Field Officer

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

Syrian refugees and asylum seekers began fleeing the insecurity and entering the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as early as March 2011. As of May 26, 2013, UNHCR reports over 486,000 Syrian refugees residing in Jordan, including both registered and those awaiting registration. The Government of Jordan (GoJ) estimates that there are over 513,000 Syrians in the country. Most are in towns and villages in and around northern cities including Irbid, Ramtha, Mafraq, Amman and Zarqa. Thousands of others are in camps, including Zaatari camp. A new camp in Al Azraq will open in June and will initially host 110,000 refugees. According to UNHCR data 40% of the registered Syrian refugees are children from 5 to 17 years old. UNICEF has been working with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to establish schools in Zaatari and new camps. In urban communities, Syrian refugees with UNHCR appointment and registration and/or GoJ service cards may register children in public schools. While there have been over 30,000 Syrian children registered in 2012-2013, there is no official data on the number of Syrian children with disabilities in schools. There is anecdotal data that Syrian parents are turned away when they approach schools in Zaatari camp and urban communities to enroll children with disabilities due to the lack of resources and capacity. Stress, fear and anxiety among children also hinder their learning. Psycho-social interventions are required to improve their well-being and performance. Mercy Corps proposes to provide Syrian, Iraqi and Jordanian boys and girls with and without disabilities in the refugee camps and urban communities with equal rights and access to public and specialized education and psycho-social support in Jordan.

Position Duration: 4 months

The Position

Field officer will oversee daily implementation of the Program on Access to Education and Psycho-Social Support for Children with and without Disabilities in Public Schools. S/he will provide oversight the Program activities in schools and communities, including trainings, community events, teachers/parents meetings, support provided to children with disabilities and after-school program (ASP) activities. Field officer will ensure participation of teaching staff, parents, shadow teachers and disability experts, and communities in Program activities. S/he will assist Project Coordinators and Manager in monitoring activities, providing follow up, and preparing weekly updates and monthly progress reports. Field Officer will report directly to Project Coordinator.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Assist Project Coordinators and Manager in all operations related to the project implementation.
2. Support community outreach and identification of children with disabilities.
3. Orient and provide oversight of shadow teachers to prepare the IEPs.
4. Prepare, conduct, coordinate and monitor the training events, including training of teaching staff and parents training.
5. Orient and provide oversight of shadow teachers to ensure quality and learning.
6. Conduct regular teachers’ meetings to ensure providing the high quality of education.
7. Conduct parents’ meetings discussing children situation and IEPs.
8. Prepare and conduct community sensitization events
9. Follow-up the daily attendance of students in schools and follow-up their absence response.
10. Coordinate daily activities, including schedule and delivery of activities, and case referrals.
11. Oversee and provide guidance to the Shadow teachers, facilitators , and Minders.
12. Ensure safety and security of children and team.
13. Monitor schools upgrades, teachers’ and parents’ performance, enrolment, children’s learning progress and psycho-social improvements,
14. Contribute to overall monitoring and evaluation efforts in accordance with the pan, including monitoring, data collection, Data entry, analysis, report writing
15. Prepare weekly updates and monthly progress reports, including achievements, challenges and recommendations
16. Support in preparing training materials, Oversee and evaluate all training events.
17. Work effectively to provide equipment for the students with disability based on their need
18. Oversee the provision of the accommodative equipment and assistive devices is aligned with MC’s policy
19. Identify the students who need rehabilitation sessions and report on the quality of the sessions.
20. Identify the students who need transportation and ensure the payments is aligned with MC’s policy
21. Conduct field orientation for the newly hired shadow teachers.
22. Coordinate with other international and local organizations, local government and other stakeholders in the area of education, disability and child protection
23. Attend the activity prperation activities in th efield with partners and working NGO in the field.
24. Coordinate with DOE focal points for field follow up visits, orientation sessions , meeting to facilitate some sort of activities.
25. Provide support for organizing visits, meeting, events, training, and workshops
26. 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.
27. Facilitates the provision visual and hearing tests.
28. Follow up the performance of the shadow teachers and facilitators.
29. Conduct exams for hiring new assistant teachers , facilitators, and minders, and participate in the process of interview and hiring.
30. Other duties as assigned.

REGIONAL SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

1. Ensure that effective systems are in place in all country offices for the adequate management of human resources, financial and operational field support functions;
2. Review and support country team adherence to Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures;
3. Capture and disseminate best practices on operations, finance and HR systems across country teams to ensure highest quality and standards.
4. Provide dedicated support to country teams in the event of an emergency or start up of a complex program that requires additional resources.
5. Collaborate with country finance leads in producing bi-annual master budgets.

HUMAN RESOURCES, SAFEGUARDING AND DIVERSITY

1. Support Mercy Corps global and regional initiatives for human resources, including safeguarding and diversity, and talent development;
2. Collaborate with the people team to promote staff access to high quality learning opportunities, with a special emphasis on national team member development;
3. Assist with the on-boarding of senior team members, ensuring they are set up for success and familiar with agency systems, procedures, and protocols.

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Engage and support countries across the region to ensure that adequate risk management systems are in place;
• Collaborate with country leadership to support preparedness and response to major disruptive events;
• Engage with country teams on the internal audit process to track findings and ensure country team compliance with IA findings and recommendations;
• Engage with country level Ethics and Assurance managers as well as the global Ethics and Assurance department to track and analyze trends and needs across countries;

Supervisory Responsibility

• Shadow Teachers, Facilitators, and Minders

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Program Coordinator

Works Directly With: Program Manager

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• College degree in Special Education, Occupational Therapy, Social Work or other related field
• At least 2 years of related experience performing required tasks in development or relief context
• Good understanding of the context of inclusive and special education in Jordan, and/or psycho-social support
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team
• Strong verbal and written communications skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel and Word
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel
• Knowledge of English is preferable
• Internationally recognized qualification in project or program management or a commitment to obtain the qualification in the early months of work.
• Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

Success Factors

• Deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values
• Willingness to learn new skills and methodologies
• Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision
• Demonstrated organizational skills
• Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills
• Security, political and cultural aware

Competencies

• Follow-up
• Time-Management
• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Collaboration/Teamwork

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in Amman, Jordan or other Middle East Mercy Corps locations and it requires up to 40% travel to support country programs, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

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. 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.

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