Senior Community Accountability Officer – Ukraine Response (Candidates must have the rights to live and work in Poland)

Position Description

Location: Poland

Position Status Full time

This position is for 3 months, with the possibility of extension depending on 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/ DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps is responding to the Ukraine emergency since military operations were launched across the country in February 2022. The attacks set off a wave of displacement internally and into the countries along Ukraine’s borders. 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 program quality, integrity, and the prevention of any type of sexual exploitation and abuse, by providing individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a means of raising questions, ideas, suggestions and complaints with Mercy Corps, through safe and confidential channels, and to receive a response. 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 needs of displaced people, and continuously adapts over time.

General Position Summary

The Senior Community Accountability Officer is a key team member who will supervise a team of Community Accountability Officer(s) in a Mercy Corps sub office/s. In situations where our partners do not have their own community accountability reporting mechanism, the Senior Officer is responsible for ensuring that the partner’s staff advertises Mercy Corps CARM channels, and that all feedback is handled by Mercy Corps Community Accountability Officers according to agreed internal Standard Operational Procedure (SOPs). In situations where the partner is working towards establishing their own community accountability reporting mechanism, the Senior Community Accountability Officer will be engaged in capacity strengthening activities, including training and mentoring, in consultation with the Community Accountability Manager and Partnerships and Cash Officers.

Essential Job Responsibilities

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

• In new programming locations/communities, with partners, coordinate community consultations to determine context appropriate feedback channels and other adaptations to ensure that CARM is accessible, known and trusted by community members
• In collaboration with Mercy Corps partners pilot IEC materials and key messages with communities, , to determine adjustments that are required to ensure intended meaning is communicated
• Ensure the distribution of IEC materials and delivery of key messages that inform community members on how to use CARM across all programming locations
• Continuously monitor, review and update program CARM FAQs for the program area/location in collaboration with the program team
• Supervise the implementation and monitoring of Country CARM Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for how all feedback and complaints are logged, graded and responded to;
  • Ensure timely logging of feedback and daily updating of country CARM database;
  • Ensure correct grading of feedback, through verification of feedback grades;
  • Allocate a nominated Community Accountability Officer to handle each piece of feedback or ‘case’;
  • Ensure that appropriate action is taken, through the use of internal referral pathways, FAQs and decision making by case management committees (CMC/s), which will involve collaboration with our partners;
  • Ensure all Ethics-related reports are immediately and directly escalated to the HQ Ethics team;
  • Ensure that the feedback loop is closed for all feedback/complaints received;
  • Ensure compliance of global data protection and privacy standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR/RODO) while confidentially receiving, following up on, and reporting on CARM feedback received.

MONITORING AND ADAPTATION

• Monitor intervention sites, along with program staff, to ensure that feedback channels are operational
• Review dashboards reports with the Community Accountability Manager, on MEL data related to CARM
• Develop, implement and monitor action plans to address weaknesses in CARM, such as barriers to participation by marginalized groups and average case closure times

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT / SHARING

• Onboard, train and mentor Community Accountability Officers, in line with the capacity development strategy that is established and monitored by the Community Accountability Advisor and Community Accountability Manager
• Co-implement capacity sharing strategy/plans with all partner organizations who are transitioning, with Mercy Corps’ support, to managing their own CARM

SECURITY

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

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.

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: Community Accountability Manager.

Line management: Community Accountability Officer/s

Works Directly With: Program CARM Focal Points, Partnership Officers, Cash Officers; program Managers and Officers; MEL Team, Operations Teams and Ethics/ Assurance/ Safeguarding.

Knowledge and Experience

• Required
  • Bachelor’s degree in social work, IT, or other relevant fields is preferred.
  • At least 3 year of related work experience,
  • Experience working with highly vulnerable people is preferred.
  • Proven experience in remote data collection, and data management.
  • Excellent Computer skills: proficiency in MS Office package, and strong knowledge of database management is required.
  • Fluency in Polish or Ukrainian is required.
• Preferred
  • Previous work experience in an international or local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is preferred.
  • Proficiency in Ukrainian, or Russian is preferred.

Success Factorsand Transferable Skills

Any skills you have gained through education, volunteer, 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 Senior Community Accountability Officer will have good communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrated attention to details, 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 with or without direct supervision. Other factors include:

• The ability to work under pressure
• 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.
• 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.

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 theInteragency 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 elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.