Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Specialist 96 views

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in five regional states – Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amhara – and the capital city of Addis Ababa. We engage in both development and humanitarian work, and seek to integrate approaches, programs and geographies as much as possible.  Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies and communities. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title: Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Specialist

Location: Addis Ababa

Number of Positions: One

 Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004, working in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in five regional states – Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Gambella – and the capital city of Addis Ababa. We engage in both development and humanitarian work, and seek to integrate approaches, programs and geographies as much as possible. Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies and communities.

Program / Department Summary

 As an organization, Mercy Corps is committed to accountability to all of our stakeholders, including the people we serve, and to the resources that are entrusted to us. Mercy Corps takes a participatory approach in engaging with local communities throughout the program design and implementation. A Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of Mercy Corps’ commitment to excellence and integrity, by providing individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a means of raising concerns about potential staff misconduct or sharing feedback or programmatic activities (positive and negative) with Mercy Corps, independently from program operations. In the context of Ethiopia, rolling out and implementing CARM will ensure that the Ethiopia country team will continue to uphold Mercy Corps’ high standards of accountability.

General Position Summary

 Supervised by the Humanitarian and Durable Solutions Director, the CARM specialist will lead CARM implementation within the Ethiopia portfolio, dividing his/her time between the continued establishment, maintenance, management, and adaptation of CARM implementation in all existing programs and the rollout of CARM into upcoming new programs. While working with the program teams, MEL teams and Mercy Corps Ethiopia Senior Management Team (SMT), s/he would manage and support the adaptation of CARM strategy and workplans, focusing on CARM rollout and maintenance. The strategy will include the revision and creation of program-specific and country-level standard operating procedures (SOPs), defined processes and mechanisms, intensive writing requirements including the production of country-level bimonthly analysis reports and program-level donor reports on CARM, and the production and development of training plans and awareness materials for staff from both programs and departments on administering Mercy Corps’ accountability framework in communities. This includes Mercy Corps’ own expectations of their staff and program activities. S/he will deal with day-to-day feedback that includes handling of complaints, questions, reports and requests for support as received from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in the communities MC works with directly.

Essential Job Responsibilities

 CARM DESIGN, ADAPTATION AND ROLLOUT

·         Support the adaptation of the Mercy Corps CARM toolkit to the Ethiopia context;

·         Support the participatory development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for each CARM feedback mechanism;

·         Facilitate the establishment of country and program workplans for the rollout of CARM, including processes, procedures, forms, and budgetary guidance;

·         Together with program teams, conduct CARM assessments and evaluations;

·         Develop processes to ensure integration of feedback and evidence-based learning into program implementation;

·         Work with teams to establish internal and external referral mechanisms;

·         Together with MEL colleagues, develop a system for analyzing trends in feedback received;

·         Develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for community members that include Mercy Corps values and how to provide feedback and/or report concerns;

·         Design and disseminate communication material that promotes the use of feedback mechanisms (e.g. hotline business cards, distribution signs, community signs and banners, etc.).

OVERSEE CARM IMPLEMENTATION

·         Follow-up with programmatic teams to ensure that appropriate CARM feedback is efficiently directed through the correct channels;

·         Develop with the support of the Country Director, Director of Humanitarian Programs, and Director of Programs a Complaint Handling Committee to receive complaints;

·         Identify, escalate and follow-up on complaints which are serious and sensitive, including engaging management as necessary to respond appropriately;

·         Conduct field visits, spot checks, trainings, and follow-up on specific feedback cases;

·         Attend and provide input based on feedback into Quarterly Project Reviews and After Action Reviews;

·         Support programs to encourage community participation in needs assessments and project design;

·         Comply with and ensure compliance of global data protection and privacy standards while confidentially receiving, following up on, and reporting on CARM feedback received.

MAINTAIN CARM DOCUMENTATION

·         Create and circulate a semi-annual country-level CARM report for relevant stakeholders, that presents CARM findings, successes, trends, tweaks to implementation processes, and adaptation as a result of feedback received;

·         Capture programmatic adaptation resulting from CARM feedback within impact stories on a monthly basis, meeting with other team members as necessary;

·         Write donor reports on CARM as per programmatic needs, capturing successes and programmatic adaptation as well as trends in feedback received at the program level;

·         Track in detail and via written reports, meeting minutes, and action points the status of high- level, CARM cases;

·         Ensure maintenance and organization of CARM country-level database.

SUPPORT CARM COORDINATION

·         Brief the Senior Leadership Team on a weekly basis and/or as necessary regarding the status of and updates regarding high-level CARM cases;

·         Participate in the Gender Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Working Group and ensure that CARM is represented and well integrated in Mercy Corps’ GDI, Safeguarding and Protection work.

·         Update the Country Director on the status of CARM ongoing high-level, sensitive and confidential cases;

·         Liaise with Mercy Corps Global Headquarters as necessary regarding the status of high-level CARM cases;

·         Advocate for CARM needs at the country-level, identifying gaps in budgeting staffing, time, or other areas.

CAPACITY BUILDING

·         Conduct orientation sessions for staff and field partners and other CARM stakeholders;

·         Together with HR, support integration of CARM training into new employee onboarding;

·         Train staff on receiving complaints and feedback and on community sensitization, particularly on informing communities and handling feedback on sensitive subjects of potential staff misconduct.

COORDINATION

·         Represent MC at relevant internal and external coordination meetings;

·         Collaborate with other actors to develop referral maps and mechanisms for communities where MC implements programs.

Knowledge and Experience

·         BA/S or equivalent, preferable in social sciences including sociology, law, business administration, public administration or international development.  MA/S in similar relevant fields preferred;

·         At least five years of related work experience, preferably with an international or local Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) with at least two years at senior level / supervisor roles;

·         Experience and/or training in handling sensitive information – Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) training is an advantage, including Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Protection knowledge and capacities;

·         Experience with misconduct investigations procedures, best practices and approaches;

·         Proven experience in data collection, data-entry, data/information management and analysis;

·         Fluency in written and oral English and Amharic languages, with additional local languages an advantage. Must be able to read and interpret documents, and communicate with others as necessary to perform job duties effectively.

·         Proven experience in developing or contributing to accountability frameworks, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for feedback mechanisms;

·         The ability to work closely in a team, be patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and work in an environment that is often stressful and potentially volatile;

·         Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language challenges. Tact and diplomacy are essential;

·         Understanding of preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding and how other types of code of conduct issues may arise in CARM mechanisms and best practices for raising awareness of and responding to those concerns;

·         Ability to prepare clear and concise reports;

·         Ability to work independently with a multi-task load.

Success Factors

Critical problem solving skills and the ability to work out methods of delivery in very different operating contexts. S/he will be highly motivated, and capable to work with minimal direct supervision. S/he will demonstrate attention to details, be able to work effectively and build trust with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment and be willing to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field offices and project sites. S/he will have a high level of integrity, empathy and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.