Community Development Officer - Polokwane

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 360,000 - 480,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Community Development Officer for Polokwane and surrounding areas. You will identify community needs, develop impactful projects, and facilitate participatory processes to empower residents.

Collaboration with community members, local authorities, and other stakeholders is essential to drive positive change. The role emphasizes participatory development approaches, strong facilitation and reporting skills, and the ability to mobilize community resources

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences or related field is required.
• 4+ years in community development, project management or social work.
• Strong participatory development and community mobilization experience.
• Excellent facilitation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proven proposal writing and report preparation abilities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct needs assessments and participatory appraisals to identify community priorities.
• Develop project proposals and implementation plans for community development initiatives.
• Facilitate community meetings, workshops, and training sessions.
• Build and maintain relationships with community leaders, local government and development actors in Polokwane.
• Mobilize community resources and foster local ownership of development projects.
• Monitor progress, evaluate outcomes, and prepare regular reports.
• Ensure projects are gender-sensitive and inclusive.
• Support establishment and strengthening of community-based organizations.
• Advocate for community needs at relevant platforms.

Skills

Facilitation

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Proposal writing

Report writing

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences

Development Studies

Public Administration

related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a non-governmental organization dedicated to fostering sustainable development and improving quality of life in Polokwane and surrounding areas, is seeking an experienced Community Development Officer. This role is instrumental in identifying community needs, developing impactful projects, and facilitating participatory processes to empower local residents. You will work collaboratively with community members, local authorities, and other stakeholders to drive positive change. The ideal candidate possesses a strong understanding of community development principles and a proven ability to mobilize communities towards shared goals. Join us in making a tangible difference in Polokwane .

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct needs assessments and participatory rural/urban appraisals to identify community priorities.
• Develop project proposals and implementation plans for community development initiatives.
• Facilitate community meetings, workshops, and training sessions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, local government, and other development actors in Polokwane .
• Mobilize community resources and foster local ownership of development projects.
• Monitor project progress, evaluate outcomes, and prepare regular reports.
• Ensure that projects are implemented in a gender-sensitive and inclusive manner.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community-based organizations.
• Advocate for the needs of the community at relevant platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in community development, project management, or social work.
• Strong understanding of participatory development approaches and community mobilization techniques.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in proposal writing and report preparation.
• Knowledge of the socio-economic context of Polokwane and Limpopo province.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite.
• Willingness to travel within the region.
• Fluency in English and at least one local language spoken in Limpopo is essential.

Benefits

This hybrid role offers a competitive annual salary of R , along with standard benefits including medical aid and leave. You will join a dynamic team committed to community empowerment and have opportunities for professional development. The role is based in our Polokwane office, with a flexible hybrid working arrangement.