Complaints and Response Mechanism ( CARM) and Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (MRELA) Officer

**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**

Mercy Corps is seeking a CARM and MRELA Officer for the FCDO-funded Border Security Programme (BSP). Irregular migration and associated criminal activity in East Africa remain a complex and escalating challenge which leads to significant exploitation of vulnerable people on the move. The planned Border Security Programme will take a multifaceted approach – integrating ‘prevention’, ‘prepare/protect’ and ‘pursue’. An important purpose of this programme is to support the pursuit of human traffickers and smugglers who are exploiting vulnerable populations on the move. Initial interventions will take place in the Kenya border regions, with planned and phased expansion to Uganda, Ethiopia and possibly Somalia border areas.

**General Position Summary**

Mercy Corps is committed to preventing all forms of exploitation and abuse that may arise in connection with its programmes. A Community Accountability Reporting Mechanism (CARM) is a central expression of this commitment and provides individuals, organisations, and community groups with a safe, confidential, and accessible means of raising concerns or sharing feedback with Mercy Corps, independently of programme operations.

Reporting to the programme’s Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (MRELA) Manager, the CARM and MRELA Officer is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and continuously strengthening the programme's community accountability system. The post-holder manages day-to-day feedback mechanisms including the intake, processing, and follow-up of beneficiary feedback and complaints, and builds a structured feedback loop into adaptive programme management. The CARM and MRELA Officer leads the design and implementation of CARM for the BSP, coordinates internal and external referrals, and prepares analytical reports with actionable recommendations for programme improvement.

This role has a phased workload profile. In the programme's initial period, the CARM and MRELA Officer effort will be concentrated on the establishment, roll-out, and embedding of the CARM system. Once the CARM system is fully operational and processes are institutionalised, the CARM and MRELA Officer will have capacity to provide broader support to the MRELA team, contributing to monitoring, data collection, reporting, and learning activities as directed by the MRELA Manager.

**Essential Job Responsibilities**

CARM SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

- Lead the design, testing, and roll-out of the CARM system for BSP, including feedback intake channels (telephone, email, community-based and in-person mechanisms), standard operating procedures (SOPs), data management systems, and complaint-handling workflows.
- Communicate and disseminate CARM policies, SOPs, and feedback channel information to programme participants, programme staff, partners, and other stakeholders in accessible and culturally appropriate formats.
- Ensure all feedback channels guarantee strict confidentiality to protect the privacy and safety of complainants, informants, subjects of feedback, and any witnesses, in line with Mercy Corps' CARM policy and data protection standards.
- Regularly assess the effectiveness and accessibility of all feedback channels, including those operated by partners, by evaluating community-level awareness and uptake at appropriate intervals; incorporate findings into revised approaches.
- Develop programme-specific strategies to ensure beneficiaries, communities, partners, and stakeholders are informed about available CARM channels throughout the programme cycle, with a clear division of responsibilities across teams.
- Organise periodic CARM technical review meetings to discuss emerging issues, review system performance, and adapt the mechanism based on field evidence and stakeholder input.
- Ensure the visibility and accessibility of the CARM system across the organisation, partner network, and target communities.
- Follow up with relevant stakeholders on agreed system corrections, adjustments, and action points, in coordination with programme management.

DATA MANAGEMENT, ANALYSIS, AND REPORTING

- Lead data entry and management in the CARM database, ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and timeliness; maintain up-to-date records of all feedback received and actions taken in response.
- Manage centralised telephone-based and email feedback mechanisms, ensuring timely intake, categorisation, and routing of all feedback received.
- Conduct regular analysis of feedback data to identify trends, systemic issues, and areas for programme improvement; develop appropriate response and action plans in coordination with relevant staff.
- Manage internal and external referrals arising from feedback and complaints, ensuring appropriate follow-up, closure, and documentation in accordance with Mercy Corps' CARM and safeguarding policies.
- Prepare monthly CARM dashboards and quarterly reports summarising key themes, trends, volumes, response timelines, and actions taken
- Ensure reports are shared with programme leadership, the MRELA Manager, Programme CARM Focal Points, the CARM Community of Practice, programme managers and teams, and the donor as required.
- Ensure feedback is responded to in a timely and effective manner, and that appropriate actions are taken and documented to address issues raised by participants, communities, partners, and stakeholders.
- Provide feedback to the beneficiaries and stakeholders accordingly, whenever
- Support the MRELA and programme teams in utilising CARM data and analysis to inform learning, adaptive management decisions, and programme design.

CAPACITY BUILDING & TRAINING

- Develop CARM training modules and materials that build the understanding and skills of programme staff and partners on the purpose, procedures, and importance of community accountability and feedback mechanisms.
- Conduct training and awareness sessions for staff and partners to ensure effective CARM implementation, consistent data collection, and appropriate response to feedback.
- Work with programme staff and implementing partners to ensure CARM is embedded in programme activities and that feedback is collected, recorded, and acted upon
- Promote compliance with Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) commitments and quality criteria across programme activities; support staff and partners in understanding and applying CHS principles.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COORDINATION

- Share CARM findings and recommendations with relevant staff and management in a timely and constructive manner to ensure issues are addressed and improvements are made.
- Coordinate with programme managers and MRELA staff to ensure CARM feedback is systematically integrated into programme monitoring, evaluation, and design processes.
- Coordinate with the Ethics and Safeguarding team to ensure CARM is aligned with Mercy Corps' organisational policies, values, and safeguarding commitments.
- Liaise with the grants department at the partner due diligence stage to assess partner feedback mechanisms, identifying strengths, gaps, and capacity-building needs.
- Work with implementing partners and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with CARM policy requirements and expectations; establish strong relationships that support CARM uptake.

MRELA SUPPORT

Provide broader support to the MRELA team, as guided by the MRELA Manager, which may include, but not limited to:

- Supporting field-level data collection activities, including contributing to surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and monitoring site visits.
- Assisting with data entry, database m