Job Description: Coordinator for Community Engagement & Development Research

About ACIPS

The Afrika Centre for Intangible Phenomena Studies (ACIPS) is a registered Non-Profit Organisation dedicated to the study of African spirituality, indigenous knowledge systems, and metaphysical phenomena. ACIPS investigates intangible aspects of African cosmology, empowers communities through knowledge restoration, and fosters solutions rooted in Ubuntu, respect for humanity, and transformative development.

Role Purpose

The Coordinator for Community Engagement & Development Research designs, implements, and coordinates programmes that connect ACIPS research with communities across Africa and the diaspora. The role bridges academic inquiry and grassroots realities, ensuring that ACIPS findings inform development, cultural restoration, and social transformation. The Coordinator strengthens community outreach, leads participatory research, manages stakeholder relations, and mobilises indigenous knowledge for sustainable development.

Key Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Develop and implement community engagement strategies aligned with ACIPS’s mission and vision.
• Serve as the primary liaison between ACIPS and community leaders, traditional authorities, grassroots organisations, and partner institutions.
• Facilitate workshops, dialogues, and knowledge-sharing forums with local communities, ensuring inclusivity and cultural sensitivity.
• Coordinate ACIPS’s community education programmes in spirituality, cultural heritage, and indigenous knowledge.

Research & Development

• Design and manage participatory action research projects on community development, spirituality, and intangible phenomena.
• Conduct field studies, surveys, and ethnographic research in collaboration with local communities.
• Document and analyse research findings for academic publications, policy briefs, and community education materials.
• Contribute to ACIPS’s flagship journal, Afrika Journal for Pan-Vitalism and Social Phenomena, with articles and field reports.

Programme & Project Management

• Develop, implement, and monitor community development projects inspired by indigenous African knowledge systems.
• Manage project budgets, timelines, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate partnerships with NGOs, universities, research institutions, and funding agencies.
• Ensure alignment with Ubuntu values and Afrocentric approaches to development.

Capacity Building & Training

• Train ACIPS staff, volunteers, and community representatives on participatory research methodologies.
• Facilitate skill-building workshops for community members in self-reliance, cultural heritage preservation, and spiritual well-being.
• Mentor young researchers and students engaged in community-focused projects.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

• Develop tools to monitor and evaluate the impact of community engagement initiatives.
• Produce regular reports, case studies, and impact assessments for internal and external stakeholders.
• Recommend strategies to improve ACIPS’s community engagement and research relevance.

Key Qualifications & Competencies

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree (or equivalent), Bachelor's degree cum any appropriate certificate level studies within Community Development, Communication Studies, Development Studies, Anthropology, African Studies, Sociology, Peace & Conflict Studies, History, Geography and related fields.
• 3–5 years’ experience in community engagement, participatory research, or development coordination.
• Proven experience liaising with traditional authorities, civil society organisations, and grassroots communities.
• Familiarity with Afrocentric methodologies, Ubuntu philosophy, and indigenous knowledge systems.

Core Skills

• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to manage multi-stakeholder partnerships and navigate diverse cultural contexts.
• Project management, budgeting, and grant-writing expertise.
• Proficiency in English (knowledge of African languages is an advantage).

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to African cultural revival and decolonial knowledge production.
• Respect for spirituality, traditions, and indigenous values.
• High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to work independently and within a collaborative, transdisciplinary team.
• Willingness to travel for fieldwork and to represent ACIPS at regional and international forums.