Community Engagement Lead

Location: Honiara, Solomon Islands

Ad Title: Community Engagement Lead

Program Background

The MCC-Solomon Islands Threshold Program is a four-year investment developed and implemented in partnership between the Government of Solomon Islands and the U.S. Government through its Millennium Challenge Corporation. The partnership agreement was signed in 2022 and is currently working to increase economic opportunity for Solomon Islanders through investing in responsible forestry practices and its tourism sectors.

Grant funds are provided on behalf of the American people and are not loans our partners need to repay. Rather, they are investments in economic growth designed to enhance opportunities for the people of Solomon Islands.

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About DT Global Asia Pacific

At DT Global Asia Pacific, we aim to positively impact people's lives through delivery excellence. As a leading implementing partner across Asia and the Pacific, we co-create locally led solutions in partnership with governments, communities, and stakeholders. We bring together talented teams and deep regional expertise to deliver initiatives that promote inclusive economic growth, essential services, and resilient, secure communities. With over 1,500 staff, experts in 22+ countries and more than 60 years of development experience, we tackle complex community, national and transnational challenges — from governance and justice systems to climate resilience, infrastructure and social equity — with innovative thinking and a commitment to long-term impact.

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Objectives of Role

The objective of the Community Engagement Lead role is to ensure that tourism investments pursued under the Accessing Land for Tourism Investment Facilitation (ALTIF) Project are grounded in secure, legitimate, and durable relationships between investors and the communities that hold interests in proposed development sites. The role is designed to mitigate land tenure and governance risks by accurately identifying community stakeholders, assessing potential points of conflict, and building the foundations necessary for transparent, inclusive, and trusted community decision-making. Through structured engagement, risk assessments, and capacity strengthening, the Consultant will prepare communities to negotiate effectively and equitably with prospective investors.

Expected Outcomes

The Community Engagement Lead will contribute to the successful advancement of tourism investment under the ALTIF Project by:

· Ensuring that communities that hold legitimate interests in priority tourism sites are accurately identified and engaged.

· Establishing clear, trusted, and durable community governance mechanisms that enable effective participation in social license negotiations with investors.

· Strengthening community capacity to sustain social license agreements through transparent decision-making processes, ongoing communication, and structured grievance-handling and dispute-resolution mechanisms.

· Supporting the Solomon Islands Government, through the Tourism Investment Task Force (TITF), to incorporate lessons learned into policy, procedures, and governance reforms that improve the enabling environment for tourism investment.

Roles and Responsibilities

Task 1: Preliminary Risk Mitigation Assessment (PRMA)

· Conduct a rapid desktop assessment of an ALTIF-selected investment site.

· Identify key land tenure, governance, and community-related risks.

· Engage community representatives, provincial authorities, and neighbouring community leaders to validate information.

Task 2: Full Risk Mitigation Assessment (FRMA)

· Conduct on-site assessments, including one-on-one interviews, small group discussions, and broader community meetings.

· Validate legitimate community interests in the site and assess internal governance risks.

· Undertake social mapping activities to identify groups of influence, governance structures, and potential conflict vectors.

Task 3: Community Preparation for Social License Negotiations

· Engage community members in structured discussions to identify expectations, concerns, and desired benefit streams.

· Build community governance capacity, integrating principles of transparency, inclusivity, and consensus decision-making.

· Establish or strengthen community mechanisms for negotiations, representation, and accountability.

Task 4: Facilitate Social License Negotiations

· Advise community representatives during negotiations with investors.

· Provide pragmatic guidance on compromise positions that balance community needs and investor requirements.

· Facilitate communication between community leaders and community members throughout the negotiation process.

Task 5: Support Development of Ongoing Communication and Monitoring Systems

· Assist communities and investors to define mechanisms for ongoing communication, grievance handling, and dispute resolution.

· Support the establishment of multi-stakeholder committees or alternative context-appropriate structures.

· Document these systems in protocols or meeting minutes to support the longevity of social license agreements.

Task 6: Contribute to Facilitated Governance Reform (FGR)

· Support and assist in the facilitation of Task Force, Working Group, and other FGR meetings, and prepare all supporting materials including agendas, presentations, and minutes.

· Participate in TITF meetings and working groups as an expert in community–investor relations and social license.

· Document lessons learned, best practices, and recommended procedural reforms.

Task 7: Support ALTIF and FoVEP Facilitation

· Provide continuous coaching and mentoring to Task Force and Reform Team members to support work planning, progress tracking, identification of constraints, and collaborative problem-solving.

· Support the Lead Facilitator and M&E Lead Expert in developing, reviewing, and updating the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.

· Support the annual review and update of the ALTIF and Forest Value Enhancement Project (FoVEP)Diagnosis of Shared Barriers.

Task 8: Other Required Actions

· Propose context-specific actions and analytical approaches required to achieve social license for unique investment scenarios.

· Develop tailored plans of action and undertake agreed activities with MCC, SITHP-CCPS, TITF, and relevant stakeholders.

Deliverables

Include deliverables

· Preliminary Risk Mitigation Assessment (PRMA) Report

· Full Risk Mitigation Assessment (FRMA) Report

· Community Capacity Building and Preparedness Report

All other required tasks are indicated in the Terms of Reference (ToR).

Click on the link or copy paste it to access the full Terms of Reference for this position:  

Selection Criteria

Essential Experience and Knowledge

·      Demonstrated expertise in community engagement, social license processes, or community-based governance in Melanesia or similar cultural contexts.

·      Strong understanding of customary land tenure systems and community governance structures in Solomon Islands.

·      Proven experience facilitating negotiations between communities and external stakeholders, preferably in the context of development investments.

·      Demonstrated capacity to conduct qualitative field research, including community consultations and social mapping.

·      Experience designing and delivering community capacity development programs.

·      Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse groups.

·      High cultural competence and sensitivity.

·      Strong analytical judgment and ability to operate in complex, contested environments.

·      Ability to work independently and to tight timelines.

·      Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and diplomatic engagement with communities and investors.

·      Ability to travel extensively to remote areas.

Desirable

· Prior experience supporting tourism sector investments or private sector–community partnerships.

· Experience working with government ministries, provincial authorities, and development partners.

· Familiarity with MCC program requirements and MEL frameworks.

· Experience contributing to policy reform, working groups, or multi-stakeholder governance bodies.

· Experience with tourism investments

HOW TO APPLY
Click the 'Apply Now' button.

Please submit
1. Your updated CV

2. A cover letter (minimum 1–2 pages) that clearly addresses the selection criteria

  
APPLICATIONS CLOSE 5th January 2026 Monday, 11:59 pm Honiara time.
  
Should this role be of interest; we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.  Kindly note only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

DT Global is committed to child protection and safeguarding the welfare of children in the delivery of our international development programs. We are committed to Safety and the Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), and bribery prevention. DT Global is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage women, men, people with diverse backgrounds and people living with disabilities to apply.