Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Assistant
Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) Assistant
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
As an organization, Mercy Corps is committed to accountability to all of our stakeholders, including the people we
serve. 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 excellence and integrity, by providing individuals, organizations and local groups a
means of raising concerns about potential staff misconduct or sharing feedback on programmatic activities
(positive and negative) with Mercy Corps, independently from program operations. In the context of Jordan,
implementation and engagement of a CARM will ensure that the country team’s programs will continue to uphold
Mercy Corps’ high standards of accountability.
General Position Summary
The CARM Assistant supports the CARM team in rolling out CARM in Jordan. They would be specifically
responsible for the day-to-day implementation of tasks such as receiving, monitoring, prioritizing and categorizing
CARM data from predefined feedback streams for Mercy Corps Jordan programs. The CARM assistant is
responsible for answering the phone within defined hours of service and handling live community feedback in a
responsible, courteous and respectful manner and is responsible for receiving, collating and categorizing
feedback from at least five different channels: phone hotline, feedback boxes, face to face and a CARM email
address for all programs, in addition to online platforms (facebook, IG and others). The assistant works closely
with the program staff to ensure that CARM feedback channels are safe, confidential and accessible for
participants and greater community. The position also ensures feedback on behalf of Mercy Corps provided in a
timely and appropriate manner to the beneficiary and/or community.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
GENERAL
● Together with the CARM team, support the development and implementation of a Community
Accountability and Response Mechanism for direct implementation tracking trends in feedback received.
mercycorps.org
● Collect unsolicited and solicited feedback from different channels; feedback boxes, WhatsApp, calls, text,
voice messages, online forms, email, and assessments.
● Monitor and input feedback from all feedback channels into the CARM database.
● Provide timely responses via the feedback channels, leveraging CARM for two-way feedback.
● Ensure the CARM database is accurate and up to date on a daily basis according to CARM database
guidelines.
● Conduct phone call surveys or focus group discussion (FGD) with stakeholders to select appropriate
channels to collect feedback.
● Share CARM messages, CARM video, or CARM digital brochure with program participants/stakeholders.
● Ensure elevation of serious complaints and maintain an integrity attitude when addressing serious issues.
● Translate feedback from Arabic to English, for example prior to inputting it into the CARM database and
provide a summary.
● Categorizing the feedback according to the Mercy Corps Grading system.
● ESCALATING THE FEEDBACK AS PER THE COUNTRY SOP OR PROVIDING THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE AS PER THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
● Closing the feedback loop with the informant to ensure that Mercy Corps builds trust and encourages
acceptance within stakeholders or program participants.
● Support the CARM coordinator in planning, facilitating and CARM staff training and tracking staff
attendance.
● Support theCARM team in facilitating info sessions, FGDs, and data collection.
● Complete other tasks assigned by the line manager.
PROJECT COORDINATION ACTIVITIES
● In collaboration with CARM focal points and program team members, keep track of CARM assets and fill
out CARM incident reports.
● Together with program teams, work on referring, solving, and closing loops of cases.
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.
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.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO PARTICIPANTS
● Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our
participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while
actively engaging participants and communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and
evaluation of our field projects.
● Other duties related to CARM implementation, partners and communities’ capacity building/ sensitization
activities, and CARM data collection as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly to CARM Coordinator
Works Directly with CARM Senior Officer, CARM Officer, CARM program level focal points, CARM
backstop, all project/program teams, and Mercy Corps participants.
Knowledge and Experience
● Bachelor’s degree in Social work or Business or equivalent in a relevant field.
● Minimum one year of work experience in relevant work including referral experience or accountability or
customer service.
● Arabic and English languages, written and spoken, are essential.
● Ability to translate professional, personable, community-focused letters from skills from English to
Arabic, and vice versa.
● Experience with Microsoft Office (excel, word, and PowerPoint) and Google drive is required.
● Data entry, data/information management, and data analysis skills.
● Experience and/or training in handling sensitive information, particularly with respect to Sexual and
Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as well as Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
specifically, and finally Child Protection
● Understanding of preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding, and how other types of
code-of-conduct issues may arise in CARM mechanisms and best practices for raising awareness of
and responding to those concerns
Success Factors
● Commitment to a high level of confidentiality with sensitive information.
● Critical problem-solving skills and the ability to work out methods of delivery in very different operating
contexts.
● The ability to work closely in a team environment that is often stressful and potentially volatile.
● Patient, Adaptability, and flexibility.
● Good interpersonal skills with the ability to clearly communicate ideas and negotiate effectively at all
levels and across cultures.
● Tact and diplomacy are essential.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Amman, Jordan and it may require up to 15% to travel regularly to Mercy Corps field
offices and project sites.
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 at all times
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
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 a 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 based on 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 encounter 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 the 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. 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 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.
