Complaint Specialist – Complaints Mechanism

About the International Accord

The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (International Accord) is an agreement between garment brands and the global trade unions IndustriALL and UNI Global Union. The agreement builds on the 2013 and 2018 Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and is implemented by the International Accord Foundation based in the Netherlands. Over the years, more than 200 garment and textile brands have signed the International Accord.  Since May 2013, the Accord programs have reached over 2,000 factories employing around 2 million workers in Bangladesh. In December 2022 the Accord brands and unions agreed to establish a new program in Pakistan, which will promote worker safety through independent inspections, remediation and two Workplace Programms comprising a safety training program and a worker complaints mechanism. 

About Health and Safety Accord (Pvt) Ltd:

The Health and Safety Accord (Pvt) Ltd, is a subsidiary of International Accord BV, The Netherlands, established with an objective of improving health and safety conditions in the textile and garment industry. 

We are currently hiring and invite applications from suitably qualified candidates for the following position for the Accord Workplace Programs: 

• Workplace Programs: Complaint Mechanism, Complaint Specialist; 

Compensation and Employment Terms:

We offer a dynamic, internationally oriented work environment, fringe benefits and competitive salary based on experience. The above positions are currently offered as a one-year renewable contract. The positions are based in Karachi, Pakistan with frequent travels to industrial sites in other cities, across Pakistan (as and when required).

Health and Safety Accord (Pvt) Ltd. is an equal opportunities employer.

Job Description

Workplace Programs

Complaint Specialist – Complaints Mechanism

• The Workplace Programs Complaint Specialist will serve as a part of the Pakistan Accord Workplace Programs team in Pakistan under the supervision of the Chief Complaints Officer - Pakistan Accord and Chief Executive Officer (HASA), or their assigned person. 
• The Accord Workplace Programs comprises two inter-related programs: the Accord Safety Training Program; and the Accord Safety Complaints Mechanism. These two programs together implement the worker awareness components of the Accord agreement: the right to refuse unsafe work, joint labour-management Safety Committees, a Safety Training Program and Complaints Mechanism. 
• The Pakistan Accord Workplace Programs Complaint Specialist shall be based in the Accord office in Karachi. The position requires time to be spent in the field and at the workplace. The Accord Workplace Programs Complaint Specialist will mainly implement the Accord Safety Complaints Mechanism, but also contribute to implementation of the Accord Safety Training Program. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establishment and development of the Accord Complaints Mechanism:
• Contribute to the set-up and development of the Pakistan Accord Safety Complaint Mechanism.
• Contribute to the development of the Complaint Management System.
• Contribute to development of awareness-raising materials.
• Contribute to the development of Standard Operating Procedures for the Complaints Mechanism.
• Support the Accord Safety Training Department on the development and delivery of training modules on the Complaints Mechanism and other modules as required. 

Processing and reporting of complaints in accordance with Accord protocols, including:

• Manage a portfolio of complaints.
• Conduct investigations into allegations raised in complaints.
• Visit factories, as required.
• Draft notifications in English to parties at different stages of the complaint process.
• Organise Hearings/meetings with parties to complaints and prepare meeting reports.
• Draft decisions on complaints, as required.
• Maintain relevant information systems.
• Maintain timely and accurate internal reporting on complaints.
• Contribute to the preparation of internal and public reports.

Strengthening processes and capacity of the Complaint Mechanism:

• Contribute to identifying continuous improvements in internal processes.

 Other responsibilities:

• Liaise with Training, Engineering and other Accord departments, as required.
• Alert the Accord leadership to any problems or challenges that arise.
• Perform any other related duties as assigned by the Accord leadership.

 Qualifications and Skills:

Ideal candidates shall have:

• Bachelor's / Masters’ degree, in law, OSH, social science, or related discipline.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information.
• Extensive experience of working on issues related to any of the following: occupational safety and health/labour law/workers’ rights/human rights/industrial relations.
• Extensive experience of working for judicial or on other types of grievance mechanism;
• Knowledge of the textile and garment sector.
• Ability to synthesise information.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and to work independently.
• Experience of developing/using data management systems.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Ability to develop and use spreadsheets.
• Excellent inter-personal, communication, organizational and documentation skills.
• Experience of dealing with a diversity of stakeholders including workers, trade unions, employers.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, honesty, strong work ethics, and commitment to the goals of the Pakistan Accord.