Social Cohesion Project Manager - HEKS/EPER

Job title

Social Cohesion Project Manager

Duty station

Chisinau, Moldova

Starting date

November 2024

Contract duration

9 months – with possibility of extension.

Contract type

Full time

Reports to

Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC)

Coordinates with

RGA, Finance & Admin Manager, HEKS/EPER Partners.

Direct line manager of

Project Officer, Logistics Assistant, Finance Admin Officer, Community Facilitators.

Main responsibilities

·       Working closely with the ERC (and Country Director (CD) occasionally) on strategic direction and overall supervision and successful implementation of the social cohesion component of the program.

·       Engage with local governments, community members, and refugees on constructive activities to improve local governance and service delivery, as well as advance peace-building initiatives.

·       Support the local governments to become more efficient and accountable service providers.

·       Coordinate activities with relevant national, regional, and local governments, and various stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, the business sector, and academia, as appropriate.

·       Lead efforts to increase community participation in local peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

·       Liaise with community members, including refugees and host-community committees, to draft plans and facilitate a dialogue between committees and development partners, government bodies, or businesses to obtain financial/in-kind support and create partnership agreements to accomplish project goals.

·       Oversee sub-grants process to support projects that empower the community, identified through community meetings and dialogue.

·       Conduct social cohesion meetings and capacity building trainings (focusing on enhancing the inclusion of refugees and preventing tensions) for project beneficiaries.

·       Organize awareness raising activities for the general public to deepen the public awareness about barriers and benefits of social and economic inclusion, especially of women refugees.

·       Facilitation of social inclusion, business connections and interactions through socio-economic events with Ukrainian refugees, vulnerable Moldovans, entrepreneurs and media, with focus on female-only or female-led events.

·       Organization and facilitation of common sessions and dialogue (on tensions, risks, tolerance, etc) for Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan.

·       Train other project staff on gender, PSEAH, conflict sensitivity, resilience and social inclusion

·       Develop activities to support a stabilization-enabling environment, such as social reconciliation, trauma-healing activities, or any other activity that fosters a willingness to engage in peace building.

·       Oversee and manage the day-to-day activities of social cohesion activities and capacity improvements of the program (both at the administrative level and in the field), including oversight of staff under this specific component, if appropriate.

·       Travel regularly to the field to meet with project stakeholders to ensure proper performance and implementation of the project.

Qualifications

·       At least 5 years’ experience working on the inclusive participation of local communities and institutions, local community ownership and contribution, building consensus and partnerships, and/or peacebuilding.

·       Professional know-how and proven experience in working with a human rights-based working approach (working with vulnerable groups, leave no one behind), social inclusion, social cohesion, resilience, gender and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH) and conflict sensitivity.

·       Previous experience in working with refugees and host communities and with a community-based approach is an asset.

·       Knowledge of and experience with social cohesion methodology and approaches.

·       Facilitation skills and experience in engaging local and national governments to support social cohesion.

·       Graduate degree in sociology, non-profit or economic development, or another related field.

·       Fluent English Romanian and Russian required.

·       Excellent written and oral communication skills in all languages mentioned.

·       Strong leadership and teambuilding skills, facilitation, and capacity building experience.