Emergency CARM & Safeguarding Officer (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

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 present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps is committed to generating positive opportunities for women, men, boys and girls from Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian communities, with a strong focus on engaging youth.  Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. Our programs focus on four sectors: Economic Opportunities, Governance and Social Stability, Youth Engagement, and Humanitarian interventions. The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 100 staff working across four offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa Valley. 

Program Summary 

Under the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded “Emergency Response project” in the Bekaa area, Mercy Corps, in partnership with LOST, will distribute non-food items (NFIs) to 2,000 individuals across 11 emergency designated collective shelters in the Baalbek-Hermel governorate, reaching an average of 500 internally displaced households. Additionally, Emergency Cash Assistance (ECA) will be provided to families living in inadequate or substandard housing. Utilizing insights from the Lebanon Crisis Analytics Team (LCAT), Mercy Corps will implement vulnerability-based targeting to select households for assistance, aiming to deliver essential support to those most affected by the current emergency in the region. 

General Position Summary 

The Emergency CARM Officer works closely with the CARM team and Emergency program team to provide support to the management of the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanisms (CARM) in the program. Main responsibilities within the position include: 1) the overall process of the feedback mechanism including CARM with partners ,2) processing and escalating feedback based on the CARM Feedback grades, 3) mainstreaming reporting/feedback processes and mechanisms in the community, 4) conducting field visits as needed.  

Essential Job Responsibilities 

Under the direct supervision of Mercy Corps Lebanon’s Accountability and Reporting Coordinator, and working closely with the Emergency program team, the Community Accountability and Referral Officer will be providing efficient and effective support to the program team, including: 

• Set up & Integration of CARM in the program  
• Support the CARM coordinator in setting up the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism for the Emergency Response program. 
• Ensure program has at least 2-3 context-appropriate feedback channels 
• Ensure the program is accurately reflected in the CARM SOP 
• Report identified gaps to the country CARM Coordinator and Program Manager (PM). 
• Complete program CARM checklist and CARM minimum standards  
• Work with program team to facilitate the production of program FAQ sheets 
• Contribute to the review, reflection and learning process and document lessons learnt 
• Follow up with partners to ensure that their feedback mechanism aligns with MC’s mechanism and standards. 

Partnership engagement: 

• Collaborate with partner organizations to enhance the effectiveness of the CARM. 
• Support the CARM coordinator in the capacity building of Mercy Corps partners in the Bekaa/Baalbek-Hermel area related to CARM implementation and best practices. 
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and joint learning initiatives between Mercy Corps and partners to strengthen community accountability efforts. 
• Processing Feedback, and managing the program CARM Database: 
• Oversee the process of collection of face-to-face feedback, and feedback from suggestion boxes  
• Work with the program team to track and close all open CARM cases (Categories 1-3), ensure that all actions are recorded, no further follow-up is needed, and that all actions taken are communicated to identified informants and the feedback loop is closed for all cases 
• Prepare weekly feedback list for program team review for Grades 1-3 
• Ensure confidentiality for all complaints and feedback always received and protect identities 
• Document and track both partners’ and Mercy Corps’ feedback in a harmonized sheet. 
• Sensitization and building community awareness on CARM channels 
• Ensure information on feedback channels is visible in intervention communities 
• Sensitize community members on available feedback channels regularly via face-to-face sessions/field visits 
• Ensure that feedback channels are accessible to marginalized groups  
• Prepare and conduct CARM inductions for program participants and/or partner teams 

CARM Monitoring 

• Conduct monitoring field visits and phone surveys to collect useful and timely information to track the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of CARM, and to close the feedback loop 
• Conduct community consultations and feedback sessions as part of learning and development, in collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation team when needed 
• Liasing with MEL to review PDM feedback and extract any CARM feedback.  

SAFEGUARDING ROLE: 

• Sensitize the Emergency program, procurement and subaward teams on their responsibilities in Safeguarding Core Standard 5 and 6 
• 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 
• Collaborate with Program team to improve delivery of community safeguarding sensitization towards participants and community members  
• In coordination with CARM and program teams work to ensure communities and participants understand their rights and reporting options and build trust around response systems and survivor support 
• Conduct field visits to provide SG sensitization, 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 

Other 

• In addition to the above, the Emergency CARM and Safeguarding Officer may be asked to:  
• Represent Mercy Corps in Working groups in the geographical area of intervention – Bekaa/Baalbek-Hermel 
• Support in the CARM capacity building of Mercy Corps partners in the geographical area of intervention – Bekaa/Baalbek-Hermel 
• Support the Country CARM Coordinator with identifying and piloting new CARM initiatives 
• Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy 
• Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities 
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission 

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. 

Supervisory Responsibility/Team Management 

None  

Accountability 

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our project participants guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participating 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. 

Reports Directly to: Accountability and Reporting Coordinator  

Works Directly with: CARM team, Emergency Program team, and Program Quality, Evidence & Learning Manager.  

Knowledge and Experience 

• BA in Development, Social Studies, Humanitarian Studies, or other related fields. 
• Experience with Non-Governmental Organizations in Accountability capacity is a must.  
• Experience with implementing emergency programs is an asset.  
• Experience in handling a feedback channel or referrals is an asset. 
• Experience working in target areas (Bekaa and Baalbek El-Hermel) is an asset. 
• Excellent communication skills and ability to relate to people with ease and confidence. 
• The ability to patiently listen to and effectively handle participant feedback and complaints. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Fluency in English and Arabic is essential. 
• Computer literacy is essential.  

Success Factors 

The successful Emergency CARM Officer will be bright, energetic, hard-working, and eager to learn. S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and to a very high standard of quality. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Mercy Corps’ values. 

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 on the basis of 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 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.