General Position Summary
Mercy Corps is committed to preventing all forms of
exploitation and abuse that may emanate in relation to its programs. A
Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of
Mercy Corps’ commitment to excellence and integrity. It gives individuals,
organizations and local groups a means of raising concerns or sharing feedback
(positive and negative) with Mercy Corps, independently from program
operations. Under the supervision of the Program Performance and Quality
Manager (PaQ) Manager, the Community Accountability and Safeguarding Officer
will lead the CARM design, set up, implementation, and adaptation in all
projects and programs – including directly implemented activities and in
activities implemented with or in collaboration with partners. The Community
Accountability and Safeguarding Officer will lead development of standard
operating procedures (SOPs) for feedback mechanisms for direct implementation;
assess, support, and build capacity of implementing partners in doing the same
for their areas of intervention; and lead on the training of Mercy Corps
staff. They will be responsible for internal and/or external referrals,
compiling reports on processed feedback and providing recommendations to the
programs for improving the response. From a safeguarding standpoint, the
position holder will support the Country Office with capacity building,
safeguarding mainstreaming efforts and overall sensitization of the
Safeguarding Core Standards. They will act as a focal point for reporting and
support efforts towards Mercy Corps’ Safe, Diverse and Inclusive
Commitment.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Design And Implement Carm System And Tools
- Lead existing community accountability reporting mechanisms,
in line with Mercy Corps templates and standards, to capture feedback from
program participants, community, and stakeholders, including complaint
handling mechanisms and data management systems.
- Lead data entry and management in the CARM database, as
required.
- Communicate and disseminate feedback/complaints standard
operating procedures, policies, and tools as appropriate to program
participants, program staff and other stakeholders
- Handling of centralized telephone based and email feedback
- Maintain accurate records of feedback received and actions
taken in response to feedback.
- Support MEL and program teams in utilizing the community
accountability and reporting mechanisms to advance learning and
adaptation.
- Conduct regular analysis of feedback received from program
participants, community, and stakeholders to identify trends, issues and
areas of improvement.
- Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders such as
community representatives, local authorities, and other partners to
promote the use of the community accountability mechanism.
- Ensure feedback channels guarantee total confidentiality of
the information shared, to protect the privacy and safety of the
complainant/informant, the subject of the feedback and other witnesses.
- Ensure that feedback is responded to in a timely and effective
manner and that appropriate actions are taken to address issues raised.
- Regularly assess the effectiveness of all the feedback
channels (both for MCK and partners) by evaluating the community level of
awareness on CARM at relevant frequency and incorporate findings into
revised approaches.
- Follow-up with relevant stakeholders on agreed upon system
corrections, adjustments, and actions, informing, and strategizing with
the PaQ
- Contextualize the CARM policy to support implementation of
accountability actions in country.
- In collaboration with program teams develop program specific
strategies to provide beneficiaries, communities, partners and
stakeholders with available information on CARM and feedback channels
throughout the program cycle with clear repartition of tasks.
- Organize CARM technical meetings to discuss emerging issues
and adjust the system based on evidence from the
- Ensure visibility of CARM system within the organization,
community, partners and
- Develop training materials and conduct accountability related training.
- Work closely with regional and global community accountability
teams to ensure minimum standards and utilize tools and materials.
Safeguarding Training And Awareness Raising
- Use existing resources and tools (both internal and external)
to train members on safeguarding when necessary and requested to by a
department.
- Set up a training plan in coordination with departments to
fulfill Safeguarding Core Standards and ensure team member awareness on
safeguarding standards.
- Sensitize program, HR, procurement and subaward teams on their
responsibilities in Safeguarding Core Standard and provide training as
required, including how to flow down requirements to contractors,
suppliers, consultants and new hires.
- Collaborate with program teams to provide support when
collaborating with partners e.g. completing the Joint Assessment and
Monitoring tool.
- Ensure program teams understand their responsibility in
supporting partners.
- Train key subaward partners when necessary, however ensure
program functions take responsibility e.g. training program team members
on how to deliver safeguarding awareness raising information.
- Coordinate awareness raising and trust-building sessions for
program participants and community members on MC’s Safeguarding commitment
and Safeguarding Core Standards.
- Conduct field visits to assess safeguarding prevention
measures are implemented by teams e.g., complete observational checklists
that assesses safeguarding prevention measures such as adequate
supervision, team member training and other measures.
Systems And Processes
- Work with individuals and teams throughout the country office
to ensure programs and operations integrate community accountability and
safeguarding prevention measures.
- Support safeguarding risk assessments and ensure activities
assessed as having high safeguarding risks are actively implementing
prevention measures
- Support staff to take proactive steps in ensuring all program
activities identify and mitigate risks
- Work with program teams to ensure safeguarding is integrated
in CARM communications
- Act as a resource to senior management around community
accountability and safeguarding best practice and responsibilities
- Follow up with teams to ensure progress towards meeting
Community Accountability Minimum Standards and the Safeguarding Core
Standards; informing senior management when there are gaps or challenges
in progress
Internal And External Coordination
- Share community feedback findings with relevant staff and
management to ensure that issues are addressed in a timely and effective
manner.
- Coordinating with program managers and other relevant staff to
ensure that CARM feedback is integrated into program design, monitoring
and evaluation.
- Coordinate with ethics and safeguarding team to ensure that
CARM is aligned with organization mission and vision.
- Collaborate with Programs and finance departments in proposal
and budget development to ensure community accountability and safeguarding
is planned for and budgeted for in the program designs and budgets.
- Liaise with the grants department to assess partner feedback
mechanism identify strengths, gaps, and capacity of partner feedback
mechanism at due diligence stage.
- Participate in relevant Mercy Corps CARM and Safeguarding
meetings at Country, Programs and Regional level e.g QRMs, CARM COP
meetings, Safeguarding COP meetings.
- Closely work with partners, government agencies, private
sector, and other stakeholders to ensure they are aligned with
requirements and expectations cited in the CARM policy.
- Participate in and represent Mercy Corps at relevant sector
groups and coordination mechanisms such as PSEA Network meetings
Safeguarding Responsibilities
- Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into
their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their
area of work.
- Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the
dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
- Encourages openness and communication in their team,
encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using
reporting mechanisms e.g. Integrity Hotline and other options
Code Of Conduct
- Ensure all field and office-based activities are conducted in
full respect to the humanitarian principles and in organized and dignified
- Conduct themselves both professionally and personally in such
a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its
humanitarian
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor
Organizational Learning
- As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support
of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective,
efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team
members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit
Mercy Corps as well as
Accountability To Beneficiaries
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts
toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to
international standards guiding international relief and development work,
while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the
design, monitoring and evaluation of our field
- Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a
professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies,
procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: PaQ Manager
Works Directly With: Ethics and Assurance Manager, Safeguarding Champions,
CARM Focal Points, MEL team, Director of Programs and Program teams.
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as social sciences,
international development, humanitarian aid or a related field.
- Field-based experience with community feedback and
accountability reporting mechanisms preferred; Technical skills,
experience, and knowledge in PSEAH, safeguarding, protection, GBV or
gender highly desirable
- At least four years of related work experience, preferably
with an international or local Non- Governmental Organization (NGO).
- Proven interest and commitment to humanitarian and development
principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict contexts and
remote
- Knowledge in project management, monitoring and evaluation
including experience with remote data collection, analysis, reporting and
visualization concepts.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability
to engage with program participants, stakeholders, and colleagues at all
levels.
- Experience in working in multi-cultural and diverse
environments with sensitivity to different cultures and customs.
- Experience in creating and designing Power BI reports and
dashboards beneficial.
- Proven track record of implementing feedback and complaints
mechanisms in complex programs and projects.
- Excellent Computer skills: proficiency in MS Office package,
and some knowledge of database management would be an
- Experience in leading and managing teams.
- Report writing skills are
- Fluency in spoken and written English and Kiswahili languages.
How To Apply
