Community Engagement & Participation Specialist

About the role

The Community Engagement & Participation Specialist will provide technical leadership for planning, implementing and managing community engagement, stakeholder participation and social mobilisation activities across multiple programmes. Based in Abuja and Lagos, the role focuses on strengthening relationships with communities and ensuring programmes are inclusive, responsive and sustainable.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement community engagement and participation strategies aligned with programme objectives.
• Design and facilitate participatory processes that involve communities in planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Establish mechanisms to strengthen community ownership, accountability and sustainability.
• Promote inclusive participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
• Conduct stakeholder mapping, analysis and engagement planning; build and maintain relationships with government, civil society, private sector and development partners.
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations, dialogue platforms and multi‑stakeholder engagement processes.
• Design and implement social mobilisation and outreach activities, including community awareness campaigns and dialogues.
• Build capacity of community structures, local organisations and facilitators; support the establishment of community committees and networks.

Required profile

• Proven experience in community engagement, stakeholder participation and social mobilisation within development programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate inclusive participatory processes.
• Strong knowledge of inclusion, safeguarding and community‑led approaches.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience working in Nigeria or similar contexts is preferred.

Required skills