Research Coordinator – Lived Experience

Jobtailor; Durban; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a dedicated professional to coordinate lived experience engagement within our research initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal. You will act as the bridge between the Youth Lived Experience Group and the research team, facilitating co-creation activities and ensuring lived experience perspectives are reflected in documentation and decisions.

The role requires fluency in isiZulu and English, strong facilitation skills, and a background in social health fields.

Qualifications

• Direct personal experience of mental health challenges; self-identification is sufficient.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, or Community Development required.
• Valid driver’s licence with at least 2 years driving experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the lived experience engagement.
• Serve as the primary link between the Youth Lived Experience Group (YLEG) and the research team.
• Facilitate co-creation activities at each stage of the research.
• Ensure lived experience perspectives are formally recorded and visible in project documentation and decision-making.
• Bridge communication between the YLEG, working in isiZulu, and the wider research team, working primarily in English.
• Coordinate the YLEG.
• Embed lived experience across the research.
• Manage communication and translation.
• Support governance and advocacy.
• Maintain documentation and learning.

Skills

Lived Experience Engagement

Group Facilitation Skills

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Fluency in IsiZulu and English

Report Writing

High Computer Literacy

Documentation Management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health

Bachelor’s Degree in Community Development

Tools

MS Office

Job description

• Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the lived experience engagement
• Serve as the primary link between the Youth Lived Experience Group (YLEG) and the research team
• Facilitate co-creation activities at each stage of the research
• Ensure lived experience perspectives are formally recorded and visible in project documentation and decision-making
• Bridge communication between the YLEG, working in isiZulu, and the wider research team, working primarily in English
• Coordinate the YLEG
• Embed lived experience across the research
• Manage communication and translation
• Support governance and advocacy
• Maintain documentation and learning

Requirements

• Direct personal experience of mental health challenges; self-identification is sufficient
• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Psychology, Public Health, or Community Development
• Valid driver’s licence with at least 2 years driving experience
• Fluent in both IsiZulu and English
• Experience working in a research environment or on a research project
• Experience working with adolescents or young people
• At least 3 years' experience in lived experience, peer support, advocacy, or community engagement roles related to mental health
• Experience facilitating or supporting groups, workshops, or advisory structures
• Experience contributing to participatory, co-produced, or community-engaged projects
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English
• Accuracy and precision
• High computer literacy
• Report writing
• Must be able to work under pressure
• Valid work permit desirable for South African or other African applicants

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in coordinating lived experience engagement and facilitating co-creation activities within research projects, while effectively bridging communication between diverse groups. Proficient in managing documentation, advocacy, and peer support related to mental health.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Lived Experience Engagement
• Fluency in IsiZulu and English
• Experience in Research Environment
• Advocacy and Community Engagement
• Group Facilitation Skills

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Report Writing
• High Computer Literacy
• Mental Health Advocacy
• Community Development
• Co-creation Activities
• Peer Support
• Participatory Projects
• Documentation Management
• Communication Management
• Translation Skills

Soft Skills

• Good Verbal Communication
• Good Written Communication
• Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Accuracy and Precision

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work
• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health
• Bachelor’s Degree in Community Development
• Valid Driver’s Licence

Industry Keywords

• Mental Health Challenges
• Youth Engagement
• Adolescents
• Community Engagement Roles
• Governance