Community, Accountability, and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Coordinator (Applications will only be accepted if submitted through the URL link provided below)

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, partnering closely with civil society, and facilitating economic development. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently has offices in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while at the same time responding to emergencies as they occur in the country.  In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria. Since then, Mercy Corps Lebanon has solidified its portfolio, integrating emergency response programming with longer-term development programming by focusing on the following key sectors: Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Local Governance and Conflict Mitigation, Agriculture, Livelihoods and Economic Development, and Food Security.

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 150 staff working across five offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, Tripoli and the Bekaa Valley.

Program Summary - PaQ

The Performance and Quality Unit (PaQ) collaborates with program teams, supporting departments and partners to use evidence to design and deliver relevant and impactful programs that improve the lives of program participants. The PaQ unit supports team development and assists teams to design and implement robust monitoring, evaluation, and accountability systems that prove impact, inform areas for improvement, and ensure accountability to the principles of good program management, as well as to our end participants and other stakeholders. The PaQ Unit manages MC Lebanon’s Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM), 3assama3.

General Position Summary

The Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Coordinator works closely with the Program Performance and Quality (PAQ) Team and s/he is the country CARM focal point to provide support to the management of the CARM system. Main responsibilities within the position include: 1) integrating CARM into programs; 2) keeping the CARM SOPs up to date; 3) establishing reporting/feedback processes and mechanisms: 4) developing training plans and awareness materials for staff and with partners on the implementation of the CARM framework in communities.  S/he will deal with escalating feedback received from various CARM channels. In addition to this S/he will work on verifying the day-to-day feedback including complaints, questions, reports, and requests for support as received by the CARM assistants or officers.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the PAQ Manager, the CARM Coordinator provides efficient and effective support to the PaQ Unit, including:

Mainstreaming accountability at MC Lebanon

• • Lead on the development of MC Lebanon Accountability strategy and workplan, based on global and regional guidance and in coordination with Lebanon program teams.
  • Ensure Mercy Corps’ global CARM minimum standards are met and advise on accountability best practices (risk analysis, mitigation measures, CARM systems, referrals, etc) for new program proposals as well as during program start up and strategic discussions. Write the accountability section of all programmatic progress reports and new proposals.
  • Assessing and developing country level CARM processes and tools and developing the CARM strategy for each program in close coordination with the Project managers and Program CARM focal points;
  • Contribute to the evaluation and production of lessons learnt for MC programs adherence with accountability best practices and minimum standards.
  • Together with MEL colleagues, develop a system for analyzing trends on received feedback.
  • Ensure that feedback received through accountability channels is being documented and used by program teams for adaptive management.
  • Support the PaQ team during the close out phase to ensure all documentation (electronic and hardcopy) is in place and is filed appropriately.
  • Represent MC at relevant internal and external coordination meetings (e.g. accountability, referrals).
  • Ensure all CARM 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 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; and
  • Support the Program Performance and Quality Unit with other tasks as assigned.

Management of the Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM)

• • Ensure continued establishment, maintenance, and management of CARM implementation in existing programs and the roll-out of CARM into new programs.
  • Keep the CARM SOP updated and practical through a comprehensive assessment with support of the program teams and communities where Mercy Corps operates. Develop workplans for the implementation of CARM establishing systems, procedures, and forms adequate to each project/location/participant.
  • Ensure CARM policy is followed by Mercy Corps partners and service providers.
  • Lead the review, reflection and learning process to improve the performance of CARM. Identifying and piloting new feedback channels and CARM initiatives with program team members. Work with other teams (i.e: CARM in the region, T4D) to regularly enhance the CARM system based on learnings and data analysis.
  • Develop necessary information, education, and communication materials on accountability for internal and external use. Coordinate with program CARM focal points and the rest of the PaQ team to ensure the communication and dissemination of CARM communication materials as appropriate to program participants and other stakeholders throughout program activities, including through CARM integration checklist and PM@MC minimum standards.
  • Analyze CARM monitoring data and produce quarterly CARM reports to be shared with MC teams. Consolidate and prepare a written report of all received CARM cases every two months, including substantial findings, successes, trends, and adaptations.
  • Support the PaQ team to ensure CARM staffing, and operational costs are included in budgets and proposals under development.
  • Conduct monitoring field visits to track  the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of CARM. Conduct community consultations and feedback sessions as part of learning and development.

Processing of Feedback and Management of CARM data

• • Responsible for the overall processing of calls received through the 3assama3 hotline.
  • Responsible for working on testing a new feedback intake system in collaboration with Mercy Corps HQ.
  • Manage the CARM assistants and daily workers that operate the Mercy Corps Lebanon CARM Hotline and ensure all calls are received and responded to. Take on calls and feedback when necessary.
  • Verify received feedback documented by Mercy Corps team members and daily workers and ensure complaints are well documented. Ensure confidentiality for all the complaints and feedback received through the hotline and always protect participants’ identity.
  • Grade program participants’ feedback and complaints through the other feedback channels including email and suggestion boxes and acknowledge receipt. 
  • Coordinate with the program CARM Focal Points to work on internal referrals, sensitization and to collect the information to include them in the Mercy Corps Active Programs Info book.
  • Process and follow up on all feedback received according to the CARM Guidelines and SoPs. Escalate feedback Categories 5 and 6
  • Work with the program teams to track and close all open CARM cases (Categories 1-4), ensure that all actions are recorded, no further follow-up is needed, and that all actions taken are communicated to identified informants.
  • Maintain the CARM database as needed and ensure the data quality of the database(s) in alignment with retention schedule requirements.
  • Work closely with the RIMS Technical Focal Point in MC Lebanon to roll out the system to other team members and facilitate referrals.
  • On a monthly basis update MC’s service mapping of active actors in the program areas.

Technical Support to Teams and Capacity Building 

• • Conduct orientation sessions for all departments and positions on accountability and their roles and responsibilities toward a successful implementation of an accountability and reporting mechanism.  
  • Train program staff on receiving complaints and feedback and on community sensitization.
  • Provide onboarding, training and on the job support to CARM team members or daily workers for handling calls/complaints, registration, and follow up. Provide technical oversight and feedback to CARM team members or daily workers and ensure appropriate team members management in coordination with their respective supervisors and / or program managers.
  • Play an active role in hiring, orienting and leading CARM team members as necessary.
  • Work with Program Managers to analyze the CARM gaps and provide follow up suggestions to strengthen CARM within their individual programs.

Acts as Safeguarding Focal Point

• • Act as the main Safeguarding focal point for Mercy Corps in Lebanon and coordinate with HQ and the region to ensure appropriate mainstreaming of safeguarding.
  • In partnership with teams, identify, map, and regularly update local support services available to survivors;.
  • Develop understanding of Safeguarding policies and accompanying policy guidance support materials. Ensure preparation of Safeguarding Protocols in coordination with Operations department and develop work-plan of safeguarding activities.
  • Conducts orientation of SMT and team members on safeguarding.
  • In   partnership   with   the program   team, assist   in   facilitating   Safeguarding   awareness-raising in   local   communities through trainings and refreshers.
  • Act   as   a   reporting   avenue   for   Safeguarding   related   issues, concerns or experiences and ensure   next   steps   occur   in   accordance   with   organizational   policies   and procedures.
  • When   requested by the ethics team, exceptionally provide support   on   investigations.
  • Act   as   a   resource   to   survivors   and   help   ensure   their   safety, security   and   well-being.

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

CARM Officers, CARM Assistants, CARM Daily Workers

Accountability

Reports Directly to: PAQ Manager

Works Directly with: Programs teams, Information Management Coordinator, Country MERL Advisor, Grants Manager, Regional CARM Advisor

Knowledge and Experience

• • • BA in Development, Social Studies, Humanitarian and International Affairs, or other  related fields;
    • Previous experience with Non-Governmental Organizations in an Accountability capacity is a must;
    • Previous experience in handling a feedback channel;
    • Previous experience working with management of referrals is a great plus;
    • Technical knowledge of information management and database management is a plus;
    • Understanding of best practices in ethics management and accountability within INGOs, including best practices for investigations of ethical violations.
    • Experience in designing and facilitating sensitization and capacity building sessions at different levels with diverse, multicultural teams;
    • Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
    • Excellent communication skills and ability to relate to people at different levels with ease and confidence;
    • The ability to patiently listen to and effectively handle participant feedback and complaints;
    • Fluency in Arabic is essential as well as intermediate knowledge of English;

Success Factors

The successful Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Coordinator will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn. S/he will possess an exemplary professional standard of ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance with Mercy Corps’ internal policies and procedures and external regulations. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according 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.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Beirut, Lebanon.