Community Engagement Officer at Aga Khan University

Reporting to the Director, Site Operations, Community Engagement Officer will be responsible for identifying and engaging with project stakeholders in an effective, comprehensive, and timely way; and managing community expectations and public perceptions of the Aga Khan University and the Arusha project. Close liaison with the Head of Security will be a key part of the role to ensure the security implications of proposed community relations initiatives are understood, and any community concerns which might have security implications are fed back and discussed.

Position Responsibilities.

Local Community Engagement

• Meet with village leadership (and, where appropriate, residents) in surrounding communities to understand their needs and manage community expectations and perceptions of the Aga Khan University (AKU) Project in Arusha
• Provide timely dissemination of information regarding the AKU project and the Institutions' needs in Arusha to establish a two-way dialogue with the community. Recommend and manage on-site initiatives for involving local communities, such as the planned community development and sports programme
• Help communicate the depth and breadth of AKU’s amd AKDN’s involvement in Arusha to all project stakeholders
• Assist in identifying and securing sources of project funding.

Government/External Relations

• Support the Director, Site Operations in identifying and building relationships with local, national, and regional government entities
• Identify and build relationships with civil society entities and stakeholders to AKU/AKDN initiatives in Arusha
• Support Public Relations staff in promoting the role of AKU in the Region

Intra-AKDN Relations

• To ensure that key internal stakeholders are aware of community relations initiatives and community concerns, particularly those which impact on their area of responsibility, and conversely, those managers' concerns about any detrimental impact of neighbouring communities' actions (or inactions) are appropriately conveyed, addressed and resolved.

Professional Skills, qualifications, and experience

• Master’s degree in Government, Public Policy, Education, or Management (preferred); bachelor’s degree in social/political sciences or management (for not-for-profit organization preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in community engagement, ideally within the developing world, with strong preference for East African experience.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage across diverse groups, from community leaders to government officials.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multicultural environments with empathy, open-mindedness, and strong listening skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Prior experience with the AKU/Aga Khan Development Network is an asset.

How To Apply

If you meet the requirements of this position, please send your application package, which should include an application letter and an updated CV, to [email protected]. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information, please visit http://www.aku.edu.

Application Close: 21st September 2025