Job Description

RTI International Community Engagement Advisor Jobs VACANCY in Ethiopia 2019 

RTI International

Job Vacancy: Community Engagement Advisor, Ethiopia

RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice.

The organization provides research, development, and technical services to government and commercial clients in more than 75 countries.

The East Africa Energy Program (EAEP) is a four-year project to increase on-grid electricity access, accelerate private sector investment, and improve the enabling environment of the power sector in East Africa.

RTI International leads implementation of the program, which is funded by Power Africa, a U.S. Government-led partnership coordinated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

RTI International seeks to recruit a Community Engagement Advisor to be based in Ethiopia for this program.

Job Summary: The Community Engagement Advisor will be responsible for helping interface between electric utilities and communities, to improve understanding and communication on energy-related issues.

The advisor will help utilities communicate important issues like tariff changes and help communities lobby for better access to affordable and reliable power in line with the SDG goal 7.

S/He will also help identify and advocate for solutions to the challenges frequently faced by the energy sector (land rights issues, siting of equipment, electricity theft).

The advisor will hold meetings to understand the issues communities face in terms of service delivery as well as energy access and empower them to take charge of planning for their own energy needs.

S/He will assist communities to work with government officials in having their strategies incorporated into higher level plans. This position will entail communicating sensitive information in order to solve broader issues in the energy system (e.g. electricity theft, tariff increases) and facilitating negotiation between the utility and communities when possible.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Contribute to project efforts to enable citizen engagement in planning and monitoring of service delivery.


• Support project staff members to connect with peers through networking and find innovative ways of mutual engagement with civil society for social accountability.


• Identify, strengthen and develop mechanisms and social accountability tools for civil society dialogue, advocacy and oversight.


• Identify strategies to promote civic participation and oversight at the project level, institutionalizing participatory processes that promote civil society engagement.

Required minimum qualification and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, business, or any other relevant field.


• 10 years of experience working with the local governance energy projects in Ethiopia to strengthen and develop mechanisms for engagement of civil society in advocacy and oversight.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional and demonstrated ability to influence and build consensus across diverse groups perspectives.


• Demonstrated ability to identify problems and propose meaningful solutions required; fluent understanding of social and ethnic issues in Ethiopia is essential.


• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Amharic required.


• Strong proficiency in English is preferred.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and curriculum vitae to hrapplications@nb.rti.org indicating the Job Title as the subject line of the email by 14th August by 5.00 p.m.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

RTI International is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

*No applicant will ever be asked for any payment either to secure a role with RTI International or as a follow-up to having been awarded a position with RTI International. If anyone ever approaches you asking for any such payment, please immediately email ethics@rti.org

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