The Community Engagement Coordinator leads the planning, coordination and implementation of Community Engagement (CE) activities across the three neighbourhoods, The position is responsible for coordinating the work of Community Engagement focal points across consortium partners, aligning location-level workplans, setting implementation priorities, monitoring delivery and ensuring consistent application of agreed methodologies and standards.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities:
- Lead the operational planning, coordination, implementation and follow-up of Community Engagement activities across the three locations, including the development and consolidation of detailed workplans, sequencing of activities, coordination of responsibilities and monitoring of agreed deadlines and deliverables..
- Plan and oversee community engagement processes across the three locations, ensuring that activities are coordinated, appropriately sequenced and adapted to changing community dynamics, operational constraints and project priorities.
- Provide operational direction to Community Engagement focal points and coordinate their respective workplans, priorities, deliverables and follow-up actions to ensure consistent and timely implementation across consortium partners and locations.
- Consolidate and manage the overall Community Engagement implementation plan, identify interdependencies and operational gaps across locations, and re-prioritise activities and focal-point assignments in response to changing needs, delays, risks and emerging opportunities.
- Support the establishment, strengthening and sustainability of community structures and participatory mechanisms, ensuring that they remain inclusive, representative and functional.
- Facilitate effective engagement and coordination with municipalities, local authorities, community representatives, civil society actors and other relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure that community feedback, concerns, recommendations and emerging dynamics are systematically documented, communicated and followed up through appropriate channels.
- Contribute to programme quality, learning and adaptive management by providing regular field-level analysis, recommendations and updates to relevant management and technical teams.
- Contribute to reporting, documentation, monitoring and learning related to Community Engagement activities and outcomes.
- Represent NRC and the Haretna Consortium in relevant coordination meetings and forums, as delegated by the line manager.
- Ensure compliance with and adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures, including relevant Community Engagement and Accountability standards, safeguarding requirements and Haretna Consortium procedures.
Specific responsibilities:
Community Engagement coordination
- Lead and manage the coordinated implementation of Community Engagement activities across all three locations, ensuring alignment between location-level plans, consortium commitments, project milestones and agreed technical standards.
- Develop and oversee location-specific plans for strengthening the functionality, inclusiveness, sustainability and transition of Neighbourhood Action Groups, and coordinate implementation by the relevant focal points and partners.
- Set priorities and allocate Community Engagement follow-up responsibilities among consortium focal points, monitor progress against agreed deliverables and address implementation gaps or delays.
Field presence and community follow-up.
- Maintain a minimum 60% field presence (one day/week in each neighborhood).
- Monitor implementation quality and maintain relationships with community stakeholders.
- Resolve operational Community Engagement issues within the authority of the position and escalate significant strategic, contractual, safeguarding or resource-related matters to the Consortium Management Unit.
Municipal coordination and representation
- Serve as the main liaison with municipalities and local authorities.
- Facilitate coordination meetings, approvals and municipal engagement.
- Strengthen collaboration between municipalities, NAGs and local actors.
Consortium coordination
- Lead the operational coordination of Community Engagement activities implemented by NRC, COSV, RDFL and TEC, including consolidation of partner workplans, alignment of priorities, monitoring of dependencies and follow-up on agreed deliverables.
- Establish and maintain harmonised Community Engagement approaches, accountability mechanisms, coordination tools and follow-up arrangements across consortium partners.
- Chair regular Community Engagement coordination meetings, assign and track action points, resolve operational coordination issues and escalate matters requiring Consortium Management Unit decisions.
- Analyse consolidated field information and community feedback and recommend or implement adjustments to Community Engagement plans, sequencing and operational approaches within the parameters of the approved project framework.
Reporting and documentation
- Prepare reports, trackers, minutes and donor inputs.
- Maintain complete documentation of CE activities and follow-up actions.
- Perform other duties assigned by the line manager.
Scale and scope of the position:
The position coordinates Community Engagement activities across three locations and four consortium partners, provides matrix coordination to focal points, and monitors workplans, deliverables and follow-up. It has no dedicated budget but contributes to activity planning and resource prioritisation.
Critical interfaces:
Work closely with the CMU, NRC CE & Accountability team, consortium partners, NAGs, municipalities, community representatives, and NRC programme, M&E, communications and support teams.
Generic professional competencies:
- Minimum 3 years' experience in community engagement, coordination or accountability.
- Relevant university degree.
- Experience with communities, municipalities and participatory processes.
- Strong coordination, communication and organizational skills.
- Fluency in Arabic and English; Microsoft Office proficiency; willingness to travel.
Context related skills, knowledge and experience
- Knowledge of the Lebanese context and Haretna target areas is preferred.
- Experience with municipalities, community groups and consortium projects.
- Understanding of participatory, conflict-sensitive and community-centred approaches.
Behavioural competencies:
Planning and delivering results; Working with people; Communication with impact and respect; Handling insecure environments; Analysing; Coping with change.
Important operational requirement
This position is highly operational and field based. Regular presence in the three Haretna neighbourhoods is mandatory and is considered a core responsibility of the role. The position requires a minimum of 60% field presence, equivalent to three days per working week, with regular coverage of Mina, Hay Tamlis and Taameer.
