Vacancy title:
Community Engagement Officer

[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Nonprofit, and NGO, Category: Social Services & Nonprofit, Communications & Writing, Business Operations, Admin & Office]

Jobs at:
Rungano-Ndota Initiative (RNI)

Deadline of this Job:
Monday, November 16 2026

Duty Station:
Kigali Office | Kigali

Summary
Date Posted: Saturday, November 7 2026, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

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Learn more about Rungano-Ndota Initiative (RNI)
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JOB DETAILS:

About Rungano-Ndota Initiative (RNI)

Ngira nkugire, Mfasha ngufashe

Rungano-Ndota Initiative (RNI) is a Rwandan youth organisation based in Ruhango District, Southern Province. We build communities of trust where young people aged 16–26 from the poorest households break out of poverty and become entrepreneurs and leaders. They are proof for the next generation, and for the world, that it can be done. Rungano-Ndota means “a dream generation”, and that is what our youth are becoming.

RNI was founded by nine young leaders from Ruhango District and officially began its work there in 2017. Led by young Rwandans who know poverty and hardship from their own lives, RNI is shaped by a simple idea: trust and belonging come first, then self-leadership, then capital. Youth join RNI from local government lists of the poorest households, on need alone, with no screening. They include young single mothers, youth returning from rehabilitation and youth with disabilities.

Each young person walks a two-year Core Program journey and then joins Inyenyeri, RNI's lifelong community of graduates who give back. The journey rests on four foundations: Personal Wellness, Leadership Development, Entrepreneurship Development and Ecosystem Connection.

In 10 years, 550 youth have walked this journey with RNI. RNI's data shows:

• 427 businesses created by our first 450 youth, with 143 full-time and 218 part-time jobs for others
• 82% of graduates are elected leaders in their communities, up from 9% before joining
• 0 further unplanned pregnancies among the 98 young single mothers in the program over the past five years
• 44 of 45 youth returning from rehabilitation have not gone back

In 2026, RNI walks alongside 300 youth in the Core Program and 250 Inyenyeri members.

Our principles

Trust · Patience · Youth in the driver's seat · Communal role modelling · Co-creation · Holistic & experiential learning

Join us. At RNI, you won't just fill a post. You'll walk alongside young people that others wrote off as they become the people their communities count on.

Position information

Based in Kigali Office

Supervised by Grants and Communications Manager

The Community Engagement Officer will be based in Kigali Office and will operate under the supervision of the Grants and Communications Manager.

About Twese for Rungano

Twese for Rungano (“all of us for Rungano”) is RNI's network of Rwandan supporters and volunteers. They are professionals, businesspeople, leaders and friends of RNI who give their time, skills, networks and resources to support RNI and help young people succeed.

Members of Twese for Rungano:

• speak at and support Business Idea Generation (BIG) Days, the Business Bootcamp and Rungano Days
• network with youth and open doors to business, jobs and opportunities
• join RNI's major events, including the Inkera y'Urungano business expo, the Leadership Exchange and graduation
• support youth through giving, for example by funding internships for trade school graduates
• support RNI through donations, either for general operations or for specific projects
• connect RNI's leaders with funding and visibility opportunities
• build the capacity of RNI staff by sharing their professional skills and experience, for example through training and mentoring
• come together through a WhatsApp community, monthly updates and an annual fundraising event in Kigali

The Community Engagement Officer is the main link between RNI and Twese members. The officer welcomes new members, keeps them informed and involved, and connects their skills to what RNI and its youth need.

1. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL RUNGANO-NDOTA PROGRAM STAFF

• Cultivate constructive engagement within the Rungano-Ndota (RNI) community, fostering positive relationships with youth participants.
• Contribute to the execution of Rungano Program Days, Alumni Forums, RNI Business Bootcamp, Business Idea Generation Day and virtual events in collaboration with Rwanda Youth Partnership, ensuring seamless coordination and facilitation.
• Serve as a mentor/Advisor to individual youth, offering guidance and support, including an annual home visit.
• Actively engage in Monitoring and Evaluation processes, providing valuable insights and feedback to enhance program effectiveness.
• Participate in Staff Development Retreats, and be available for weekend or overnight commitments away from home during the Annual RNI&RYP Leadership Exchange, as required.
• Collaborate with colleagues, offering support through constructive feedback and mutual assistance in fulfilling individual responsibilities.

2. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

Twese member relations

• Serve as the main liaison for all Twese for Rungano members.
• Actively work to recruit new Twese members, and ensure new members have a smooth and welcoming experience.
• Encouraging relationship building within the Twese Community.
• Identifying needs from the staff team and connecting them with Twese members who can help.

Communication and events

• Work with the communications team to develop monthly updates and communications.
• Identify and invite relevant Twese members to relevant Rungano events.
• Work with Rungano-Ndota leadership to plan annual fundraising event in Kigali.

Records and tracking

• Manage the Twese for Rungano member database, and WhatsApp Community.
• Track all Twese contributions and ensure proper thank yous and reporting.
• Develop and update the Twese digital sign-up form.

Kigali office

• Assist with the logistics and daily activities of the Kigali office.

3. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED SKILLS

All Rungano-Ndota staff:

• Possess a reliable and clear teamwork communication style with colleagues, youth, and external partners.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the barriers faced by youth who are not in formal education and employment, combined with a genuine belief in their potential to succeed.
• Show the ability to build positive, trusting, and empowering relationships with vulnerable youth.
• Demonstrate high integrity and ethical behavior in all professional responsibilities.
• Be Rwandan by nationality with a strong understanding of the Rwandan social and community context.
• Be young themselves, because the work requires flexibility, travel, and working with youth.
• Have good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Be fluent in spoken and written Kinyarwanda and English.

Specifically for this position:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Sciences, Psychology, Social Work, or another relevant field.
• Candidates with degrees in other disciplines who demonstrate strong experience working with vulnerable youth are encouraged to apply.
• Experience in community engagement, mobilization and outreach would be an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills, empathy, teamwork, flexibility, and the ability to adapt in dynamic community settings.

An added advantage:

Experience building supportive relationships with young people and creating safe, positive environments for their growth is an added advantage.

4. BENEFITS

• In compensation for service rendered, RUNGANO-NDOTA INITIATIVE will offer a monthly salary, health & maternity insurance and pension savings insurance.
• All staff benefit from different training organized by the project
• All staff also benefit from collaboration and coaching discussions with international colleagues whom we meet through our US-based partners

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 12

Level of Education: bachelor degree

Job application procedure
Interested in applying for this job? Click here to submit your application now.

Interested candidates should submit the following documents:

• An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• A cover letter explaining their interest in the position and any relevant professional, academic, or personal experiences that motivate their application.
• A one-page handwritten sketch responding to the scenario outlined below.

Application Deadline: November 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

Important: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for an interview.

SCENARIO FOR THE ONE-PAGE HANDWRITTEN SKETCH

The sketch must be written entirely in the applicant's own handwriting. It should be scanned or photographed clearly and included with the application documents. Typed submissions or sketches not written in the applicant's own handwriting will not be considered.

Imagine you have been serving as Grants and Communication Manager for six months. RNI's largest donor, which provides the biggest share of funding for the Core Program, informs you that due to a change in its organisational strategy, its funding will decrease by 40% next year and cease completely within two years.

RNI wants to continue supporting the 300 young people enrolled in its Core Program. Meanwhile, a major funder announces a call for proposals for youth employment programmes in Rwanda. However, the funder requires independently verified results, whereas RNI's existing results are based on internally collected and self-reported data. Additionally, RNI has limited visibility among funders and decision-makers outside Ruhango.

The Executive Director asks you to prepare and present a strategic plan to the Board within one month.

In your one-page handwritten sketch, explain how you would respond to this situation. Address the following areas:

1. First Month and Board Presentation: What actions would you take during your first month, and what key issues and recommendations would you include in your presentation to the Board?
2. Funding Diversification: How would you build a more diversified funding base over the next two years? Identify the types of funders and alternative income sources you would target, the order in which you would approach them, and your reasons.
3. New Funding Opportunity and Evidence: Would you apply for the newly announced funding opportunity? Explain how you would honestly present RNI's existing self-reported results while developing stronger, independently verified evidence over time.
4. Communications and Visibility: How would you develop and implement a communications strategy to increase RNI's visibility among potential funders and decision-makers? What specific responsibilities and activities would you assign to the Multimedia Officer?
5. Current Donor Relationship: How would you maintain and protect RNI's relationship with its existing donor throughout the funding transition?

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