Community Engagement and Social Cohesion Facilitator

Job Title: Community Engagement and Social Cohesion Facilitator

Job Location: Gaziantep (Field & Office-based), Turkiye

Reporting to: Project Officer

Line Manager for: Project Officer

Number of Hires: 2

 

Background

Sened, is an independent non-profit organization established and registered in Türkiye (under No: 27-15-175) in 2013.

• The name “Sened” in Arabic means “support” you could count on.
• Sened, was founded in response to The Syrian catastrophe, which led to critical situations and displacement of internally displaced people (IDPs) within Syria. The individuals who faced hardships due to factors such as repression, human rights abuses, and violence against civilians (including bombings, shelling, and sieges) and the urgent needs of millions of Syrian refugees in Türkiye. Later, our projects expanded to include support for the Turkish hosting community of the Syrian refugees. Our work spans across humanitarian sectors, with a special focus on advocating for the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities (PwDs) and their families.

 

Safeguarding

At Sened, we deliver humanitarian aid with the utmost commitment to safety and dignity. We understand that safeguarding is a critical component of our operations, and we integrate this principle into every layer of our work, from initial planning to final implementation. Our goal is to create a safe and secure environment that enables resilient communities to thrive. To achieve this, we adhere to our principles of Safe Programming, Safe Operation, Safe People, and Safe Response, which help us to identify and proactively mitigate risks, prioritize community trust, and uphold ethical standards. Sened’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding ensures that all those we serve receive the highest standards of safety and protection in all our humanitarian endeavors.

 

Job purpose

The Community Engagement and Social Cohesion Facilitator is responsible for designing and facilitating inclusive, participatory, and conflict-sensitive activities that promote dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence among diverse community groups. The role aims to strengthen social cohesion by fostering trust, reducing tensions, and encouraging meaningful interaction between host and refugee communities, as well as other vulnerable groups.

The facilitator contributes to the development and implementation of community engagement strategies that ensure diverse voices—especially women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups—are actively included in decision-making processes and project activities.

Through continuous engagement and observation, the position supports the identification of social dynamics, community tensions, and risks, and feeds this information into adaptive programming. The role ensures that all activities are implemented using a conflict-sensitive and inclusive approach, aligned with safeguarding principles and “do no harm” standards.

Additionally, the facilitator contributes to project quality and impact by documenting outcomes, capturing community feedback, and supporting learning processes that enhance program relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability.

 

Duties, Objectives, Competencies

• Facilitate social cohesion activities such as dialogue sessions, workshops, and group discussions
•  Promote peaceful coexistence and inclusion among different community groups
• Identify community tensions and contribute to conflict-sensitive programming
• Encourage participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups
• Support implementation of community engagement strategies
• Monitor community perceptions and feedback
• Document activity outputs, participation, and key findings
• Coordinate with local stakeholders and community representatives

 

Additional Responsibilities

The above-mentioned key tasks and duties are illustrative ones. Other future responsibilities may be assigned to the job at the request of the head of department according to the need

 

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Education, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
• Strong facilitation and communication skills
• Experience working with diverse communities
• Basic reporting and documentation skills
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in community-based activities, outreach, or humanitarian field work
• Experience working with vulnerable populations (refugees, host communities, persons with disabilities, etc.)
• Basic understanding of protection principles and referral pathways
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to conduct field visits and community outreach activities
• Knowledge of Turkish and Arabic
• Willingness to travel within field locations (up to 30%)

 

Desired Requirements

• At least 2 years of experience working in NGO/INGO settings.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in PSS activities.
• Knowledge of protection and referral systems.
• Proficiency in Turkish and Arabic (minimum B1 level, written and spoken). English is an asset.
• Experience working in south and south east Turkiye

 

Technical Competencies

• Strong community engagement and outreach skills
• Ability to collect and report field data
• Basic knowledge of project implementation processes
• MS Office proficiency

 

General Terms and Conditions

Safeguarding: Disabled beneficiaries, children, and vulnerable adults must be fully protected possible from any actions or failings that could place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury, or other harm. Sened demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding by conducting rigorous background and reference checks during the selection process for all candidates.

Diversity: Sened is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, effective, and representative organizational culture. We promote employee equity and diversity and strive to eliminate discrimination. A diverse workforce, encompassing various age groups, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, enhances our ability to understand, represent, and serve our community. Therefore, all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, or age.

Procedures: If necessary, Sened will apply for a work permit for the selected candidate after the job offer is accepted. Failure to provide the required documents or a rejection of the work permit application by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in the Republic of Türkiye will result in the employment offer being canceled.

Sened reserves the right to re-advertise the vacancy, cancel the recruitment, offer a contract with a modified job description or for a different duration, or offer a contract at a lower grade.

This job description serves only as a guide for the position available. Sened reserves the right to amend this document. Any published closing dates are estimates. Due to the nature of Sened’s work, we aim to fill vacancies as quickly as possible. Therefore, we may close adverts before the published closing date if we find the right candidate. We advise interested applicants to apply as early as possible.

Sened does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.