Project Assistant-Community Engagement

Welthungerhilfe was founded in 1962 and is a non-profit making, non-denominational, and politically independent organization.
Welthungerhilfe has been working in Liberia since 2003 with a focus on Agriculture/Inclusive Food Systems and Nutrition Security, Infrastructure that facilitate access to markets and health facilities,
Health System Strengthening and WASH.
The Project Assistant-Community Engagement will play a key role in fostering partnerships and building trust between the Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) project funded by
FCDO and the communities it serves. This position focuses on engaging local communities in activities that reduce deforestation, promote landscape restoration, and implement agroforestry practices. The
Project Assistant will ensure that community voices are heard, their needs are incorporated into project design and implementation, and their capacity to sustainably manage natural resources is strengthened.

Responsible to: Head of Project 

Responsible for: Working closely with HoP and project stakeholders, the Project Assistant- Community Engagement will lead efforts to mobilize, empower, and involve local communities in achieving the project's objectives while promoting inclusivity, gender equity, and respect for traditional knowledge.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Community mobilization and participation
• Build relationships with community leaders, local organizations, and stakeholders to foster trust and collaboration.
• Facilitate community awareness campaigns on deforestation, restoration, and agroforestry practices and alternative livelihoods.
• Organize community meetings, workshops, and training sessions to ensure active participation in project activities.

2. Capacity building and training
• Identify capacity gaps on forest resources management, alternative livelihoods within communities and design tailored training programs to address them based on project scope.
• Deliver training sessions on sustainable agricultural practices, agroforestry, natural resource management, and alternative livelihoods.
• Support the development of community-based organizations or committees to ensure longterm sustainability of project outcomes.

3. Advocacy and inclusion
• Support the Environmental policy & Advocacy Officer in project advocacy work
• Ensure marginalized voices, including women, youth, and indigenous groups, are actively included in project activities.
• Advocate community concerns and priorities within the project and with other stakeholders.
• Promote gender-sensitive approaches in all community engagement activities.

4. Conflict resolution and mediation
• Address conflicts related to land use, natural resource management, or project activities by facilitating dialogue and negotiation among stakeholders.
• Support the development of conflict resolution mechanisms to strengthen community cohesion.

5. Monitoring and feedback mechanisms
• With support from MEAL Officer, establish participatory monitoring frameworks that involve communities in tracking project progress.
• Collect feedback from communities to ensure the project remains responsive to their needs and concerns.
• Document success stories, lessons learned, and challenges from community engagement activities.
6. Collaboration and reporting
• Work closely with the technical and MEAL teams to align community engagement activities with project goals.
• Prepare regular reports on community engagement activities and share insights with the project team.
• Support the Communication Officer in the development of communication materials (e.g., success stories, brochures) to showcase community involvement in the project.

Professional Experience: Experience working directly with rural or indigenous communities on development or conservation initiatives.

How to Apply:

Please send application package; one-page Motivation LETTER and a maximum of 2 pages CURRICULUM VITAE (CV), and contact details of 3 professional referees to: Recruitment.Liberia@welthungerhilfe.de
Subject Line: Application for the position of 2507- Project Assistant – Community Engagement Welthungerhilfe is an equal opportunities employer, therefore qualified females are encouraged to apply.