International Consultant - EMT Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

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Qualifications

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise and training support regarding Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies for the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) initiative in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR). This consultancy supports the implementation of the WHO/WPRO Pacific EMT Program 2026–2028. The consultant will also contribute to efforts to strengthen MHPSS action in emergencies and application of MHPSS principles and standards across the EMT Initiative.

Background

Over eight years, WHO/WPRO, Australia, and New Zealand have invested in building Emergency Medical Team (EMT) capacity across 12 Pacific Island Countries (PICs). That investment has produced results: national EMTs with trained rosters, equipment, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and activation mechanisms now exist in countries that had none a decade ago. The Pacific EMT Program 2026–2028 aims to build on existing MHPSS work among EMTs and within the EMT initiative overall.

The Classification and minimum standards for emergency medical teams (known as the EMT Blue Book) requires all EMTs to be able to identify mental health and psychosocial needs and provide psychological first aid (PFA) as a first-line response for acute stress reactions, with trained staff available to refer patients through established referral pathways. On staff welfare, EMTs owe a legal and moral duty of care to deployed personnel, including pre-deployment health screening, in-field psychosocial peer support, and post-deployment debriefing aligned with duty of care.

The mission of WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage risks and response. WHO hosts the EMT Secretariat, manages the EMT classification system and convenes the Regional EMT Working Group. WHO also supports broader health emergency workforce development and coordination as part of the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC).

This consultancy supports the 2026–2028 program aimed at national ownership, quality assurance, and technical stewardship across five workstreams: institutionalization and sustainability; MHPSS and rehabilitation; coordination, logistics, and information management; leadership, mentorship, and GEDSI; and operational readiness.

Deliverables

The consultant will support activities including working with EMTs to integrate MHPSS into EMT and emergency operations. The consultant will work closely with MHPSS technical counterparts at the country, regional, and global levels, and in coordination with the WHO/WPRO EMT Secretariat, WHO Country Offices and regional partners.

Output 1: Contribute to the development and institutionalization of technical standards for MHPSS  

Deliverable 1: Integrate MHPSS into EMT Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) -Working with EMT and MHPSS focal points, support at least 6 EMTs to integrate MHPSS into their national EMT SOPs considering EMT Blue Book standards, in country MHPSS referral pathways aligned with MHPSS service mapping, PFA, and Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) survivor-centred safe referral procedures. Promote peer-review by country or regional MHPSS entities. Support the institutionalization of MHPSS into emergency operations.

Deliverable 2: Support the implementation of technical standards for MHPSS Specialized Care Teams (SCTs) - Engage in the development of guidance tools for implementation, as needed. Promote the implementation of MHPSS SCT guidance, a self-assessment compliance checklist, and a training package enabling Member States, NGOs, and EMTs to apply the guidance independently and without consultant support.

Deliverable 3: Integrate MHPSS content into exercises - Integrate MHPSS scenarios into national or subnational simulation exercises (SIMEXs). Facilitate the MHPSS component of SIMEXs, as needed, and contribute to a structured MHPSS section of the training, SIMEX, or after-action report. Identify gaps to be included in revised SOPs. Incorporate findings into training materials, closing the learning loop.

Output 2: Delivery of a GEDSI-informed MHPSS trainings and materials for EMTs

Deliverable 4: Deliver trainings, refine training and reference materials - In a previous phase of EMT development, WHO developed a PFA Training of Trainers (TOT) and MHPSS in Emergencies training materials based on consultation with Pacific EMTs. Adapt and refine existing PFA and MHPSS in Emergencies training materials and reference resources for Pacific EMTs. Embed Pacific cultural framing across content considering scenarios reflecting family, faith, and community, service mapping reflecting country-specific referral networks, and delivery led by Pacific clinicians and national EMT MHPSS focal points. All materials must be GEDSI-aligned and designed for independent use by national MHPSS focal points. TOTs result in at least two country level trainers capable of carrying on content delivery without support from the consultant.

Deliverable 5: Serve as faculty member and trainer - Serve as a faculty member on MHPSS for EMTs and health emergency workforce activities, through in-person and remote training, workshops, online webinars, and network meetings during the consultancy period.

Output 3: Enhance the MHPSS EMT Network

Deliverable 6: Contribute to the EMT MHPSS Community of Practice (COP) - Contribute to the global EMT MHPSS COP. Support participation among Pacific EMT MHPSS focal points to share best practices, challenges and operational realities among EMTs. Facilitate the participation and preparation of a regional co-lead among EMT MHPSS focal points.

Deliverable 7: Lead the development of publication(s) on MHPSS - With COP and/or EMT MHPSS focal points, consolidate and publish a “Minimum Standards for MHPSS Action by EMTs” guidance document and/or document the development process in a peer-reviewed article targeting WPSAR or an equivalent publication.

Output 4: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

Deliverable 8: Manage and maintain data - Maintain a sex- and disability-disaggregated activity register of people trained, PFA trainers, etc. Regularly report on MHPSS results, PFA utilisation, and key achievements against program indicators.

Deliverable 9: Contribute to regular internal and external reporting - Contribute GEDSI-aligned MHPSS content for internal and external reporting. Submit activity reports within two weeks of each training, SIMEX, or emergency activation with an MHPSS component.

Deliver 10: Contribute to MHPSS Minimum Data Set - Work with the anticipated WHO Collaborating Centre on MHPSS data collection forms, database and analysis to inform actions during acute events and after events to inform and advocate for MHPSS planning, services and integration of MHPSS into emergency operations.

Output 5: Support emergency response

Deliverable 11: EMTCC support and emergency response - In the event of an emergency and/or EMT activation, as requested by management, support the set-up and operations of an EMTCC within national emergency response structures in the affected country(ies), with a focus on ensuring application of MHPSS standards, supporting effective MHPSS interventions, and monitoring and evaluation. This role takes scheduling priority when activated.

Method(s) to carry out the activities

Desk research; technical consultation; content and documentation development; MHPSS network coordination and facilitation; country-level service mapping; training workshop planning and facilitation; SIMEX MHPSS scenario design; CoP moderation; and reporting. Travel within the Western Pacific Region. Work will be conducted in coordination with WHO Country Offices, national EMT MHPSS focal points, and partners.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational qualifications:

• Essential: A terminal/doctoral degree in psychology or psychiatry (e.g. PsyD) or a closely related field. Qualification to practise independently.
• Desirable: Specialised training/certification in national/international health emergency/disaster response. Specialized training in MHPSS in emergencies.

Work Experience:

• Essential: At least 7 years’ relevant professional experience at national and international level with a focus on mental health and emergency response, development of training/adult educational curricula/materials, and developing and/or deploying as part of a health emergency response. Candidates must have demonstrated experience in developing and delivering training/education for mental health or health emergency response.
• Desirable: Experience or good understanding of the IASC/UN emergency response system, WHO, ICRC/IFRC, MSF, or national emergency response systems, including application of quality-assured MHPSS interventions across these systems. Experience working in national and/or international health or emergency management systems. Experience in capacity strengthening of national and international rapid response teams, including EMTs. Experience supporting institutionalization of health emergency functions in government systems (budget advocacy, legislative processes, NDMO integration). Experience working with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) or women’s rights organisations in health or emergency contexts. Familiarity with disability-inclusive MHPSS approaches and the “nothing about us without us” principle.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Excellent communication skills and proven writing skills in English.
• Capacity to collaborate and coordinate across multiple countries, partners, and contexts.
• Ability to work in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environments, and with a wide range of stakeholders, including in low-, middle-, and high-income contexts.
• Strong organizational skills, including managing shared calendars, file management, document version control with extensive contributing writers/editors, and overall project management.
• Strong data management skills, including developed skills in Microsoft Excel and similar programmes, including sex- and disability-disaggregated data collection and management.
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills.
• Knowledge of SGBV identification, survivor-centred safe referral, and SGBV referral pathway design in emergency settings.
• Familiarity with DFAT’s International Gender Equality Strategy, International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy, or equivalent frameworks.

Languages and level required:

Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English. French language fluency considered a strong asset.

Location

The Consultant will work remotely, be based in the Western Pacific Region, and able to work during Manila, Philippines and Suva, Fiji working hours

Travel

Possible travel onsite to the following areas based on programmatic need: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and others in the Western Pacific Region.

Remuneration and budget:

• USD 425 per day (payband level B), part-time contract, 10 working days per month
• Up to 11 months' contract

Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
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• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
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