Community Accountability Manager in Mercy Corps

Будь ласка, надсилайте свої резюме: Community Accountability Manager (Kyiv/ Dnipro/ Odesa/ Mykolaiv) | Mercy Corps Ukraine (ultipro.com)

About Mercy Corps
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 Summary
Mercy Corps' Ukraine response meets the humanitarian needs of people affected by the war in Ukraine. Since the escalation of the war in 2022, Mercy Corps has supported more than 750,000 conflict-affected people in Ukraine and neighboring countries. We have provided cash assistance, in-kind humanitarian assistance, and psychosocial support for people in emergency situations; grants for micro, small and medium businesses, as well as small to medium farming enterprises; and conducted large-scale information campaigns. Notably, nearly all our programming is delivered in partnership with local and national civil society organizations matching humanitarian action and resilience programing with capacity strengthening and a real commitment to localization.

Accountability and Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM):
Accountability to affected populations (AAP) is at the core of Mercy Corps’ programing and we are committed to accountability to all our stakeholders, the resources that are entrusted to us, and especially to the people we serve.

Mercy Corps takes a participatory approach in engaging with local partners and communities throughout the program design and implementation processes. CARM is an essential part of Mercy Corps’ commitment to be accountable to affected populations, to program quality, to integrity, and to enable communities to provide feedback and continuously influence and shape programs. Further, it is a mechanism for the prevention of corruption, fraud, sexual exploitation, and abuse. Mercy Corps’ CARM in Ukraine consists of multiple two-way channels and a database system to manage feedback.
CARM provides individuals, partner organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders with a way of raising questions, ideas, suggestions, and complaints with Mercy Corps – while alsoremaining safe and secure and receiving a timely response from our organization.

The Position
The Community Accountability Manager leads the Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) implementation, monitoring, and adaptation in all projects and programs which are delivered by Mercy Corps within Ukraine, in collaboration with regional staff and our partners in the country. The
work associated with our CARM involves:
• Handling of the feedback system on behalf of Mercy Corps partners;
• Capacity sharing with selected partners to take on the management of CARM independently of Mercy Corps; and
• Regular reporting and engagement to ensure programme and project adaptation and improvement.

The Community Accountability Manager lead a team of Senior Officers and Officers across five sub-offices (Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Mykolaiv and Dnipro), in Ukraine collaborating with partners on the development, and quality control of, feedback methods and to conduct community awareness initiatives.
This position directly oversees the implementation of standard operating procedures for recording, grading, and responding to feedback, ensuring appropriate responses to all feedback, including referrals to other partners as needed.

The Community Accountability Manager continuously monitors the use of CARM across the country to identify and make improvements related to access and inclusion of all crisis-affected people and displaced populations - and will develop reports to promote the use of trends in community feedback to inform continuous adaptations of Mercy Corps’ programs.

Essential Responsibilities

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.

Main Responsibilities

Strategy

• Ensure that CARM processes are informed by Mercy Corps’ global ‘Pathway to Possibility’ strategy and by the Mercy Corps Ukraine Country Strategy;
• Ensure that work with partners upholds and develops Mercy Corps Ukraine's commitment to localisation and capacity sharing with partners; and
• Develop and oversee capacity sharingand career development strategies for the CARM unit and its staff.
• Improve the CARM response in Ukraine following HQ and global guidance on best practices, using evidence and learning.

Planning and Implementation

• Ensure all projects/programs have operational feedback channels that are selected based on community preference and need;
• Develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for community members that includes commitments on staff conduct and program operations, and how to provide feedback and/or report concerns via CARM;
• With other regional staff, review and improve the Ukraine CARM Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for handling feedback internally, and for responding to feedback that is not about Mercy Corps or our partners; and
• In collaboration with CARM colleagues, lead the implementation and monitoring of the Ukraine CARM Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which lay out the way in which feedback and complaints are recorded, graded and responded to while ensuring the following:
  - Timely recording and grading of feedback and daily updating of CARM database;
  - Correct grading of feedback, through verification of feedback grades;
  - That appropriate action is taken, using internal referral pathways, FAQs, and decision making by case management committees (CMC/s), which will involve collaboration with our partners;
  - All ethics-related reports are immediately and directly escalated to the Ethics team;
  - Helping to ensure compliance of global data protection and privacy standards, such as the GDPR, while confidentially receiving, following up on, and reporting on CARM feedback received.

Monitoring and adaption

• Continuously monitor CARM, using agreed indicators, and present and use data to drive decision making on how CARM can be made more accessible and inclusive to all conflict affected and displaced community members;
• Work closely with monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) colleagues to integrate CARM related questions within all MEL tools and ensure CARM indicators are incorporated within each MEL Plan for all programs; and
• Present trends in feedback/complaints and develop ways of working with the program teams in a way that promotes the use of feedback to inform continuous adjustments and adaptations to our programming.

Team management

• Supervise and support the CARM teams assigned to the programming pillars in Mercy Corps Ukraine;
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-ones and performance reviews;
• Lead the recruitment and onboarding process of new CARM staff; and
• Assist CARM team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and reach objectives.

Capacity Development / Sharing

• Onboard and train CARM staff, in line with the capacity development strategy;
• Together with HR, support integration of CARM / community accountability training into new employee onboarding; and
• Implement capacity sharing strategy/plans with all partner organizations who are transitioning, with Mercy Corps’ support, to managing their own CARM systems.

Coordination

• Represent Mercy Corps at relevant internal and external coordination meetings, sharing key information with Mercy Corps colleagues; and
• Collaborate with other actors to develop referral maps and mechanisms for communities where Mercy Corps implements programs.

Supervisory Responsibility

The postholder will oversee a team of about nine staff members, but direct supervisory responsibilities include the Senior Community Accountability Officers, the Senior Hotline Accountability Officer and the CARM Technical Officer.

Accountability:

Reports Directly To: Programme Quality and Standards Director

Works Directly With: Programs Leads/Managers/Coordinators (PAQ, Humanitarian Team, Resilience, RRM), Operations, Procurement, Finance teams, Protection/GESI/Ethics/Safeguarding, Regional and Global CARM team.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

• Degree in a field related to social sciences (sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc.) social work, education, international development - or other relevant fields;
• Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred;
• Previous experience leading or managing a team, including remote work management;
• Proven ability to work cooperatively with internal and external stakeholders, and to play a leadership role in convening groups;
• Skills in partnership development and coordination;
• Intermediate-level report writing skills;
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, communication and networking skills; and the ability to work with diversified populations;
• Ability to work in a fast-paced emergency response environment and adapt to the rapidly evolving context as necessary;
• High level of self-awareness and self-development with the maturity to deal with constructive feedback;
• Commitment to humanitarian and development principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict contexts; and
• Fluency in Ukrainian and Russian is required. Working level proficiency in English is also required.

Success Factors:

Any skills gained through education, volunteering, work, or life experience that are relevant for the position will be considered. Be sure to fully explain transferable skills and success factors and how they apply to this position in your cover letter.

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

Other factors include:

• The ability to work under pressure;
• Willingness and ability to quickly learn new information/concepts and implement them;
• Strong team player with initiative and positive attitude towards problem solving;
• A learning approach to work with excellent capacity strengthening skills;
• Attention to detail and patience to double check data results;
• Commitment to effective collaboration with partners; and
• Self-starter, multi-tasker, solution-seeker and innovator.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

During the field trips living conditions will be adjusted to the field conditions.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.   

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

 We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

 We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

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. By applying for this role an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding or trafficking policy. 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 Ethics Policies and values ​​at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Ethics eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to the Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline ([email protected]). 

Only pre-selected candidates will be invited for an interview.

Persons with disabilities and veterans are welcome to apply for this position.

Mercy Corpscreated a workplace to employ people with disabilities and veterans, and proper working conditions for this position, but it does not limit the number of persons who may apply for this vacancy.