Community Engagement Officer Advocacy Unit

**About MSF**

Doctors without Borders (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation committed to two objectives: providing medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, natural and man-made disasters; and speaking out about the plight of the populations assisted. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. Today, MSF is present in more than 70 countries, where thousands of MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, and other medical and non-medical professionals work together to bring essential health services to people caught in humanitarian crises.

**Purpose**

The Community Engagement Officer’s primary responsibility is to support the TIC Project Coordinator in the engagement and empowerment of community based organisations (CBOs) to encourage effective community-led patient care delivery systems through effective organisational management and identifying areas that need strengthening or further development so as to provide effective capacitation. Key tasks include coordination of tasks, administrative support to the project, ensuring a smooth relationship with local and national authorities, supporting with tool development, webinars, reporting and other project objectives, and contributing to the context analysis and follow-up according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to ensure the smooth running of the project.

**Reporting Structure**

The Community Engagement Officer reports to the Community Engagement Coordinator. The position facilitates engagements with Advocacy team members but also engages with external stakeholders and across other departments within Southern Africa. This may include departments such as communications, human resources, finance and association departments.

**Accountabilities**
- Supporting TIC Project Coordinator in relevant tasks relating to TIC Community Engagement project, including but not limited to project administration and logistics, reports, context analysis, community liaising, tool development and follow up as needed.
- Representing MSF externally together with the Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC) to external partners based on agreed messaging and assisting in safeguarding and promoting MSF’s image.
- Monitoring, analysing and reporting on key issues relating to community-based organisations (CBOs) and providing contextual information, through a sound knowledge of counterparts, parties, actors and authorities, in different communities in order to improve understanding and decision-making processes.
- Assisting in exploratory missions and assessments as needed and participating in the development of operational plans relating to community engagement.
- Assisting the Community Engagement Coordinator in Internal and External Communication sessions and events about MSF in order to improve awareness, understanding of MSF principles and services and public opinion adhesion. Write meeting minutes and contribute to the meeting logbook.
- Ensuring the continuity of relations/networking with local actors (other NGOs, UN agencies, local authorities, media, etc.) and filing and updating field contacts and correspondence in order to ensure information sources accuracy and its availability on regular basis.
- Organizing advocacy contacts and appointments for the Community Engagement Coordinato.
- Performing assigned additional responsibilities or tasks as required by the Community Engagement Coordinator.

**MSF Context**

The MSF Southern Africa Community Engagement TIC project is pioneering new learnings on how to work better with grassroots organisations to improve community health service delivery through capacity building, power shifting, and advocacy. The project was developed as an initiative aimed at mitigating the impact of project closures on communities. By providing context-based capacity-building support to CBOs serving vulnerable and excluded communities, health service delivery continues even after project closure.

**This is a 6 months position with the main tasks being**:

- Coordinate, together with CEC (Community Engagement Coordinator) and other key team members, the support provided by the project to CBOs:

- Develop a concept note for a Community of Practice gathering of CBOs;
- Plan and organise the successful hosting of a regional CBO community of practice gathering and document the outcomes, including developing a manifesto for future engagements together
- Ensure regular (bi-weekly) check-ups to the CBOs to follow-up progress, motivate, provide refresher trainings - planned or on demand - assess challenges
- Provide technical guidance to CBOs in ensuring transparency and a proper structure of governance is in place;
- Follow up and if needed, push to finalise CBOs registration at social welfare offices;
- Ensure advocacy towards relevant partners is done to