The Ugandan Jobline

 

 Job Title:    Community Engagement Officer

Organisation: Target
Malaria

Duty Station:  Entebbe,
Uganda

 

About US:

The Uganda Virus
Research Institute (UVRI) is a leading health research institution in Uganda,
based in Entebbe. Amongst other projects, it is a member of the Target Malaria
consortium. Target Malaria is a non-for-profit research consortium that wants
to contribute to saving millions of lives from malaria. It includes African,
European and North American scientists with a focus on the most
malaria-affected countries – currently working in Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana and
Uganda. The consortium includes a diversity of researchers – molecular
biologists, medical entomologists, population geneticists, protein engineers,
social sciences researchers as well as risk, regulatory and stakeholder
engagement experts. Our teams are researching approaches that can reduce the
numbers of mosquitoes that spread malaria, which would help complement existing
control methods. Our research is at an early stage, and while results so far
have been promising, there is still a long way to go. By reducing the
population of the malaria mosquito, we aim to combat transmission of the
disease. The control method would be a long-term, sustainable, and
cost-effective solution to prevent malaria. This project started a decade ago
with a funding from the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative and is now
receiving funding through a program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

Job Summary:  Target Malaria Uganda is seeking a Community
Engagement Officer to join its team. Stakeholder engagement is one of the three
pillars of this project, together with regulatory affairs and scientific
research. This position will be responsible for planning, coordinating,
organising, controlling and budgeting for various stakeholder engagement
activities. The Community engagement officer will be responsible for
formulation of field work tools, procedures and policies for stakeholder
engagement and implementing engagement plans and strategies This position will
be responsible for ensuring provision of adequate information on project to
stakeholders. He/she will ensure consultation of stakeholders before
implementation of activities, communication of key messages and provision of
adequate project information to specific stakeholder groups and target audiences
in a suitable language. In addition, the officer will develop and maintain a
positive working relationship between the team and various stakeholders. This
position will identify, manage and control risks related to stakeholder
acceptance of the project. The Community engagement officer will participate in
community mobilisation and consortium activities related to stakeholder
engagement. A deep commitment to the mission of developing and sharing new,
cost-effective and sustainable genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and
reduce malaria transmission is required.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  This role will facilitate dialogue between
the stakeholders and the project, promotion of trust and confidence between the
communities and the project in following aspects

·       
Ensure
adequate information for community level stakeholders on project activities
(whether current or future)

·       
Ensure
appropriate consultation of community stakeholders before the implementation of
activities and feedback concerns, suggestions to the project for them to be
considered;

·       
Ensure
that the community level dialog is inclusive by mapping key stakeholders;

·       
Plan,
coordinate, organise, document and report on various stakeholder engagement
activities

·       
Provide
support function to field entomology team, provide adequate information to
stakeholders, seek consent and acceptance for project work from communities

·       
Develop,
consult and maintain positive working relationship between the team and various
stakeholders, provide feedback to both the project and stakeholders

·       
Support
the implementation of the grievance mechanism at community level.

·       
As such,
the Community engagement officer is responsible for successful implementation
of engagement activities, seeking consent and acceptance for the project at
field sites.

Strategy activities

·       
Participate
in the formulation and the implementation of a stakeholder engagement strategy
at community level in Uganda;

·       
Participate
in the formulation of tools, procedures and policies for stakeholder engagement
and documentation of activities,

·       
Participate
in the consortium activities related to stakeholder engagement

·       
Take
part in the risk management of this project for issues related to stakeholders’
acceptance of the project,

Reporting
activities

·       
Participate
in the monitoring and evaluation of the engagement and stakeholders acceptance
level for the project,

·       
Provide
activity report and support the update of tools allowing a follow-up and
reporting on engagement activities at community level;

·       
Report
regularly to the Stakeholder Engagement Manager

 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
ideal candidate must hold a Postgraduate qualification in Social Sciences (or
similar), or an equivalent combination of relevant knowledge, extensive
training and/or experience

·       
Experience
in planning, organising and implementing stakeholder engagement activities
Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills with a positive
and supportive attitude;

·       
Ability
to communicate with stakeholders in local languages

·       
Ability
to work collaboratively and productively in a team, with colleagues, external
consultants, and multiple stakeholders.

·       
Ability
and willingness to travel to field sites within Uganda

 

NB: This Vacancy is
open to Nationals of Uganda.

 

How to Apply:

All applications
must be in English and include a Curriculum Vitae, a cover letter explaining
why this position is attractive and why your profile fits, and three
references. Interested candidates should submit their applications in a sealed
envelope marked: “Community Engagement Officer-Target Malaria” to:

 

The Director,

Uganda Virus
Research Institute

P.O. Box 49 Entebbe.
Uganda Email to: targetmalariajobs@uvri.go.ug OR: hand-deliver to his office at
Plot 51-59, Nakiwogo Road, Entebbe.

 

Deadline: 8^th January 2021 

 

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