Community Engagement Officer

Position Location: Gaza, Palestine

Background

Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department. Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.  

Project Summary

Creative Associates seeks a Community Engagement Officer for the USAID-funded West Bank and Gaza (WBG) Basic Education Activity, which will strengthen education services for KG 1 through Grade 6 Palestinian children that enable them to thrive and reach their full developmental potential. Under the Basic Education Activity, USAID seeks to work with the private sector, non-formal, non-governmental, community-based, and civil society partners to strengthen early childhood and primary educational opportunities through high-quality early childhood education services and supplemental support structures to enhance foundational pre-primary and primary education for children in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Specific focus areas include strengthening foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, social-emotional learning (SEL)/soft skills, building teacher and student resilience capabilities and assets, and strengthening pathways between non-formal to formal education.

**Please note this is a local recruitment, and only citizens from Palestine will be considered**

Position Summary

The Community Engagement Officer will foster strong relationships between the Teacher Learning Spaces (TLS) communities, parents, caregivers, TLS teachers, and broader community members. He/she will organize and facilitate social cohesion events, promote parental engagement in education activities at TLS, and support the dissemination and utilization of resources such as the IDP Nurturing Care Guide and Parent Play Guide. The Community Engagement Officer will work closely with BEA's Gaza officers, PSS/SEL specialists, BEA partners, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of community engagement initiatives. Participate in the development and implementation of community engagement strategies, including awareness campaigns, workshops, and outreach activities, to promote the educational project and encourage active community engagement.

Reporting & Supervision: The Community Engagement officer will report to Gaza Lead.

Responsibilities

1. Facilitate Social Cohesion Events:

• Organize and facilitate community gatherings, including Community Circles, to promote dialogue, build support networks, and foster a sense of community among parents, caregivers, TLS teachers, and wider community members.
• Collaborate with BEA's Gaza officers, PSS/SEL Specialist, and program partner Juzoor's lead psychologist to plan and implement social cohesion events that address the specific needs and concerns of the TLS communities.
• Coordinate logistics for events, including venue selection, scheduling, and provision of refreshments and recreational activities.
• Ensure community members' active participation and engagement in social cohesion events.

2. Promote Parental Engagement in Education Activities:

• Work closely with TLS teachers to develop strategies for effectively communicating with parents and encouraging their participation in education and play activities.
• Organize community meetings to discuss the importance of parental engagement in supporting children's social-emotional learning (SEL) and overall well-being.
• Disseminate educational materials, like Yalla Nalab Parent Play Guide and IDP Nurturing Care Guide, to parents and caregivers and guide how to incorporate these resources into daily interactions with children.

3. Support Resource Dissemination and Utilization:

• Collaborate with other BEA staff and departments to distribute relevant resources to parents, caregivers, and TLS teachers.
• Provide training and support to community members on effectively utilizing resources to support children's healthy, holistic development during displacement.
• Collect feedback from community members on the usefulness and effectiveness of distributed resources and communicate findings to relevant stakeholders for continuous improvement.

4. Monitoring and Reporting:

• Monitor community engagement activities and events, including attendance and participation levels.
• Prepare regular progress reports documenting achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Provide inputs for project evaluations and contribute to developing case studies and success stories highlighting the impact of community engagement initiatives.

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Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in social sciences, community development, education, or a related field is required; a master's degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in community mobilization, participatory development, or related areas, preferably in post-conflict or fragile contexts
• Proven experience in community engagement, facilitation, and event coordination, particularly in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Knowledge of child development, early childhood education, and trauma-informed approaches preferred.
• Commitment to promoting the rights and well-being of children and families affected by displacement.
• Understanding of conducting community projects in post-disaster or post-conflict settings.
• Strong understanding of local cultural norms, power dynamics, and socio-political contexts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with diverse communities.
• Ability to respond rapidly to urgent education needs in recovering communities.
• Skill fostering collaboration among diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic groups.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to develop relations with technical staff, local counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Minimum two (2) years of work experience in Gaza.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Fluency in Arabic and working proficiency in English.

Please submit your CV and Cover Letter indicating the position title in the subject line to: [email protected] The deadline for receiving the applications is Saturday 30 March 2024 by 4:00 pm (Ramallah Time).

Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls, please.

Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran.