Community Engagement Officer

Ansari Rehabilitation Association for Afghanistan (ARAA) is a national, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, established in 1992 for serving the people of Afghanistan through its operation in sectors of Health, Protection, agriculture/irrigation, water and sanitation, education, reintegration, social services, and construction, as well it has been established to provide humanitarian supports, based on the principles of human rights, Islamic and cultural values of our country, and environmental and socio-economic sustainability to the vulnerable people of Afghanistan.

In continuation of its 2026 program operational plan, ARAA is seeking for a qualified person to apply for this position.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Programme Manager, the CE Officer shall:

·        Support and enhance a network of community-outreach volunteers (COVs). Specific consideration should be placed on the equal representation of women as well as the participation of youth and persons with disabilities in the COV network.

·        Recruit and train general/thematic COVs to support the integration of community-based approaches and the linkage with different UNHCR program interventions (including education, health, child protection or livelihoods) through outreach activities.

·        Conduct and facilitate trainings for COVs (from the start) on a variety of protection related and other priority topics identified by the community, to address their information needs and support access to support and services. Training on thematic areas will be conducted in close coordination with relevant technical agencies, such as UNESCO, UNFPA, WHO, and FAO, among others.

·        Conduct community awareness-raising activities on a variety of protection-related matters and other thematic areas.

·        Engage with community leaders on protection related issues to establish entry points for collaboration, onward sharing of knowledge and support within the community.

·        Operate mobile information desks that provide space for information sharing and individual counselling during distributions, return movements, or during other outreach activities.

·        Identify and refer persons at risk to UNHCR services as well as external service providers.

·        Conduct information sharing sessions on UNHCR’s complaints and feedback mechanisms (CFMs) and available services.

·        Record complaints and feedback received by the community and channel it through the established CFM mechanisms.

·        Support the implementation of UNHCR’s annual Participatory Assessment (PA) exercise through conducting focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) with AGD groups in close coordination with UNHCR.

·        In close coordination with UNHCR Field Offices (for West Region refer to FO-Herat), consult communities to identify and support community- and youth-led initiatives (CLIs/YLIs) through the provision of financial (procurement of items) and capacity-building support, ensuring community full-ownership and contribution throughout the project implementation. Consider equal CLIs/YLIs for women and girls.

·        Support the assessment and operationalization of existing community centers (focus on UNHCR built), with the primary aim to enhance access for women and girls and ensure community usage.

·        Prepare and submit accurate daily, weekly, monthly, and activity reports in a timely manner.

·        Participate in internal and external coordination meetings and collaborate with government authorities, humanitarian partners, United Nations agencies, and other stakeholders.

·        Support emergency response activities and participate in rapid response interventions whenever required.

·        Ensure full compliance with the organization's policies, humanitarian principles, protection principles, Code of Conduct, PSEA Policy, Safeguarding Policy, and other internal regulations.

·        Perform any other duties and responsibilities assigned by the line manager that are relevant to the position.

- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Social Science (Master's degree preferred).

- Minimum of 3 years of experience in social work, case management, or community engagement, preferably in a humanitarian context.

- Proficiency in Dari, English, and Pashto.

- Strong communication skills and social awareness.

- Ability to report in English and understand defense law.

- Initiative and collaboration with senior managers to solve daily challenges.

- Skills in office management and coordination.

- Willingness to travel frequently within Herat, Farah

- Build relationships through meetings and workshops with local authorities and donors.

- Guide social workers in raising awareness in vulnerable communities.

- Commitment to ARAA and UNHCR’s humanitarian principles, including impartiality and confidentiality.

·    Please submit your CV and cover letter to hr@hrt.araa.org.af and clearly write the vacancy number, Job Location and job title in the subject line. Correspondents without a subject line will not be entertained and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

·    Please also note that:

·    Only shortlisted applicants will be asked for an interview.

·    ARAA retains the full right to cancel or amend this announcement and associated actions.

·    In case you did not hear from our side latest after two weeks, it means that your application is not considered for the position.

·    Failure to provide the required documentation or submission beyond the closing date will result of applicant rejection from further consideration.