Community Engagement Officer; Cego)– Nzmates

The New Zealand – Maluku Access to Renewable Energy Support (NZMATES) phase 2

Mercy Corps Indonesia (MCI) is a local Indonesian non-profit organization, which will implement humanitarian, and development assistance programs throughout the country. MCI’s mission is to empower people in Indonesia to become healthy, productive, and resilient communities. Resilience means an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

The New Zealand – Maluku Access to Renewable Energy Support (NZMATES) phase 2 aims to accelerate renewable energy (RE) development to improve access to energy in Maluku and North Maluku provinces. The five-year program is funded by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is implemented by renewable energy company GHD. in partnership with Mercy Corps Indonesia.

NZMATES is working towards promoting and accelerating the identification of renewable energy projects and increasing their attractiveness and viability, social and environmental assessments, technical considerations, and triggering and facilitating investment and funding from government, private sector, or other donors.

NZMATES has partnered and collaborates closely with PLN, EBTKE, Dinas ESDM, and BAPPEDA on increasing the use of renewables and improving energy access through grid-connected and off-grid RE projects. The NZMATES Team is based in Ambon and provides support to fill gaps in knowledge, resources, and research, and that projects are aligned with the Government of Indonesia and community development framework and objectives.

The proposed support for RE projects includes assistance with project identification and appraisal, technical and social assessments, finance matching, and project design to strengthen long-term sustainability. NZMATES is also intended to enhance local public and private sector capacity and offer opportunities for direct training, technical exchange programmes, and interaction between Maluku and North Maluku educational institutions and NZ renewable energy specialists.

The Community Engagement Officer (CEgO) is a critical, field-facing execution role within the NZMATES 2.0 program structure. Operating directly on the ground in target villages across Maluku regions, the CEgO is responsible for building immediate trust with communities, conducting rigorous socio-economic baseline surveys, and facilitating public forums. This position serves as the primary grassroots bridge between partner communities and the program, ensuring that local voices, village capacity, and customary traditions directly shape technical renewable energy designs.

The role requires high emotional intelligence, outstanding grassroots facilitation skills, and the physical resilience needed to operate independently in remote island settings with limited infrastructure.

• Field Execution of Social Assessments & Engagement Tools
• Administer Field Assessment Instruments:
  Deploy and facilitate primary data collection at the village level using standard tools designed by the coordinator, including household survey questionnaires, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guidelines, and Key Informant Interview (KII) structured templates.
• Conduct Social Mapping & Stakeholder Profiling:
  Map village-level stakeholders to identify local political structures, kinship networks, customary leadership, sacred sites, and potential social risks that could impact community acceptance of renewable energy (RE) projects.
• Gather Socio-Economic Baselines:
  Collect, verify, and document village demographic indicators, primary livelihoods, household energy expenditures, and conduct detailed field analyses on…