Job description

Job Title Community Engagement and Accountability Officer

Classification Level
IFRC Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka
Organizational Unit
Population Movement Operation
Immediate Supervisors Title Community Resilience Manager
Technical Managers Title Officer responsible for CEA at IFRC/CO.
Number of Staff Reports
Duty Station Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh
Duration of Assignment
Date of issue

Organizational context (where the job is located in the Organization)

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the worlds largest humanitarian
organization, providing assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political
opinions. The Secretariat consists of a head office in Geneva.

IFRC Bangladesh Country Delegations mission is to support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society(BDRCS) in fulfilling their
mandate in close cooperation with Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners as well as other relevant
organizations, to coordinate and direct international assistance as required and to provide representation to
international and regional organizations as appropriate.

BDRCS, as an auxiliary to the government and guided by the Fundamental Principles, is one of the leading humanitarian
organizations in the country. BDRCS has branches and activities that cover the entire country, including Coxs Bazar.

Starting 25 August 2017, people fleeing violence in northern areas of Myanmars Rakhine State have been crossing into
Bangladesh and arriving in Coxs Bazar, a district of Bangladesh, in massive numbers. As per a situation report issued by
the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) on 26 September, some 480,000 persons many of them women, children
and the elderly are estimated to have crossed the border into Bangladesh, with the influx expected to continue. BDRCS
has adopted one -window approach for this operation to provide the support to the people from Rakhaine- who have
been living in different makeshift camps since October 2016.

The current priority is on scaling-up emergency response to meet the immediate needs of those displaced with focus on
food, shelter water and sanitation, health, PSS, Protection, gender and Inclusion and RFL as well as preparedness for
possible natural disaster, newly arrival as well as epidemics. They key focus of the operation for the first 3 to 4 months is
lifesaving activities with some initial plans of short term to medium term that needs to be reviewed after further clarity
on the evolvement of the situation.
 Community engagement and accountability (CEA) is an approach to Red Cross and Red Crescent programming and
operations. It is supported by a set of activities that help put communities at the centre of what we do, by integrating
communication and participation throughout the programme cycle or operation. CEA is the process of and commitment
to providing timely, relevant and actionable life-saving and life-enhancing information to communities. It is about using
the most appropriate communication approaches to listen to communities needs, feedback and complaints, ensuring
they can actively participate and guide Red Cross Red Crescent actions. CEA supports those involved in programmes and
operations to adopt innovative approaches to better understand and engage with people and communities and help
them address unhealthy and unsafe practices. It maximizes the Red Cross Red Crescents unique relationship with the
community to help them speak out about the issues that affect them and influence decision and policy-makers to
implement positive changes.

The position will report to Community Resilience Manager.

Job purpose
The CEA officer will support National Society and IFRC operations teams to enhance the impact, reach and
efficiency of emergency response operations through the integration of CEA activities and approaches. This
includes community communication, participation and feedback systems, behaviour and social change
communication, information as aid and evidence-based advocacy.

Job duties and responsibilities

Technical support to the operation

Support assessments to be transparent and participatory, capturing peoples information needs and
trusted and preferred communication channels.
Support community participation in operational planning, design and implementation.
Strengthen and/or help set up feedback mechanisms, including processes to make sure feedback is
analysed and acted upon by operational teams.
Strengthen and/or help set up systems for sharing life-saving, useful and actionable information with
affected people about Red Cross and Red Crescent services, from selection criteria to health advice, as
part of information-as-aid activities.
Support and develop information hubs for communication with targeted communities to inform on
services available in the community, referral pathways, collect feedback and complaints, as a base for
further outreach in the communities and other services.
Support teams sector teams, such as health, water and sanitation, and disaster risk reduction, to
increase their reach and impact by helping them set up methods to gain a deeper understanding of
community perceptions, beliefs, culture and values and to implement innovative behaviour and social
change communication activities.
Ensure CEA activities and approaches are included in operational plans and budgets and support the
operation to achieve its aims.
Find ways to involve affected people in assessing the impact of the operational response.
Enable the affected population to participate as community volunteers to support e.g. health promotion.
Ensure women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups have equal
access to information channels and feedback mechanisms particular to their needs, and taking into
account any specific protection issues.

Capacity building
Provide targeted CEA training and mentoring support to National Society and IFRC staff and volunteers.
Support the rolling out and adaptation of CEA Movement tools, methodologies and activities, as defined
in the CEA Movement guide and toolkit.
Build the capacity of the National Society to integrate CEA into their ways of working and support the
development of an exit strategy to map out which CEA activities and approaches will be sustained after
the end of the operation.

Coordination, representation and reporting

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 Work closely with the IFRC CEA Regional Advisor for Asia Pacific to ensure there is consistency and
sustainability between CEA in emergencies and CEA in long term programming within the region.
Coordinate CEA efforts with Movement partners.
Coordinate with the established Communication with Communities working group (CwC), and identify
partnership opportunities with other NGOs, humanitarian agencies, UN, private sector and Government
through Communication with Communities, accountability and learning and social mobilisation working
groups.
Identify opportunities for partnership with external organisations, including the use of technology and
innovative approaches to enhance CEA.
Ensure CEA data is included in existing Information Management systems and platforms so it can be
used to inform decision-making processes at strategic and operational levels.
Support evidence-based learning by assessing and monitoring levels of community engagement through
research, impact surveys, perception studies and case studies.
Support the positioning and visibility of Red Cross and Red Crescent CEA achievements and share data
with the wider humanitarian network to inform and influence the overall response.

Position Requirements
Education Required Preferred
University degree (in Communication or Social/Behavioural Sciences i.e.
Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology or Health Education) or relevant experience X
is required.
Experience Required Preferred
Three years experience working in community engagement and accountability,
communication for development or social mobilisation in developing countries X
for a humanitarian or development organisation.
Experience of working as part of a team responding to humanitarian
X
emergencies, complex crisis or conflict situations.
Experience setting up and managing tools for communicating with communities.
For example radio programmes, TV shows, SMS systems, community X
committees, social mobilisation or mobile cinemas and community dramas etc.
Proven experience in planning targeted and appropriate behaviour change
X
communication strategies.
Experience setting up and managing accountability to communities systems. For
example, feedback and complaints mechanisms, rumour tracking systems, or X
participatory planning processes.
Experience of coaching, training and developing National Society staff and
X
volunteers in order to build long-term capacity and create ownership.
Experience of designing and implementing assessments, community
X
consultations, research and/or focus groups discussions.
Experience working with Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies. X

Knowledge and Skills Required Preferred

Good planning skills, with the ability to identify areas for improvements in
X
operations through the integration of CEA approaches and activities.
Good knowledge of Red Cross Red Crescent disaster management cycle,
X
including planning and response processes and procedures.

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 Good knowledge of gender and diversity issues in emergency response
X
operations
Team player, with the ability to coordinate and engage others and build good
X
working relationships with internal and external partners.
Highly motivated proactive self-starter, able to set and achieve goals using own
X
initiative.
Strong written, presentation, facilitation and training skills. X
Ability to multi-task and work under stressful conditions to meet deadlines.

Willing to travel extensively to support field operations. X

Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills. X

Languages Required Preferred

Fluently spoken and written English. X

Good command of Bangla. X

Competencies (to be filled in by HR)

Professionalism
Communications
Collaboration and teamwork
National Society and customer relations
Building alliances
Accountability
Creativity and innovation

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