Organisational Context:

Sudan is currently facing the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, with around 9.3 million people displaced within the country. Additionally, in late 2025, approximately 11.5 million displacement movements were tracked within the country, indicating the multiple movements imposed on individuals due to the evolving conflict. A recorded 2.6 million are returnees to Sudan, most arriving to Khartoum in which services have been significantly impacted by the war.

Women and girls continue to live at an extremely high risk of all forms of gender-based violence (GBV). The presence of armed actors, resource shortages -including water, food, and fuel - and even the humanitarian response itself continue to exacerbate the risk of GBV and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in the public sphere, while long periods trapped within homes, or within besieged areas due to fighting, increase incidents of intimate partner and domestic violence. Multiple women and girls, including non-Sudanese individuals, are experiencing secondary displacement and psychological impacts of displacement. Older women, adolescent girls and women and girls living with disabilities face additional concerns and challenges in this unstable environment. Vulnerable men and boys are also exposed to the risks of conflict-related sexual violence.

Ongoing insecurity, looting, and the inability to ensure reliable supply chains for commodities, combined with electricity cuts and fuel shortages, all continue to prohibit a full GBV humanitarian response of the scale necessary to meet the needs in conflict affected states. While humanitarian actors, including coordination mechanisms, are operating at the national and subnational level, administrative challenges, shortages of supplies, and unmet needs for GBV services continue to exist.

UNFPA is providing humanitarian response in hard-to-access and crisis-affected locations, interfacing with women and girls who have endured hardship and trauma since the onset of the conflict, including sexual violence. As one of the main actors for GBV response services, UNFPA implements comprehensive GBV prevention and response programming. The provision of comprehensive case management services to survivors and women at high risk of GBV is essential, and psychosocial support, as a component of case management, includes safe referrals to specialised services through its implementing partners across the country. UNFPA also provides capacity building training, community sensitisation on GBV issues, supports women and girls’ safe spaces providing entry points for economic and livelihood opportunities, CVA and provision of hygiene/dignity kits to the most vulnerable women and adolescent girls of communities affected by humanitarian crises in Sudan. Linkage of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to sexual and reproductive health services is imperative, particularly given the need for clinical management of rape (CMR) services, the number of pregnancies as a result of rape, and the increase in maternal and neonatal losses due to inadequate service provision in conflict locations.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.
 

Job Purpose:

Under the overall supervision of the Representative and the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, and in close collaboration with the GBV and SRH team leads, the MHPSS Specialist will be responsible to support the integration of MHPSS into GBV and SRH programming; to orient UNFPA staff and implementing partners and partners on MHPSS related issues; support in the capacity of UNFPA GBV and SRH partners, particularly the staff of GBV response service providers and clinicians trained in CMR, as well as IPs SRH and GBV staff to deliver services in compliance with IASC Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings and UNFPA MHPSS draft guidance. The incumbent will also assist in establishing relevant partnerships with other stakeholders, including local authorities in the assigned states, and sister UN agencies.   

You would be responsible for:

I.  Development of MHPSS programming

• Establish an MHPSS strategy for the UNFPA Sudan Country Office, train MHPSS Analysts and sensitize staff on the strategy,  and oversee the implementation of the plan by the established deadline.
• Contribute to the design and development of information, education and communication material to support implementation of MHPSS interventions within the scope of SRH and GBV programmes and link it to digital support platforms.
• Supervise MHPSS Analysts and support the roll out and oversight of UNFPA MHPSS programming and information at the field level. 
• Coordinate with GBV and SRH Program teams at the national and the subnational levels to ensure MHPSS services are standardized and included in GBV and SRH referral pathways; determine protocols for triage and referral to these services and propose appropriate needs-based referral mechanisms that are effective in addressing specific issues. 
• Develop and utilize tools to ensure MHPSS interventions are carried out in compliance with international guidelines, best practices and support the partners in ensuring safe and confidential collection, storage, and reporting of data.

II. Capacity building and Assessment

• Assess the current MHPSS interventions within the scope of UNFPA’s SRH and GBV programmes, and staff knowledge and skills among UNFPA partners.
• Develop training, mentoring and supervision plan to equip GBV caseworkers and case managers, to deliver specialized interventions that address common psychosocial reactions to trauma and abuse or any other related mental disorders.
• Plan and participate in missions to UNFPA facilities across the country to support staff and implementing partners on the expected roll out of MHPSS activities and to mentor, provide guidance, and make corrections where needed. 
• Facilitate capacity building training on psychosocial first aid and other psychosocial interventions to develop the ability of health and WGSS staff, service providers and community mobilisers to recognize and respond appropriately to MHPSS needs.
• Provide capacity building to implementing partners, including GBV and health responders, for improving good practices (quality of communication, respect, privacy….) to reduce negative psychological impact, stigma and in providing quality psychosocial first aid responses for survivors of GBV and other psychologically distressing situations.

III. Partnerships and Coordination

• Actively participate and support the inter-agency, multi-sectoral state-level GBV, SRH and MHPSS coordination groups. 
• Contribute to strategic planning and response efforts from the MHPSS perspective and input into relevant assessments and reporting undertaken by intersectoral partners and other relevant working groups.
• Coordinate with health and protection actors to ensure that basic and advanced MHPSS services are incorporated into the one stop service centers, women and girls safe spaces, and confidential corners. 
• Contribute to the design of standards and contextual inter-agency MHPSS interventions for GBV and SRH partners, including a common approach tailored to staff without formal MHPSS qualifications.
• Collaborate with the UNFPA SRH, GBV, Social and Behaviour Norms, CVA, youth and gender teams to integrate MHPSS, as an essential crosscutting activity, into humanitarian, recovery and development programming.

IV. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Document training and supervision using tracking tools designed in collaboration with the GBV and SRH staff. 
• Report on the effectiveness of training materials, and address gaps through interactive improvements to training protocols.
• Provide inputs to the development of monitoring tools for MHPSS interventions within the scope of GBV and SRH, to support quality programming in compliance with standards and in line with donor commitments. 
• Conduct supportive supervision and monitoring visits to the WGSSs, One Stop Service Centers, Primary Health Care Centers, Confidential Corners and provide reports on compliance and challenges.
• Produce inputs to regular progress reports and Sit Reps as required.
• Undertake any other relevant responsibilities and tasks assigned by the technical and line supervisor.
   

Job Requirements:

• Education: An advanced degree with specialisation in psychology, Social Workers, clinical Psychology, mental health or other related areas.
• Experience:
  • At least 5 years of specialised experience in psychosocial support interventions, particularly as it relates to GBV.
  • Experience in GBV/MHPSS in a humanitarian context is a plus.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of PM+, MhGAP and IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergencies.
  • Demonstrated experience in training, supervision, and supporting of non-professional counselling staff.
  • Ability to work within a team structure, maintain flexibility, and cope with a stressful workload.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work within different cultural environments.
  • Experience in culturally sensitive and context-adapted programming with a deep understanding of intersectional vulnerabilities.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, with the ability to organize, analyse, and visualise data for reporting and learning purposes.
• Languages: Fluency in oral and written English and Arabic.

• Computer skills: Proficiency in current office software applications.

Required Competencies: 

I. Values:

• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system.
• Exemplifying integrity.
• Embracing cultural diversity.
• Embracing change.
   

II. Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results.
• Being accountable.
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen.
• Thinking analytically and strategically. 
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships.
• Communicating for impact.

III. Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy / Advancing a policy-oriented agenda, leveraging the resources of provincial and local governments and partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships. 
• Delivering results-based programmes. 
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization.
• Project management leadership.

Applications that do not meet the above requirements will be disregarded. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

 

Compensation and Benefits: 

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.