Senior Officer, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Protection

Reporting to the DRC MHPSS Delegate/ Manager, the incumbent is responsible for supporting the ARCS in ensuring provision of quality MHPSS services in emergency and non-emergency settings, to coaches and manages accompaniers to implement the program and efforts to promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of individuals and communities affected by crises.

MHPSS and Protection Senior Officer will be recruited by the IFRC and seconded to DRC to support the implementation of MHPSS services and integration into relevant sectors. Duty station is Kabul but person is expected to frequently travel to other project sites to provide mentoring and coaching to counsellors and other MHPSS and PGI project staff and volunteers.

General duties

• Understands and adheres to the seven Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Understands and adheres to the IFRC Code of Conduct
• Understands the roles of the components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
• Respects and observes staff regulations and security rules at all times
• Represents the IFRC/DRC in a professional manner at all times
• Develops and maintains a pleasant and conducive working environment with colleagues and line managers
• Performs all duties with the highest level of confidentiality in the interest of the employees and the IFRC/DRC

• May be asked to perform tasks not covered in this job description and to provide support to other departments when necessary

Project Management including design and implementation (20%)

• Work with ARCS team in designing MHPSS and protection related project
• Collaborate with the ARCS to implement MHPSS and protection activities as appropriate.
• Support the collection and analysis of MHPSS and protection information, in view of advocacy activities with government authorities.

Technical support and capacity building 60%

• Identification of skills development needs
• Identify key community actors and/or health staff who will benefit from PGI, mental health awareness, sensitization and /or basic psychological and psychosocial support trainings, with the support the MHPSS delegate.
• Ensure regular links with key actors and health facilities are maintained to ensure beneficiary identification and referral pathways are relevant and functional.
• Ensure integration of MHPSS and PGI activities to both emergency and non-emergency context across programmes, operations and sectors.

Modelling - Supervision

• Model, co-facilitate and observe MHPSS interventions (individual counselling, group work, psychoeducation, sensitization, outreach activities, etc.) with counsellors and others as appropriate providing them with timely constructive feedback to develop their skills and/or awareness.
• Ensure that all MHPSS and PGI activities are carried out under adequate and appropriate supervision to maintain the quality of the program. Supervision must occur regularly, ideally on a monthly basis. On the job coaching is provided in an ongoing manner and adapted to the needs of the counsellors and others.
• Lead the ARCS counsellors in the MRH/PHC/MHTs/Marastoons involved in MHPSS activities in a collaborative manner to identify the mental health and psychosocial needs of the community, identifying relevant topics for problem solving, therapeutic and psychoeducational individual sessions, groups and sensitization activities as appropriate, with the support of the MHPSS Delegate.
• Conduct monitoring at programme sites.

Training

• In consultation with the MHPSS Delegate, coordinate the implementation of activities as defined in the MHPSS and PGI project document.
• Assist the MHPSS Delegate to train and coach counsellors, key community actors, health staffs, ARCS and and/or others as identified and agreed.
• Develop and design appropriate training materials according to the specific needs, with the support of the MHPSS delegate
• Interprets with accuracy in any situation and translates documents from English to Pashto and Dari and vice versa.
• Organize and conduct trainings in basic psychological first aid (PFA), Training of Trainers on PFA, PFA in Groups, CBMHPSS, PGI, safe referral, PM+, Thinking Healthy and other relevant MHPSS and PGI trainings requested by the ARCS.
• Collaborate with the counsellors and health actors to identify and develop culturally appropriate methods and tools (outreach material) to address psychological and psychosocial needs.
• Support with capacity building the counsellors to maintain client files in accordance with international standards. Ensure all client information is kept confidential and clinical records and are kept securely and written in a respectful manner.
• Support counsellors and others involved in MHPSS activities in referrals for clients with specific needs to other medical professionals as appropriate, (e.g. people with severe and enduring mental health problems, victims of violence in needs of medical care, or those with needs outside the MHPSS program parameters).
• Provide technical advice, guidelines and operational procedures, common standards, and reporting templates, or any other MHPSS operational tools as needed.
• In coordination with Movement Partners support ARCS to strengthen caring for staff and volunteer systems.

Support the ARCS on coordination (general responsibilities) 20%

• Co-operate and coordinate activities with the other Movement Partners and other stake holders, by actively contributing to the work of the Red Cross Movement (RCM) Protection Working Group and other coordination platform.
• Maintain close contact with and support to identified RCM focal points and reference groups for MHPSS and Protection at the national level.
• Strengthen internal awareness and capacity of Movement partners in Afghanistan to better understand mental health and psychosocial issues and concerns of people in need in Afghanistan.
• Keep abreast of the MHPSS and protection needs and concerns of vulnerable people affected by the on-going Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis Operation to identify relevant interventions.

Required

University degree or equivalent qualification on Psychology, Social Work, Medicine or Psychiatry.

Required

• Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience in MHPSS with 3 years in the humanitarian context
• Field experience on MHPSS response.
• Experience in conducting PFA, CBMHPSS, PM+, Thinking Healthy trainings
• Experience in monitoring and supervising MHPSS staff and volunteers

Preferred

• Experience in working with an International Organisation or International Non-Governmental Organisation.
• Experience in working with RCRC Movement

Required

• Proven Training Skills
• Excellent cooperation skills
• Teamwork
• Ability to work well independently
• Strong analytical and reporting skills
• Demonstrated accountability
• Ability to work well in a multicultural team
• Fluently spoken and written English

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust