Senior Client Responsiveness Officer ( Syria Country Program )

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee 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, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 7.6 million people are internally displaced and 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with 4.8 million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. With a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 3,000 staff and workers in the region, IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the fields of health, child protection, education, women’s protection and empowerment, NFI and food distribution, cash assistance, water and sanitation, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary

As part of IRC’s MEAL unit, the Senior Client Responsiveness (CR) Officer is responsible for supporting the NWS hub programme teams with the proper roll-out, implementation and scaling of the Syria CR or Feedback and Complaint Handling channels and mechanisms. Reporting to the NWS Snr. MEAL Manager and in coordination with the Regional Senior Client Responsiveness Specialists, the Senior CR Officer will communicate with the sector (Health, Protection, Education, and Economic Wellbeing) focal points to ensure that suggestions and complaints are communicated and addressed in a timely manner. Additionally, the Senior CR Officer will lead on raising both the client’s/beneficiaries staff awareness of the Syria CP CR mechanisms and promote the staffs’ capacity in this area.

Major Responsibilities

Technical Support (50%)

- Ensure proposed proactive and reactive channels are inclusive to vulnerable community members (those who live far from program locations or those with disability) and are suitable for adults and children; - Develop and maintain SOPs for the dimensions and specifications of feedback boxes in collaboration with the regional CR specialists and ensure those are harmonized and utilized across the NWS hub; - Support CR field teams in setting up responsiveness channels and tools that are suitable for adults and children to identify suitable responsiveness channels. For example, where to place feedback boxes in reference to the specifications; - Ensure feedback boxes are checked on daily basis and feedback is logged into JIRA by the end of each working day through coordinating with CR field team as well as the sector field team; - Lead on the development of FAQ booklet based on the requests for information received from clients, in coordination with the Sector focal point and CR field team. In the case where the booklet is updated, ensure it is shared with Sector focal point and field team as well as the CR field team; - Review FAQ received by the CR field team and sector field team on monthly basis. Based on those, conduct necessary amendments/adaptations to the FAQ booklet in coordination with the Sector focal point; - Supervise CR field team’s field visits, and ensure they visit each center/location at least once every two weeks; - Receive and respond to feedback sent through the email daily; - Conduct ongoing monitoring of WhatsApp handling process that is led by the CR field team; - Manage the JIRA feedback database (ensure all feedback are properly recorded, acted upon and responses are provided to the clients).

Capacity Building (30%)

- Schedule and deliver training sessions to existing IRC staff and new joiners about the IRC Syria Client Responsiveness mechanisms; - Raise awareness about the CR mechanisms among clients, communities and external stakeholders; - Collaborate with the Snr. MEAL Manager and the Regional Senior Client Responsiveness Specialists for creating CR awareness raising/education materials amongst IRC clients and staff; - Establish a schedule in sync with the PALM tracker for which the Sector field team and CR field team conduct routine awareness sessions for both adults and children on responsiveness channels etc.; - Conduct weekly/bi-weekly meetings with CR field team to practice categorizing responses and discussing responses which the team faced difficulties in categorizing.

Reporting (20%)

· Systematically review datasets for deficiencies or errors based on the CR SOP and provide advice on correcting any incompatibilities where possible;

· In coordination with the Snr Data and Reporting Officer, follow-up with sector IMs to proper and timely reporting against the relevant CR indicators into the Syria ADMS reporting system;

· Support the Snr. MEAL Manager with both internal and external reports by providing an accurate reflection of all CR related aspects;

Qualifications

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Senior MEAL Manager

Position directly Supervises: Client Responsiveness Assistants (3 – 4)

Position Technically Supervises: None

Job Requirements

- A University degree in a relevant field (such as: statistics & data management, social science, public health, development economics, or a related subject area) – a technical degree together with additional relevant work experience may substitute for education. - Demonstrated analytical, systematic-thinking, and problem-solving skills. - Self-motivated with good organization and planning skills

- Strong computer literacy with Microsoft office;

- Experience with Mobile Data Capture (MDC) tools and implementing MDC surveys;

- Proficiency in English and Arabic, both written and spoken.

At IRC - we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment.

We acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other human demographic.

At IRC - we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment.

We acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other human demographic.

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Returning National Candidates: We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the Country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, the Middle East Region has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing, and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap. 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.

Client Responsiveness: IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. In keeping with our core values of Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality, IRC strives to maintain a work environment built on mutual respect in which all individuals treat each other professionally, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting. All IRC staff, wherever they are located, are accountable for creating an environment free of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.