MHPSS Technical Supervisor

Overview

Un Ponte Per (UPP) is an NGO established in 1991. It has started its activities as “Un ponte per Baghdad”, right after the end of the war in Iraq, with the aim of organizing solidarity initiatives in favor of the Iraqi civil society. Later on, the intervention of Un Ponte Per started including Serbia and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. The NGO mission is to prevent new conflicts, protect human rights and support civil society, especially in the Middle East, through humanitarian and development programs, always supporting the local civil society. UPP is active in Iraq since 1991 and is regularly registered at National and Kurdistan Region levels.

The project focuses on strengthening the provision of MHPSS assistance to Syrian Refugees in the Erbil Governorate, seeking to improve the mental health conditions and the psychosocial vulnerability of 4.800 refugees. A second main component includes capacity building activities that would improve the knowledge and skills of 115 persons identified among camp community-based structures, 40 Erbil Directorate of Health (DOH) staff, and 19 UPP staff on community based MHPSS topics.

The Technical Supervisor (TS) oversees MHPSS technical activities, follows up the case management and support capacity building. He reports to the Technical Advisor (TA) and the Project Manager (PM). He/She collaborates with the Psychosocial Counselors (PCs) and the Community Workers (CWs) to provide MHPSS related guidance and supervision.

Responsibilities

Supervision:

• Technical supervision of field staff and activity implementation, including MHPSS case management, individual sessions and support groups activities;
• Technical supervision of the Psychologist , PCSs and CWs including shadowing of activities in presence;
• Provides weekly individual supervision session for the Psychologist and PCSs . Within these sessions he/she discusses the handling of new and follows up cases as well as reviews the documentation of those with the Psychologist , PCSs;
• Provides by weekly individual supervision sessions for CWs. Within these sessions he discusses the cases out of the groups and community workshops and events as well as general questions of the CWs;
• Provision of technical feedback to the staff and help them to build appropriate treatment plan according the PoC needs;
• Conduction regular case file audit and check quality and consistency of work, ensuring that all decisions made to support the PoC are recorded on case files;
• Ensure that all team members apply the company’s internal procedures and SOPs

Referrals and Case Management

• Organizes and leads weekly team case management meetings to discuss the new cases and the general existing process;
• Organization of weekly team case management meeting, and the facilitation of case conference meeting when needed;
• Arranges and/or participates in interagency case conferences with technical focal point from other actors in MHPSS as well as other sectors (i.e. protection/GBV/community services/health).
• Represent UPP during the case conferences meetings and adopt a positive attitude and representation of the NGO.

Management of the emergencies

• Manages-in cooperation of the MHPSS TA and MHPSS PM – the mental health emergencies/after psychiatrists’/psychosocial counselors’ working hours, at night, on holiday, and on the weekend, in line with the MHPSS emergency plan and reports to the TA;

Human Resources and Capacity Building

• Review staff caseload and ensure the staff wellbeing;
• Supports PM and TA in conducting all relevant trainings to UPP and Non-UPP staff.
• Participate in the recruitment process, evaluate CVs, interviews, and complete all reports related to the recruitment process.

Documentation and Reporting

• Submits monthly reports to the TA, highlighting progresses, achievements, challenges;
• Submits monthly supervision documentation to the PM;
• Supports the PM and TA in general reporting and documentation purposes.
• Review the reports requested from the Psychologist and PCSs.

Education:

• University Degree in Clinical Psychology or Psychology and/or equivalent qualification.

Experience:

• Minimum 3-years working experience in a clinical setting (e.g. psychiatric hospital, private facilities);
• At least 2 years working experience with NGOs in MHPSS programs.
• At least 1 year of proven experience of MHPSS staff supervision.
• Proven experience with case management procedures for at least 1 year.
• Previous experience working with IDPs or Refugee populations is desired.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Outstanding motivational skills and ability to enthuse teams and partners
• Attention to detail and preciseness
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people.

Knowledge: 

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Self-reliant and able to work independently.
• Strong literacy in Microsoft Office Programs, especially Excel
• Familiarity with working on a medical database
• Regional and cultural knowledge and sensitivity
• Personal integrity and credibility
• Ability to work under high pressure
• Ability to solve problems and proactively
• Demonstrated commitment to humanitarian principles
• Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills.
• Reporting skills

Languages:

• Verbal and written Kurdish, Arabic and English is required.
• Persian and Turkish is desirable