, capacitating local NGO partners and relevant other non-state actors, and possibly liaising with central and municipal duty bearers to improve DRC overall response to promote durable solutions for IDPs in Georgia. 
The successful applicant is expected to have an in-depth understanding of and extensive work experience on IDP and vulnerable population issues in cooperation with non-state and state actors including national and regional NGOs, CBOs and communities. 
 
Project Description 
In the framework of the project funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Improved access to education and social rights for Georgian-speaking returnees in Abkhazia and IDPs in West Georgia” DRC intends to implement multifaceted actions in the pre-school and education sector and to promote community empowerment to effectively protect human rights and child rights in Abkhazia and to improve access to social services for IDPs in Georgia Proper. 
 
Duty Station  
Zugdidi (with extensive travel throughout the Samegrelo and Imereti regions) 
 
Reference 
The Community Development Officer reports to Head of Office (HoO) 
 
Duties and Responsibilities 
  • Conduct mapping of potential communities and local active CBOs included in on-going social development programs or interested to participate into local development matters; 
  • Work within the framework of the action plan to identify community members who seek involvement in developing neighbourhood/community projects; 
  • Mobilize and train the selected communities on the occasion of communities mobilization meetings and in-door training sessions as per DRC set modules; 
  • Prepare/adjust a training program to local context, for all beneficiary groups from the target communities in accordance with Project’s objectives and implementation period; 
  • Contribute to the development of Community Action Plans, Community-based project proposals or any other participative events as agreed upon with local community leaders; 
  • Interact as focal point in front of local community and/or village leaders in a way to report any major concerns, identify problems and possibly find adequate solutions as per funding possibilities; 
  • Provide support for the procurement of equipment in favor of target social and cultural institutions in selected rural communities as per identified needs; 
  • Provide guidance and support to the HoO to implement and sustain any community development initiatives with DRC funding in selected communities; 
  • Coordinate the planning, implementation and monitoring of one integrated Grant Scheme at community level through Community Support Projects (CSP) whereby selected and trained Community Activists can access funding from DRC to run CSP in support of social development in target areas; 
  • Assist the Head of Office in the planning, implementation and final monitoring of community development Small-Scale Infrastructure Projects; This includes the monitoring of works to be done on premises under the supervision of the DRC Shelter/Housing & Small-Scale Infrastructure Unit as per signed Bill of Quantities (BoQs); 
  • Conduct regular field visits to implement and monitor component activities and in collecting monitoring data in accordance with the component monitoring and evaluation plan;  
  • Provide regular report on progress of project implementation;  
  • Perform other related work as required.  
 
Qualifications & Experience 
  • University degree in social, economic or other relevant field; 
  • At least three years proven experience working with community groups and organizations for development activities and understanding of community development models; 
  • Good facilitation skills and experience in community participatory approaches and community empowerment;  
  • Experience in working with government and non-governmental (NGOs and CBOs) institutions; 
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages; 
  • Experience in conducting the trainings to community or other target groups; 
  • English language skills is definite advantage; 
  • Valid driving licence; 
 
Skills & Qualities 
  • Good interpersonal skills; 
  • Time management skills; 
  • Excellent interpersonal and conceptual skills for promotion of community and social development;  
  • Reporting skills. 
 
Applicants interested in this position, and whose qualifications match the requirements are welcome to apply by clicking on the apply button no later than September 29, 2017.  
 
Please indicate at least two references with contact information.  
 
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.  
 
DRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.   
 
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk 
This vacancy is now closed.