CARM & GESI OFFICER

General Position Summary

The CARM & GESI Officer will support the integration of gender equality, social inclusion (GESI), accountability, and protection-sensitive approaches across humanitarian cash and emergency response activities. The role will dedicate approximately 60% effort to GESI and safe programming support and 40% to Community Accountability and Reporting Mechanism (CARM)-related functions, working closely with the  Project Manager, MEL Officer, Cash team, and consortium partners.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Community Accountability Reporting mechanisms, (CARM)

Working under the direction of the CARM /GESI Coordinator, they will handle the following responsibilities:

• Ensure their program has at least three active, context-appropriate feedback channels informed by community preferences and by following proper procedures.
• Collect all feedback received via different available feedback channels, like hotline number, face-face (help desk) and suggestion boxes in all intervention sites and ensure documentation of all feedback in the CARM database.
• Ensure all feedback is logged and graded based on Mercy Corps’ standard grading system and that appropriate action is taken based on feedback grade.
• Contact informants who provided non-anonymous feedback seeking additional information – only when necessary – (place, name, details of the case...) to resolve their feedback more appropriately.
• Ensure closure of all feedback cases by following up closely with relevant team member(s).
• Manage all feedback received in a secure and confidential country-level CARM database and limit access to only designated Mercy Corps team members.
• Assisting the CARM / GESI Coordinator in analyzing trends and preparing a monthly/bi-monthly reports
• Contact informants who provided non-anonymous feedback to inform them about case resolution and collect data on overall satisfaction; ensure this is documented in the country-level CARM database.
• Support the CARM / GESI Coordinator in tasks related to community engagement, sensitization and distributing IEC materials across all intervention sites.
• Work closely with MEL colleagues, to integrate CARM and GESI related questions within all MEL tools and ensure CARM indicators are incorporated within each MEL Plan for all programs.
• Ensure maintenance and organization of CARM country-level database in coordination with the CARM /GESI Coordinator.
• Comply with and ensure compliance of global data protection and privacy standards such as while confidentially receiving, following up on, and reporting on CARM feedback received.
• Support implementation and monitoring of community feedback and complaint mechanisms across project locations.
• Support awareness raising with communities on available feedback channels and beneficiary rights.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure sensitive complaints are handled through appropriate referral and escalation pathways.
• Contribute to strengthening accountability to affected populations (AAP) and safe feedback practices

Gender Equality and social inclusion (GESI)

Support GESI and Safe Programming Mainstreaming

• Support integration of GESI, inclusion, and protection-sensitive approaches across project activities, particularly cash assistance and emergency response.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor participation, accessibility, safety, and inclusion of vulnerable groups, including women, persons with disabilities, returnees, and marginalized communities.
• Identify and flag protection or access concerns affecting beneficiaries and support teams in addressing barriers to participation.
• Promote safe, dignified, and inclusive programming practices during assessments, registration, distributions, and community engagement activities.

Monitoring, Data Collection, and Reporting Support

• Support data collection activities including monitoring visits, assessments, surveys, and post-distribution monitoring (PDM).
• Assist in maintaining monitoring records, databases, and project documentation in coordination with MEL and program teams.
• Support basic analysis and compilation of monitoring and feedback data for internal reporting and learning purposes.
• Contribute to internal reports, lessons learned, and documentation related to GESI, accountability, and safe programming.

Community Engagement and Referral Support

• Support community consultations and engagement activities with women, vulnerable households, and marginalized groups.
• Assist in sharing information on available services, assistance processes, and referral pathways.
• Coordinate with consortium protection and referral focal points when support services are needed.
• Promote respectful communication and community-centered approaches during project implementation.

Capacity Building and Team Support

• Support orientation and awareness sessions for staff and field teams on GESI, accountability, safe programming, and Do No Harm principles.
• Assist teams in using monitoring, accountability, and feedback tools effectively.
• Share practical observations and recommendations from field monitoring to improve inclusive and accountable programming.
• Support learning and adaptation discussions with program and MEL teams.

Coordination and Compliance Support

• Coordinate regularly with the CARM /GESI Coordinator, MEL Officer, Project Manager, Cash team, and consortium partners on GESI and accountability-related matters.
• Ensure activities are implemented in line with Mercy Corps policies, GESI standards, safeguarding principles, and donor requirements.
• Maintain professional relationships with communities, partners, and colleagues to support transparent and accountable programming.

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.

Organiational 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 Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
  to our program participants 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 and in all in-country venues.

Knowledge and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, economics, project planning and management or relevant feild.
• At least 1-2 years of experience in Gender and Community accountability.
• Good understanding of humanitarian assistance work or development work and aware of gender and social dynamic of Afghanistan context.
• Experience in building staff capacity through facilitating formal training or workshops.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and tasks efficiently and with a calm attitude.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience of establishing and/or managing Feedback and Reporting Mechanisms would be an ass Commitment to actively listening to other people’s ideas and viewpoints.
• Good knowledge of spoken and written English and Dari are required, Pashto is desired.
• Ability to travel frequently to field locations.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.