Client Responsiveness & Accountability Officer - Internal Only

Work Arrangement: In-person

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict-affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri, Monguno, and Gwoza of Borno state, Damaturu of Yobe State, and a current extension to Zamfara and Katsina states, northwest Nigeria. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs for primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, economic recovery, and development.

The country program developed a strategic plan in the first half of 2021. IRC aim to provide the best possible impact for some of the most vulnerable children, women, and men. In all that we do, IRC strives to deliver through IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

Project Overview:

The BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance) project, Integrated Emergency Response to the Displaced Population in Zamfara, Sokoto, And Katsina States, Northwest Nigeria” will be carried out by a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with four partners aim to leverage each partner's expertise to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people populations through area-based approach. The Consortium partners will provide an integrated multisectoral intervention in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, and Multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) activities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states in collaboration with state governments, UN organizations and other key actors in Northwest Nigeria. The project will be implemented by a dedicated support, quality assurance, and coordination team, who will work closely with all partners through a management unit of well-structured consortium governance for the activity.

Scope Of Work: The Clients Responsiveness and Accountability (CRA) Officer reports to the Senior Consortium MEAL Manager directly with technical support by the CRA Manager and supports field level implementation of CRA actions. S/he ensures that feedback mechanisms (both proactive and reactive) are established in consultation with the communities; regularly promoted through different media and clients’ feedback is regularly collected, analyzed and responded to in timely manner. S/he also ensures that CRA reports are regularly generated within the agreed frequency and results are presented regularly during project meetings to inform design and delivery of the project. Additionally, the CRA Officer conducts feedback sessions, FGDs and surveys to solicit for clients’ feedback.

Major Responsibilities:

Program/project design and learning:

- Participate in program/ project design especially in developing proposals using learning from previous projects. - Responsible for reviewing and developing CRA tools for data collection ensuring it is adapted and suitable for the context. - Responsible for organizing periodic meetings with stakeholders to ensure accountability to the target populations served and relevant stakeholders and ensure dissemination of information to concerned parties. - With support from the CRA Manager, ensure the CRA maintains project level information management system upholding confidentiality principles. - Update/Review the SOPs and Feedback Plans together with the CRA Manager, Senior MEAL Manager and the MEAL Coordinator.

Information management and reporting:

- Lead and coordinate processes to collect, review and respond to client feedback at the LGA level. - Set up feedback mechanisms to collect and respond to client feedback – both proactive and reactive (technological improvements to existing mechanisms), with support from MEAL Officers - Conduct regular FGDs/KIIs and meetings with different stakeholders to solicit feedback on IRC’s work. - During distributions, establish a help desk/information table for the community members to answer beneficiary comments/questions. After the distribution, prepare help desk reports on the distribution. - Prepare CRA reports based on consolidated analysis of client feedback recorded via proactive and reactive channels, to be discussed at field meetings, project review meetings for analysis and decision making at the provincial level. - Ensure proper cleaning and analysis of data collected via different channels and ensure it is stored in the CRA database. - Facilitate presentation of CRA dashboards on Power Bi - With support from the CRA Manager, lead, and coordinate on Client satisfaction survey across IRC locations

Capacity building and supervision:

- Conduct capacity building sessions with community stakeholders, and IRC staff on the IRCs CRA Mechanism - Responsible for providing assistance to MEAL Officers during sector level trainings especially on CRA. - Accountable for coaching, mentoring, and supervising CRA Assistants - Responsible for supporting her/his subordinate/s in completing performance management activities including: workplan design, monitoring, and annual performance appraisals. - Perform other task related assignment proposed by his/her supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

- Position Reports to: Senior Consortium MEAL Manager - Position directly supervised by: Senior Consortium MEAL Manager - Indirect Reporting: CRA manager, MEAL Coordinator, SAM/FC

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in social science, or related field. Native of the state preferred. - Minimum of 2 years of experience in humanitarian contexts, with a preference for experience in engaging across organizations, in community services and AAP, or in change management and organizational change. - Extensive expertise in delivering accountability mechanisms, as well as capacity to support effective communication with communities (with a specific focus on empowering women, children, and marginalized groups). - Ability to package and communicate complex topics through written reports and presentations. - Excellent facilitation skills, and strong understanding of how to collect feedback safely and accurately from all members of a community regardless of their age, gender, or other diversity factors. - Ability to handle multiple tasks, proven self-initiative and problem-solving abilities. - Good written and spoken English, Hausa, Kanuri, and Fulani skills. - Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength. - Good communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. - Excellent computer skills and competency in Word, Excel (data analysis and visualization), and PowerPoint. CommCare and PowerBI is a strong advantage.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Working Environment

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.