Accountability Officer at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

General Objective

• The accountability officer will work under the direct supervision of the MEAL Manager and BHA Program Manager , with travel to field offices as needed.  
• The accountability officer will be responsible for ensuring the complaints handling mechanism is in place across COOPI projects in Sokoto.
• S/he will be responsible to fulfil requirements under the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards especially in regards to information sharing, beneficiaries' participation, complaints and response mechanism and accountability in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning. 
• S/he will ensure clear and transparent rules for raising and processing complaints are established and that complaints are recorded and addressed by relevant parts of COOPI within a reasonable timeframe and will utilize the information received through the feedback channel to produce periodic reports and analysis that can strengthen programming and increase overall organizational accountability

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the MEAL Manager, the Accountability Officer will perform the underlisted tasks:

• Project Cycle Management: Provide technical assistance to ensure that the COOPI accountability framework is integrated throughout the project cycle (design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation) across all projects
• HR: S/he will build capacity of implementing project teams to mainstream and develop accountability practices and mechanisms into programming
• Logistics and Admin: Lead the logistic and administrative duties related to managing a complaints and feedback mechanism.

Specific Objectives and Linked Activities:

• Establish a complaints and feedback mechanism (CFM) in each project location on the highest levels of integrity which beneficiaries will trust and ensures that they can make confidential complaints and be confident of the response processes.
• Monitor complaints received and response (follow-up) processes through developing and maintaining a tracking mechanism.
• Ensure that feedback is routinely recorded, reviewed and responded timely in line with feedback mechanism guidelines.
• Be the first point of contact for beneficiary, staff and stakeholder complaints.
• Maintain and update the CFM database; and provide timely update to project staff based on the nature of feedback. 
• Analyze patterns and trends in complaints to help improve programming. 
• Generate periodic reports and share with  MEAL officer, MEAL Manager and Program Manager.
• Conduct periodic field visit to ensure that accountability systems are in place and the necessary support is provided as needed.
• Review accountability systems periodically and update any changes if deemed necessary in consultation with the MEAL Manager.
• Participate in internal and external meetings related to humanitarian accountability.
• Ensures gender is mainstreamed in various stakeholder meetings and capacity building.
• Collects and documents success stories and photographs for reports;
• Upholds COOPI’s mission and Charter of Values;
•  Follows and enforces all COOPI codes of conduct and policies (globally and in-country); Protection, gender and AAP are to be integrated into the partner monthly narrative report. Additional reports to be shared include: safety audits, protection monitoring scorecards, protection risk assessments and outcome of consultation with PMCs and the affected population on the impact of food assistance.
• Performs any other duties as requested by the supervisor.

Capitalization and Capacity Strengthening.

• Lead in developing a responsive, functional and appropriate feed backing mechanism which can improve current project implementation and guide future programming.
• Provide support to programme managers in reviewing information across projects, to ensure that feedback and complaints are taken into account in programme management decisions.
• Identify and formulate accountability findings, lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into planning and reporting efforts of COOPI project activities.
• Build the capacity of all staff on Protection and AAP-related issues, in order to enhance internal knowledge and expertise and provide qualitative delivery of activities with high protection standards and enhance protection and AAP sensitive approach within the targeted communities.
• Translate protection mainstreaming into concrete, practical actions (awareness-raising, training and on the job mentoring) of colleagues.
• Support to implement good practice in data protection and privacy;
• Support awareness-raising of the staff and the affected population on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse

Communication

• Inform communities regarding their right to be consulted, make complaints and provide feedback to COOPI Program on its activities.
• Communicate and disseminate complaints handling procedures, policies and tools to beneficiaries, project staff and other stakeholders.

Networking and partnerships:

• Establish and maintain collaborative relations with relevant donors, partners, project stakeholders and other organizations
• Ensure that main protection concerns are brought to relevant stakeholders to advocate for the respect of human rights and minimum protection standards.

Requirement

• Education degree: Bachelor's Degree preferably in Statistics, Information Management, Management, Social Sciences or related fields.
• Work experience: minimum of two (3) years’ experience working with INGO, NGOs or Government Agencies in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and implementation of Accountability Programming in Humanitarian or Development Programs.
• Knowledge and skills: strong analytical and critical thinking skills and ability to work in a diverse team and manage complex and sensitive organizational relationships.
• Computer skills: competence in using information technology including experience with word processing, spreadsheets, and database software. 
• Experience using SPSS, STATA, or Power-BI info is desirable.
• Language skills: Fluent in English and Hausa is mandatory (Speaking/Reading/Writing); 

Others: 

• Ability to receive and handle confidential and sensitive information. 
• Proven interest and commitment to humanitarian and development principles and a demonstrable understanding of conflict/post-conflict development contexts.
• Strong motivation to help people in need.
• transversal skills:
• Well, organized and attentive to detail.
• Reliable and rigorous.
• Ability to analyze and suggest an improvement.
• Autonomy, neutrality, hard work.
• Able to manage stress and pressure.