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  

The Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) unit exists to strengthen program efforts and ensure accountability to community and participants. The CARM Unit creates awareness across communities, collect, collate feedback and facilitate provision of timely feedback using appropriate feedback channel as documented in CARM SoP.

General Position Summary 

A Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is an essential part of Mercy Corps' commitment to excellence and integrity, by providing individuals, organizations, local groups, and other stakeholders a means of raising concerns about potential staff misconduct or sharing feedback or programmatic activities (positive and negative) with Mercy Corps, independently from program operations. In the context of Sudan, rolling out and implementing CARM will ensure that the Sudan team will continue to uphold Mercy Corps' high standards of accountability, The CARM Officer will support CARM implementation. The successful candidate will divide his/her time between the continued establishment, maintenance, management, and adaptation of CARM implementation and rollout of CARM across the program.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Implementation and Program Quality:

• Support the implementation and adaptation of the Sudan CARM strategy/operational manual.
• Establish and manage program level feedback channels (helpdesk, intake forms, suggestion boxes, community accountability community, community ambassadors, face-to-face).
• Log all feedback and responses in the CARM database.
• Refer sector specific feedback to appropriate channels for resolutions. Ensure all documents and actions taken are documented and feedback is given to the informants.
• Ensure feedback is closed within the appropriate timeframe.
• Support the creation and circulation of monthly CARM report for relevant stakeholders, that presents CARM findings, successes, trends and tweaks to implementation processes, and adaptation as a result of feedback received.
• Support in the preparation of a weekly and/or as necessary status update on CARM for field teams.
• Support in the development of work plans at the field level for the implementation of CARM.
• Conduct sensitization on CARM to community members. Ensure inclusive sensitization in all communities.
• Support the communications team and/or local partners in designing and disseminating appropriate communication materials that promote the use of feedback mechanisms or transparency (hotline, business cards, distribution signs, community signs and banners, etc.).
• Conduct field visits, engage in CARM spot checks.
• Liaise with necessary units to support programs in encouraging community participation in needs assessments and project design.
• Support in the maintenance and organization of program CARM database, in coordination with the Country CARM Coordinator.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required that may be assigned from time by supervisor.

Coordination:

• Collaborate with other actors to develop referral maps and mechanisms for communities where Mercy Corps implements programs.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary 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.

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
  Supervisory Responsibility

None 

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Country CARM Coordinator

Works Directly With: Program Team, PaQ team members including MEL Teams, including Mercy Corps participants.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of NCE/OND or equivalent in relevant field. 
• 1-3 years of related work experience, preferably with an international or local Non- Governmental Organization (NGO).
• Excellent writing skills in English and Sudani Arabic.
• Proven experience in data collection, data-entry, data/information management and analysis.
• Proven experience in developing or contributing to accountability frameworks, Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for feedback mechanisms.
• Experience and/or training in handling sensitive information - Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) training is an advantage.
• The ability to work closely in a team, be patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and work in an environment that is often stressful and potentially volatile.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, considering challenges. 

Success Factors 

The ideal candidate will have a strong curiosity for understanding and working effectively within the complex cultural, political, security and social environment of Sudan.  S/he will be an excellent communicator, multi-tasker, and able to work in ambiguous situations as well as possess a meticulous eye for detail to ensure data accuracy and consistency within the database.

S/he should be a tolerant and flexible individual, able to work in difficult and stressful environments and follow procedures.  The successful candidate will be focused on team building and capacity-building of staff; be a strategic thinker, have strong skills in design monitoring and evaluation of development programs and maintain a sense of humor.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions 

The position is based North Kordofan,  and requires up to 50% travel to different field locations within the state. Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values always and in all in-country venues.

Fostering a diverse and open workplace is an important part of Mercy Corps’ vision.  Mercy Corps is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment.

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

Safeguarding and 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. As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).

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.