Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

Mercy Corps has been operating in Ethiopia since 2004. In partnership with civil society organizations, private sector, and the government, Mercy Corps Ethiopia has reached more than five million Ethiopians with interventions to save lives and build secure livelihoods. Our programs emphasize market-driven solutions, reinforce social bonds, and help communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Currently in six regional states – Afar, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Amhara and South Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) – Mercy Corps Ethiopia is driven by the mission to contribute the emergence of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia which is inclusive of youth and women. Our strategic directions focus in promoting inclusive and dynamic markets; promoting peace and social cohesion through strengthening formal/informal governance structures and citizen engagement; improved natural resource governance; and integrated humanitarian response.

Position Title: COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING MECHANISM (CARM) Officer

Duty Station: Gambella

Open Position: 1

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.

Mercy Corps anticipates 3 years, 3 million-dollar Hilton Foundation funded initiative focused on:

Strengthening peaceful co-existence and improving livelihoods of Host community and surrounding refugees in Gambella region

General Position Summary

Supervised by the project Coordinator, the CARM officer will lead CARM implementation within the program, dividing his/her time between the continued establishment, maintenance, management, and adaptation of CARM implementation in the program. While working with program team, PaQ team particularly with CARM Advisor. Having a robust community feedback and complaints mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of Mercy Corps’ commitment to program quality, integrity, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, by providing individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a safe and confidential way of raising questions, ideas, suggestions and complaints with Mercy Corps, and to receive a response.

Essential Job Responsibilities

CARM DESIGN, ADAPTATION AND ROLLOUT

• Support the adaptation of the Mercy Corps CARM toolkit to the program context.
• Facilitate the establishment of program workplans for the rollout of CARM, including processes, procedures, forms, and budgetary guidance.
• Together with program teams, conduct CARM assessments.
• Develop processes to ensure integration of feedback and evidence-based learning into program implementation.
• Work with program team to establish feedback collection channels.
• Work with program teams to establish internal and external referral mechanisms.
• 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. distribution signs, community signs and banners, etc.).

OVERSEE CARM IMPLEMENTATION

• Collect, record and response to feedback from the community using the established CARM feedback channels.
• Establish and follow up appropriate feedback is efficiently directed through the correct channels.
• Establish and support Complaint Handling Committee to receive complaints.
• Identify, 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.
• Support program team to encourage community participation during program implementation.

MAINTAIN CARM DOCUMENTATION

• Create and consolidate monthly program -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.
• Support 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 of CARM program-level database.

SUPPORT CARM COORDINATION

• Brief the program team on a weekly basis and/or as necessary regarding the status of and updates regarding high-level CARM cases.
• Liaise with Mercy Corps country level CARM team as necessary regarding the status of high-level CARM cases
• Advocate for CARM needs at the program-level, identifying gaps in budgeting staffing, time, or other areas.

CAPACITY BUILDING

• Conduct orientation CARM sessions for program team, community and other stakeholders
• 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.
• Conduct training on different CARM channels to staffs, community and other stakeholders.

COORDINATION

• Collaborate with other actors to develop referral maps and mechanisms for communities in the program implementation area.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

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 themselves.

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 projects.
• 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 venues.

Safeguarding & Ethics

• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Job Requirements

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S or equivalent, preferable in social sciences including sociology, law, business administration, economics or international development.
• At least 3 years of related work experience, preferably with an international or local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with previous experience on similar post.
• 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 working in high-risk contexts preferred.
• Proven commitment to humanitarian and development principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict contexts and remote work.
• Proven experience in data collection, data-entry, data/information management and analysis.
• At least 2 years of experience in maintaining feedback mechanisms.
• Proven experience in developing or contributing to accountability framework or standard operating procedures for feedback mechanisms.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced emergency response environment and adapt to the rapidly evolving context as necessary
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, communication and networking skills; and the ability to work with diversified populations.
•  High level of self-awareness and self-development with the maturity to deal with constructive feedback
• Excellent Computer skills: proficiency in MS Office package, and some knowledge of database management would be an asset

Success Factors

The successful Community Accountability officer will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrated attention to detail, will be committed to working long hours, and with Mercy Corps stakeholders regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, abilities or gender. S/he will be highly motivated, and capable to work without direct supervision.