Community Engagement Officer Job at PEAS Uganda

Organization: Promoting
Equality in African Schools (PEAS)
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
Reports to: Education
Manager
About PEAS:
PEAS is a fast growing UK-based charity (www.peas.org.uk) with a
mission to ‘unlock the potential of Africa by delivering equal access to
affordable, quality secondary education’. We currently have a network of 22
schools across Uganda and Zambia, educating around 8,000 students. The role
will be based in our Ugandan office and work closely within across the all
Programme and Operations Departments.
At PEAS we are passionate about providing quality education and we are
building our network of schools to be one of the best in Uganda. You can be
part of our journey in improving the life chances of the next generation of
children from low-income families by obtaining access to a good education
through the PEAS network.
Job Summary:  The Community Engagement Officer will
primarily lead the implementation of effective Community Engagement across PEAS
schools network. The Job holder will ensure that PEAS effectively engages
communities (from local communities up to district level) prior to the launch
of new PEAS schools and to ensure that existing PEAS schools are involving
communities and school stakeholders with the aim of improving education
standards.
The effective functioning for this role will ensure that all PEAS
schools are fully enrolled, that attendance and retention levels are high, that
parents/guardians are able to support students to learn and that PEAS schools
are both supported by the local community and support the local community to
thrive.  The Community Engagement Officer
will also be responsible for ensuring that all PEAS schools have
well-functioning governance systems (PTAs and Boards of Governors [BoG]).
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Community Engagement:
  • Review and refine the existing PEAS
    Community Engagement Plan in line with the PEAS mission.
  • Create a framework for implementation of
    community engagement plan in PEAS operating areas.
  • Lead the implementation of the PEAS
    Community Engagement Plan prior to the launch of new schools and at
    existing schools
  • Ensure positive relationships are built
    with local leaders and government officials (up to District level)
  • Support and train PEAS schools to develop
    and implement individual community engagement action plans.
  • Ensure that PEAS school leaders engage
    communities effectively in order to support student educational outcomes
  • Work with PEAS school leaders to engage
    local community leaders to identify and encourage the enrolment and
    retention of marginalized girls.
  • Ensure availability of Information
    Education and C communications (IEC) CEP materials and that they adhere to
    PEAS key messaging
  • Support school leaders in preparation for
    school launch/opening ceremonies.
2. Enrolment, Attendance,
Retention
: 
  • Work closely with school leaders to
    support marketing of PEAS schools in primary school and other institutions
    within catchment areas
  • Work with school leaders to support them
    in the delivery of community engagement activities that promote enrolment,
    attendance and retention at PEAS schools (such as holding community
    meetings, engaging local media, implementing SMS messaging campaigns and
    utilizing radio
  •  Ensure that all communications from PEAS
    and PEAS schools to local communities adheres to official PEAS key messaging
  •  Use
    the data generated (with support from M&E) to develop effective
    community engagement and student retention strategies
  •  Support school leaders to use the data to
    identify students (including marginalized girls) at risk of dropping out
    and to implement strategies to prevent drop out
  • Liaise with M&E department to identify
    trends in school enrolment, attendance and retention patterns and develop
    network-wide support strategies
  •  Work with local leaders and school
    community stakeholders to promote the value of education for all children,
    especially marginalized girls
3. Governance and community
participation
  • Oversee the establishment and registration
    of PTAs and BoGs at each school
  • Ensure that school leaders are maximizing
    the impact and effectiveness of BoGs and PTAs including supporting schools
    with the delivery of induction and on-going training of these governance
    groups
Ensure that BoGs and PTAs are playing an appropriate role in monitoring
school outcomes) and supporting and holding school leaders to account for
implementing school Improvement Plan targets.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
·                    
The Candidate should possess a bachelor degree
(development studies, social work, education).
·                    
A postgraduate qualification in community development
work is an added advantage.
·                    
At least three (3) years’ experience in
community development work preferably in the NGO sector or a busy environment.
·                    
 Experience of working with marginalized
children in particular the Girl child
·                    
 Experience of stake holders management
·                    
 Experience improving education outcomes for
young people through community engagement would be desirable
·                    
 Experience training others in community
engagement methods
·                    
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
·                    
Analytical and self-drive in dealing with job
requirements.
·                    
Commitment to and passion for education.
·                    
Ability to work under pressure and manage
multiple deadlines
·                    
Ability to work under minimum supervision
·                    
Computer literacy skills (Excel, Word,
PowerPoint, and Outlook)
·                    
Excellent written and verbal communication
skills
·                    
Ability to build relationships with a wide range
of people
·                    
A commitment to the PEAS values
                       
 
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified candidates should send their applications with a
cover letter (paying particular attention to the Person Specification),
curriculum vitae, a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact
information for two professional references to: 
The Human Resource Manager.
PEAS Uganda
P.O. Box 23308, Kampala
Plot 2881, Block 216, Ntinda
Kisaasi,
Mumbejja Road. Opposite Ndere
Centre
.
Kampala. Uganda
Or send your application via Email:
ugandarecruitment@peas.org.uk,
For further details on vacancies at PEAS visit our website:
www.peas.org.uk
NB: Only complete
applications will be reviewed, and only qualified candidates will be
shortlisted and contacted by email.
PEAS is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its
recruitment practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce,
actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. ‘PEAS has a strict child protection
policy. All staff are expected to abide by this.’
Deadline: 2nd October
2013 at 17.00 (5pm GMT)

For
More Ugandan Jobs, Please Visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com   or
find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline

Related Jobs