Community Liaison Officer

Project: Rulikha & Verkh–Uba Exploration Project

Location: Shemonaikha District, East Kazakhstan Region

Role overview:

• The Community Liaison Officer (CLO) is responsible for implementing stakeholder engagement activities at the Project level and serving as the primary point of contact between the Project, local communities, and local authorities.

The CLO ensures that:

• communities understand Project activities (especially drilling works);
• stakeholder concerns are heard early and addressed;
• potential conflicts are prevented through proactive communication;
• the Project maintains constructive relationships with communities and authorities.
• The CLO plays a critical role in preventing escalation of issues (e.g., complaints to Akimat, e-Otinish, or social media) through direct and accessible engagement.

Key responsibilities:

• Act as the main contact person for local communities, land users, and Akimat representatives;
• Establish and maintain regular communication with residents of Rulikha and Verkh–Uba, nearby settlements, land users (formal and informal), and vulnerable groups;
• Organize and conduct community meetings, small group discussions, one-on-one meetings (especially for sensitive issues). One-on-one meetings may include door-knock communication;
• Ensure stakeholders are informed about planned drilling activities, timing and duration, potential disturbances and mitigation measures;
• Establish communication channels for information disclosure, including akimats and their WhatsApp chats with their communities, distribution of leaflets in public places (shops, clinics, schools, akimat offices, publication of advertisements about public consultations in local newspaper/s, etc.);
• Prepare presentation materials for each activity and ensure dissemination of documentation;
• Ensure engagement across all Project phases, including pre-drilling information disclosure, updates during drilling (ex. change of activities location) and post-drilling (including communication with akimats and site visits where required, and post-drilling communication on site restoration, including engagement with akimats and directly affected land users (servitudes);
• Prepare pre-drilling materials for disclosure in Kazakh and Russian languages, including presentations, brief leaflets, and when required drilling location maps (with support from the technical team), which cover key information, and CLO should be able clearly explain Project activities in simple, understandable language, including:
• what drilling is and how it works;
• duration of drilling and sampling;
• equipment used;
• land restoration activities;
• potential impacts (noise, dust, equipment traffic, access restrictions);
• what could theoretically cause risks (e.g., water contamination, explained when requested);
• what measures are in place to prevent such risks, and that all works are temporary, controlled, and monitored.
• Keep records of all participants (name, address, contact details), as well as a separate list of questions and concerns raised, including stakeholder details during public meetings;
• Maintain the Stakeholder Engagement Log;
• Maintain regular communication with Shemonaikha District Akimat and rural akimats, ensuring they are informed about upcoming activities, community concerns, and grievance trends, and supports alignment between the Project, akimats, and communities;
• Ensure that issues are resolved at Project level where possible;
• Maintain coordination with the technical team (drilling, environmental), legal advisor, and management, ensuring that stakeholder concerns are reflected in planning of drilling locations, timing of activities, and mitigation measures;
• Escalate high-risk or unresolved issues to DVK Management.

Grievance redress mechanism:

• Manage the complaint handling mechanism, including receiving and documenting all stakeholder concerns (formal and informal) and ensure all grievances are registered in the Grievance Log, classified (low/medium/high), followed up within required timelines, responses to stakeholders are provided in a clear and accessible manner, and proactively identifying potential issues before they escalate;
• Tracks complaints received via akimat (including official letters from communities and NGOs), e-Otinish (if any), information shared by akimats, and social media (if identified);
• Conducts regular monitoring of social media for concerns related to the Project.

Activities and information for disclosure of sensitive cases:

• Ensure that information for communities regarding water wells and sanitary protection zones (SPZs) is explained clearly and in simple terms. This includes explaining:
• Drilling process (what exactly happens during drilling, what does not happen) and how drilling interacts with groundwater;
• What controlled methods of drilling will be used;
• That all works are coordinated with authorities;
• Works are allowed, but under strict conditions;
• How long drilling takes;
• Whether water from the borehole mix drinking water;
• Distances and protection measures;
• Whether drilling can be moved further away from wells
• How to communicate with the Project team if any concerns or more questions arise;
• Whether noise or dust are expected.

Cemetery and burial sites:

• Ensure respectful communication regarding sensitive locations;
• Explain distances, buffer zones and restrictions;
• Confirm that no works will occur in restricted areas;
• Explain how close the works will be to the cemetery;
• In coordination with Project teams and management, ensure that works can be implemented around important dates;
• Explain that SPZs for animal burial sites will not be affected by the works (if relevant);
• Confirm access to cemetery for community members will not be affected.

Land Access/Servitudes:

• Engage directly with land users before access;
• Explain duration and scope of use;
• Explain land restoration method;
• Agree on access routes;
• Agree on timing for the works (if relevant)
• Support resolution of disputes.
• CLO provides updates/report about engagement activities to DVK management on weekly basis.

Skills and competences:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to engage with communities, authorities, and vulnerable groups;
• Understanding of community dynamics and cultural sensitivities (including sensitive topics such as water and cemeteries);
• Basic understanding of Project activities (exploration drilling, environmental and social aspects);
• Ability to communicate technical information in simple and clear language;
• Ability to manage complaints calmly and prevent escalation, stress resistance;
• Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills;
• Ability to organize meetings, maintain records, and manage documentation;
• Ability to prepare presentations and regular reports;
• Ability to coordinate with internal teams and authorities;
• Fluency in Russian and Kazakh languages.