#defyhatenow Ethiopia aims to foster civic engagement and digital initiatives as proactive measures to address the pervasive issues of hate speech and the incitement of violence online in Ethiopia.

We’re currently looking to fill the role of Community Outreach Coordinator for the #defyhatenow Ethiopia Project funded by the Delegation of the European Union to Ethiopia. The project works to mobilise civic and digital action to counter social media hate speech and online incitement to violence in Ethiopia with a focus on grassroots communities. 

The candidate we are looking for should have worked in community mobilisation, peacebuilding, and humanitarian and development-related work. They must be committed to social justice and human rights.  

Requisite skills 

• A bachelor’s degree in social work, peace and security, communications, international development, or a related field.
• Fluency in English as a working language and a local language is preferred. Fluency in Tigrinya is a plus.
• At least 2 years of experience working with civil society organisations (CSOs) with a strong understanding of the Ethiopian civil society landscape and ACSO regulations. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills to facilitate and maintain relationships with community leaders, community members, and diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in planning and implementing participatory learning and community action approaches in Ethiopia.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Have excellent time management and communication skills, as you’ll collaborate with grassroots organisations and the internal teams to deliver results as planned. 

As the Community Outreach Coordinator, you will work closely with our #defyatenow team in Ethiopia, existing stakeholders, and our remote team to prepare comprehensive action plans on the implementation of the project. You will perform various coordinating tasks and administrative duties.

Your main tasks will include:

• Conducting thorough assessments to identify key stakeholders, community dynamics, and information needs related to hate speech and disinformation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, youth groups, women’s organisations, and other key stakeholders, including media outlets (e.g., Fana FM, Tigray Media Houses) and universities (e.g., Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University, Hawassa University).
• Support the implementation of community-based initiatives such as micro-grant programs, media partnerships, and community-led awareness campaigns as outlined in the project plan.
• Facilitating the dissemination and utilisation of the developed field guides (Identity and Context, Media and Information Disorder, Art for Peacebuilding) among target audiences (journalists, activists, artists, etc.).
• Facilitate training workshops on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, media literacy, critical thinking, and digital citizenship, including the use of field guides and training materials developed by the project.
• Support the development and implementation of community-led peacebuilding initiatives, leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through project training and workshops.
• Track and document all outreach activities, including participation, key findings, challenges, and successes for project reporting and documentation. 

This is a time-limited, task-oriented engagement, starting February 2024 lasting 12 months. If you are the person we are looking for, please send us your Curriculum Vitae/Resume, Cover Letter to [email protected] by Jan 19, 2025. Women and marginalised groups of people are highly encouraged to apply.