MENTAL HEALTH PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Position Title: Mental Health Psychosocial Support Technical Advisor

Location: Erbil – KRI/Iraq

Period: 5 months with possible renewal

Closing date of the vacancy: 31st July 2022 (applications on a rolling basis)

Starting date: August 2022

Context Presentation: Un Ponte Per (UPP) is an international humanitarian organization, based in Italy. Originally named Un Ponte Per Baghdad (A Bridge to Baghdad), the association became simply Un Ponte Per after the extension of its work to the Balkans, as well as other Middle East and Mediterranean countries and Europe. UPP is currently active in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Serbia and Kosovo alongside civil society organizations. In Italy and in Europe, UPP works to promote peace and disarmament, human rights, refugees and migrants’ inclusion, women and girls rights and anti-discrimination. UPP strongly rejects war as a solution to international and national conflicts, and it considers fundamental rights claim indivisible from humanitarian intervention. UPP exerts relentless efforts with the ultimate objective of developing more equal and peaceful coexistence. For further information please refer to our website: www.unponteper.it/en/

Project purpose: The project focuses on strengthening the provision of MHPSS assistance to Refugees in the Erbil Governorate, seeking to improve the mental health conditions and the psychosocial vulnerability of refugees.

The position: The project is oriented at improving the mental health conditions and the psychosocial vulnerability of Refugees in four camps and urban areas of Erbil Governorate and at building the capacity of health/non-health staff on MHPSS-related issues. The Mental Health Psychosocial Support Technical Advisor coordinates the multidisciplinary teams in the camps, in line with UPP Standards of Procedures.

Roles and responsibilities:

The MHPSS TA will be responsible for:

• Developing technical material and guidelines for the project activities (Curriculum for awareness sessions, workshops, group activities, remote consultations, SOPs for emergency, etc.) and adapting it according to the context and the evolution of the needs throughout the year, and while monitoring the continuous adherence of UPP SOPs on MHPSS with international recognized standards.
• Building the capacity of the multidisciplinary teams through provision of on-the-job training, monitoring, and mentoring to UPP multidisciplinary teams in line with UPP SOPs on MHPSS;
• Supporting and monitoring the training provision to protection actors’ staffs and community members in and out of camps, according to recognized international protocols. The support will include the supervision of the Technical Supervisor / external trainer during his/her training provision and technical validation of the reports;
• Develop the Teacher’s PSS Program for school implementation of PSS activities supported by UPP. And building the capacities of the team to implement the program in schools with the support of the technical advisor.
• Assist in the development and implementation of the technical monitoring and impact tools for the project’s activities for all MHPSS components.
• Provide support to Project Manager for recruiting technical staff and facilitates technical inductions on the basis of identified needs.
• Liaising with MHPSS related actors, including international (i.e. UNHCR, INGOs) and National (i.e. DoH, Erbil Psychiatric Hospital) partners involved in the MHPSS delivery and technical discussion.
• Attending relevant Clusters as well as other relevant MHPSS-related technical working groups and meetings. Lead the technical discussion with relevant MHPSS actors present in Iraq.
• Support the Technical Supervisor and the case management officer in the case management of high-risk cases, or complicated case conferences.
• Supervise and support the technical supervisor and the case management officer in their daily tasks and challenges with weekly supervision meetings and daily coordination.
• Ensure the proper implementation of UPP staff well-being program based on the identified needs, and addressing daily stressors and critical incidents.
• Coordinate with the project manager for every aspect of the project (activities development, capacity building, cases reports, etc.), including communication with UNHCR.

Tasks related to the MHPSS Program/Project design

• Providing professional technical support and guidance to Protection and MHPSS projects (program strategy, assessments, evidence-based project design, MEAL) in collaboration with UPP Project Managers/UPP management, as well as together with the Donors/other Partners.
• Participating in psychosocial and protection needs assessments for new projects to be developed/adaptation of the existing projects or during interagency rapid needs assessments.
• Providing support in monitoring the implementation of MHPSS projects against M/E and Log frames and guide teams in integration of lessons learned. Lead the process of development of TORs, supervision of surveys and dissemination of results.
• Providing support in the research of emerging opportunities for new Protection and MHPSS programming, and lead project design in line with UPP strategy and Iraq clusters priorities and trends.

Essential Requirements:

• Minimum Bachelor Degree in Psychology, clinical psychology or related to mental health;
• At least 3 years working experience in similar position in the humanitarian sector;
• At least 2 years of proven experience in MHPSS staff supervision;
• Proven experience and knowledge of protection sector and case management;
• Proven experience in capacity building of MHPSS staff and non-MHPSS actors on MHPSS topic related;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to work independently;
• Ability to work under high pressure and in emergency situation with calm;
• Fluent level of English (Written and spoken);
• Fluent level of Arabic (written and spoken) strongly preferred;
• Proficiency in MS Office;
• Demonstrated commitment to humanitarian principles.

UPP requires criminal background check certificate (released max 3 months before the date of job offer) to confirm a job offer. We are aware that in some countries the release of criminal background certificate by the competent authorities might require several weeks. However, UPP runs selections to deploy staff in emergency programs and time-lapse between job offer and field deployment is often very short. Thus, we kindly ask all candidates to get prepared on time and be able to submit their certificate promptly in case of success in the selection.

Desirable requirements:

• Previous experience in proposal and report writing
• Previous experience working with IDPs or Refugee populations is an asset.
• Previous experience in Iraqi context is an asset.
• Knowledge of Kurdish (Sorani or Kurmanji), Farsi and Turk are strong assets
• Ability to solve problems and proactivity
• Excellent reactivity and flexibility in all circumstances
• Familiarity with working on a medical database
• Regional and cultural knowledge and sensitivity.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Un Ponte Per is an International NGO committed to diversity and inclusion within its teams, in line with the principle of non-discrimination. UPP encourages all candidates irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity including persons with disabilities to apply and become part of the organization.

Ethical Conduct

UPP upholds all the minimum standards in terms of Ethical Conduct and strives to increase its standards over the minimum. Zero tolerance is reserved to Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and to Child Abuse, Violence, Harm, Injury and Negligence. By applying, any candidate assures that s/he has never breached any standard in terms of SEA and Child Safeguarding and that s/he will not in the future. For the protection of beneficiaries, communities and partners, UPP will conduct extensive reference check and vetting on shortlisted candidates, also over the contacts indicated by the candidate. Candidates are alerted that the required background check might compromise their privacy. Shortlisted candidates shall promptly provide an up-to-date criminal background check.