Accountability Officer At Concern Worldwide

Job Title: Accountability Officer

Reports to: Senior Manager – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

Direct Reports: None

Liaises with:

Internally – Programmes and PSU

Externally – Partner Staff and peer agencies

Job Location: Nairobi with frequent visits to the field (Marsabit, Turkana, Tana River and Isiolo Counties) (Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Kenya at the time of application-National position)

Contract Details: 1 Year Renewable

Job Summary:

Concern is committed to meeting international standards of quality and accountability. By improving accountability, we also improve quality of our work and achieve greater impact. Concern is committed to providing our stakeholders with safe, accessible and effective channels to exercise their right to raise complaints about our work and staff behaviour.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Programme Support/Management

• Act as first contact points for all complaints and feedback received.
• Development / adoption and contextualization of relevant handbooks/ manuals/ and policies to support implementation of accountability actions.
• Developing training materials and conducting accountability related trainings
• Accountability actions monitoring, lessons learning and reporting.
• Promote and maximize awareness of Concern Kenya’s Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM) among communities and other stakeholders.
• Technical support on accountability matters in program design, proposal formulation and donor compliance.
• Promote and ensure compliance with the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria
• Manage the Concern Kenya Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM).
• Ensure that the CRM is functional according to CRM guidelines including, receipt of complaints, recording complaints, forwarding complaints, responding timely to complainants, digital recording and archiving etc.
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM)
• Ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and other stakeholders.
• Consolidate CRM reports and report to SMT
• Support inquiries by providing advice on case assessment, support fact-finding as needed.

Responding to Emergencies:

• Provide accountability support towards Concern’s Emergency response
• Comply with Concern’s health, safety and security guidelines during emergencies

Programme Participant Protection Policy

• To adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in Concern’s Code of Conduct. and its Associated Policies
• To support and promote the standards outlined in the Concern’s Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies to schools, communities, partner organizations and beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
• To contribute to the establishment of preventive measures to reduce the potential for exploitation and abuse in Concern programme

Job Specification:

• A graduate degree in Social Sciences, Community Development, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) or related discipline
• At least 3 years experience and Knowledge in implementing the Complaints Response Mechanisms and Core Humanitarian Standards.
• Experience dealing with sensitive matters in a highly confidential and discrete manner and ability to build/maintain trust.
• Must have a high level of resilience with the ability to be impartial and remain calm under difficult circumstances.
• Ability to interact with senior / technical staff and confidently provide information.
• Experience in programme cycle management – planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, organized, report writing, planning, analytical and problem solving skills
• Excellent spoken and written English and Kiswahili.
• Proficient in computer applications

Disclaimer Clause

This job description is not exhaustive and may be revised by the line manager from time to time.

Concern has an organizational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

Concern’ is the trading name of ‘Concern Worldwide’, a company limited by guarantee, registered number 39647; registered charity number CHY 5745, registered in Ireland, registered address is 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Follow Concern online: www.concern.net