Project Overview

The project aims to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen social cohesion, and support conflict-affected communities through inclusive community engagement, dialogue, and capacity-building activities.

Position Summary

The Social Cohesion Associate will support the implementation of community-based activities designed to promote social harmony, reduce tensions, and enhance collaboration among diverse groups. The role involves direct engagement with community members, local authorities, and stakeholders to facilitate dialogue, conduct assessments, and monitor social cohesion interventions. The Associate will serve as a key liaison between the project team and communities, ensuring activities are inclusive, contextually relevant, and aligned with project objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Engagement and Mobilization

• Support the design and facilitation of community dialogues, workshops, and sensitization sessions to promote peaceful coexistence and collaboration.
• Engage local leaders, youth groups, women, and marginalized populations to ensure inclusivity in program activities.
• Assist in building trust with community stakeholders to encourage participation and ownership of project initiatives.

2. Social Cohesion Assessments and Analysis

• Support the collection of qualitative and quantitative data on social cohesion, conflict dynamics, and community relationships using surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and other tools.
• Analyze field data and provide timely insights to inform programming and intervention strategies.
• Identify emerging risks or tensions within communities and report findings to the Program Coordinator.

3. Capacity Building and Support

• Assist in organizing and delivering training sessions for community members, local leaders, and partners on conflict resolution, mediation, and social cohesion concepts.
• Provide hands-on support to strengthen local capacities to manage disputes and promote inclusive community decision-making.

4. Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Maintain accurate records of all community engagement activities, including participant lists, field notes, and reports.
• Support monitoring and evaluation efforts by collecting data, tracking indicators, and documenting progress and lessons learned.
• Prepare regular field and activity reports for the project team, highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations.

5. Stakeholder Coordination

• Collaborate with local authorities, civil society organizations, and other actors to align project activities with existing community initiatives.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination with internal teams to facilitate seamless implementation of social cohesion interventions.

6. Risk Identification and Mitigation

• Identify potential sources of conflict or community tensions and support the development of mitigation strategies.
• Report safeguarding, security, or ethical concerns promptly to the relevant project Coordinator or supervisor.

7. Other Duties

Perform any other tasks or responsibilities assigned by the Program Coordinator to achieve project objectives.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Peace and Conflict Studies, Community Development, Sociology, Political Science, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 1–3 years of relevant experience in community engagement, social cohesion, peacebuilding, or conflict-sensitive programming.
• Experience working in multicultural or post-conflict environments is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups, including youth, women, and marginalized populations.
• Knowledge of conflict resolution, mediation, and participatory approaches.
• Proficiency in data collection, reporting, and basic analysis.
• Strong problem-solving skills, cultural sensitivity, and ethical awareness.
• Fluency in the local language(s) is required; proficiency in English (written and oral) is essential.
• Ability to work independently and in teams, often under field conditions.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent coordination, leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Excellent analytical, documentation, and reporting abilities.
• Fluency in English (required); working proficiency in Hausa, Fulfulde or Kanuri is an added advantage.
• Ability to work under pressure, in insecure environments, and in multicultural teams.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian principles, safeguarding, and do-no-harm approaches.

Other Skills

• Proven team player
• Able to work effectively with minimum supervision and in a diverse team environment
• Excellent planning and prioritization skills
• Ability to think tactically
• Good motivator of others
• Willing to work additional hours at crucial times

Physical Demands:

• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift 5-50 lbs.

Mode of Application

To apply for this position, kindly submit scanned copies of your certificates, your CV and cover letter as a single PDF document to careers2@ccfng.org using the job title as the subject of your email.

Continued Professional Development CPD:

CARITAS NIGERIA is committed to providing CPD for its Employees. Employees are required to undertake available Training Courses and Research to enhance personal knowledge, skills and experience.

CARITAS NIGERIA fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a Competitive Benefit, Professional Development and Policies/Programs that support healthy Work/Life balance. Join our workforce to help create a society where everyone enjoys… Fullness of Life!