Poland Community Accountability Officer -Ukraine Response (National Staff Member)

Location: Poland (Kraków or Warsaw preferred)

Position Status: Full time

Duration: 6 months (renewable depending on the future funding)

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.

Program Summary:

Mercy Corps’ Ukraine crisis response seeks to meet the humanitarian needs of vulnerable Ukrainians and other conflict-affected people where they are: displaced inside Ukraine, refugees in Poland, Romania, and Moldova – or trapped behind the frontlines of the conflict. We aim to reach 500,000 vulnerable people with multi-purpose cash assistance, other humanitarian support, and protection services across four countries. Almost all our impact will be delivered through project partners: with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian, and Moldovan civil society organizations through a program that matches humanitarian action with capacity building, and with peer international NGOs through a consortium in Ukraine. The Consortium is a partnership of four international humanitarian aid agencies to deliver innovative, effective cash and other humanitarian assistance programs to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis within Ukraine.

General Position Summary:

A Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of Mercy Corps’ commitment to program quality, integrity, and efforts to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse. CARM provides individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a way of bringing questions, ideas, suggestions, and complaints to directly Mercy Corps, through safe and confidential channels – and then, to receive a response from our organization. In the context of the Ukraine emergency response, designing and implementing an effective CARM will play a key role in ensuring that emergency assistance is responsive to the changing needs of displaced people, and can adapt over time.

The Community Accountability Officer is an important team member who handles the suggestions, questions, feedback, and complaints from community members and program participants. This helps to make sure that our commitments to responding to feedback are met. In situations where our partners do not have their own community accountability reporting mechanism, the Community Accountability Officer will support partner staff to advertise Mercy Corps CARM channels and will handle feedback received according to agreed procedures. In situations where the partner is developing their own community accountability reporting mechanism, the Community Accountability Officer will support capacity strengthening activities, in collaboration with the Community Accountability Manager, Senior Community Accountability Officer and Partnerships Officers.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

1. Planning & Implementation

• Implement the Country CARM Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for how all feedback and complaints are recorded, graded, and responded to, by:
• Monitoring feedback channels
• Recording feedback daily into the CARM database
• Assigning a feedback grade, depending on the seriousness of the report
• Ensuring that appropriate action is taken
• Ensuring all Ethics-related reports are immediately and directly escalated to the Headquarters Ethics team
• Follow policies related to data protection and privacy.

2. Monitoring & Adaption

• Review reports with the Community Accountability Manager and Senior Community Accountability Officer, on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning data related to CARM
• Assist the Senior Community Accountability Officer in analyzing problems and areas of improvement in the handling of community feedback
• Participate in the implementation of action plans to address weaknesses in CARM
• Participate in lessons, learning sessions, and reviews of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

3. Capacity Development / Sharing

• Actively participate in individual and team learning sessions
• Support the implementation of capacity sharing strategy/plans with partner organizations who are starting, with Mercy Corps’ support, to manage their own CARM system

4. Security

• Ensure compliance with Mercy Corps global, regional and Ukraine specific security procedures and policies, as determined by country leadership

5. 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.

6. Code of Conduct

• Ensure all field and office-based activities are conducted in full respect to the humanitarian principles and in an organized and dignified way
• 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.

Accountability:

Reports Directly To: Senior Community Accountability Officer

Works Directly With: Program CARM Focal Points, Program Team Members, MEL Team, Operations Teams and Ethics/Assurance/Safeguarding.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Degree in social science (sociology, anthropology, psychology, etc.), social work, IT, or other relevant field is preferred
• Candidates with previous professional experience in market research, project management, IT, customer service, or other related areas encouraged to apply.
• Previous work experience in an international or local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is an asset but not required
• Proven experience in data collection and data management
• Excellent computer skills: proficiency in MS Office package, and strong knowledge of database management is required
• Ability to work in a fast-paced emergency response environment and adapt to the rapid changes
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, communication and networking skills; and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• High level of self-awareness and self-development with the maturity to deal with constructive feedback
• Fluency in Ukrainian or Russian required. Proficiency in English and Polish is preferred but not 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 Community Accountability Officer will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, will demonstrate attention to detail, will be committed to working long hours when necessary, and to working with Mercy Corps stakeholders regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, abilities or gender. S/he will be highly motivated, and capable to work with or 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 building skills
• Attention to detail and patience to double check data results
• Self-starter, multi-tasker, solution-seeker and innovator