BASATINE - Daily Data Collectors

BASATINE Program Overview

The Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ (BASATINE) consortium, led by CARE International with Mercy Corps, Al Majmoua, George N. Frem Foundation, Berytech and LOST, is implementing a 4-year intervention to support farmers and other value chain and associated sector actors in areas of Bekaa and Akkar, focused on the production of wheat and vegetables, seeking a territorial approach, and promoting linkages with other value chains. Through complementary interventions designed in alignment with the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, the project will immediately address food insecurity and provide needed income and technical support to farmers to survive the current economic crisis as well as improve the capacity of food systems to maintain employment and growth in the longer term via stronger domestic production and system linkages. This will ultimately contribute to greater economic stability, particularly for women, improved rural development, and more positive social cohesion between host/refugee communities at a local level.

To address the overall objective (impact) of sustaining the capacity of Lebanese agriculture to produce food for the local market and create and maintain jobs, to contribute to the prevention of tensions between host communities and refugees, the consortium has designed a multi-pronged approach based on the following Theory of Change in direct alignment with MoA’s most recent National Agriculture Strategy (NAS):

IF agriculture market system actors adopt more climate-adaptive, profitable, and sustainable farming methods and are supported to restore livelihoods and productive capacity, and IF the efficiency of agriculture market systems and the viability and competitiveness of locally-produced agricultural outputs are improved, THEN this will contribute to more resilient and sustainable local agriculture market systems that create and maintain income generation and employment opportunities for more resilient, socially-cohesive, inclusive and food-secure host community and Syrian refugee households.

Tension Monitoring Research project
BASATINE monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning, and accountability (MERLA) with Economic Development Solution (EDS), a research and learning partner are implementing the second tension Monitoring Survey; the quantitative data collection will focus on gathering insights from farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural sector of Bekaa and Akkar. The survey will target approximately 450 farmers and 50 SMEs.

The objective is to understand the dynamics and underlying factors contributing to tensions and conflicts in these areas.

General Position Summary

We are seeking to hire five Daily Data Collectors for a duration of 10 days by April 2024.  The services include conducting on-the-phone data collection with BASATINE program participants. The data collectors will work closely with Mercy Corps’ MERL team, BASATINE MERLA group,  and/or Mercy Corps’ research and learning partner.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Complete surveys according to project protocols and guidelines via phone (at least 15 assessments/day) for participants based in Bekaa and Akkar.
• Collect accurate and complete data from respondents using electronic device.
• Ensure confidentiality and privacy of respondents' information.
• Comply to the project’s daily plan and targets.
• Maintain records of completed surveys and submit them promptly to the supervisor.
• Liaise and coordinate with the MERL team.

Logistics and arrangement

• Enumerators will report directly to the consortium MERL manager and coordinate with partners’ MERL focal points.
• Enumerators are expected to work from the MCL office with flexibility for home data collection for remote data collection only.
• Assets used for data collection will be secured by MCL.
• Field transportation will be taken care of by MCL if needed.

Accountability

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our project participants guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participating communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Knowledge and Experience

• Excellent data collection and communication skills in Arabic and English languages
• Experience working with diverse populations and communities in a sensitive environment.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties.

• Demonstrable understanding of the concept of confidentiality, data safety etc.
• Commitment to and understanding of Mercy Corps aims, values and principles.

Success Factors

The successful Daily Data Collector will exhibit strong communication skills and commitment to data accuracy, ensuring all collected data is precise and reliable. S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality. S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Mercy Corps’ values.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensure that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.