Senior Psychosocial Support (PSS) Officer – National Position

Position: Senior Psychosocial Support (PSS) Officer

Location: Amman, Jordan with frequent travel to Syria

Reports: Whole of Syria PSS Coordinator

About RI: Relief International is a leading nonprofit organization working in roughly 20 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty. Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

Position Summary:

The Senior PSS Officer will support the PSS Coordinator on implementing and supporting the field teams in the PSS under the GBV and CP program in Syria mainly and in some times under MHPSS program. The position will play a key role in building the team capacity and supervise closely the quality of PSS services provided and support the program at the WGSS for a culture and practice of high-quality GBV/CP programming in emergencies. As the PSS Officer for the whole of Syria, he/she will report directly to the PSS Coordinator. S/He will be responsible initially to support the baseline assessment and capacity building module of the PSS programme, followed by the overall planning, implementation, and management of future activities. S/He will ensure that the activities are implemented according to the plan in an appropriate, relevant, effective, timely, coordinated, and complementary manner. The PSS Officer will also play a key role in development of PSS program for WOS and actively seek synergies with other components of the programme.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Support the field-based teams in planning and conducting individual and group counseling session/ psychosocial first aid (PFA) remotely and in person where possible.
• Conducting individual and group counseling session/PFA (remotely)
• Support with establishing formalized referral pathways within the communities of work to available services. Ensure follow up of cases in a timely manner.
• Support the field-based teams in planning, developing, and facilitating and providing children, youth, and adults with a focus on women and girls with culturally and age appropriate, safe, and stimulating non-structured as well-structured PSS activities and positive coping mechanisms activities
• Support the field-based team in conducting community-based psychosocial education of selected topics.
• Support the field-based teams in facilitating group based focused nonspecialized psychosocial support curriculums with women and girls where situation allows to carry out curriculum activities.
• Support the field-based teams in activating social networks through engaging with community to support traditional community structures and support groups.
• Support the field-based teams in promote positive mental health and wellbeing through provision of key messages on constructive coping mechanisms.
• Support the field-based team in raising awareness regarding the availability of mental health, psychosocial support, and protection services.
• Support the field-based in team in identifying and referring cases for more specialized case management services.
• Support in planning and participate in capacity building trainings based on the need.
• Support the program in developing work-schedule for the activities and ensure the schedule is followed by the field-based teams through regular follow up.
• Supervised and coaching the PSS field-based staff remotely of the (and in person where possible) in addition to monitoring the PSS activities.
• Contribute to data entry and analysis of gathered information.
• Ensure PSS staff maintain and complete and confidential e-case files to document client interaction and interventions using the relevant tools.
• Support the supervisor in compiling weekly and monthly reports to provide information on activities conducted, topics discussed, challenges faced
• Develop and support the field-based teams in maintaining effective working relationships with all relevant stakeholders including other NGOs, civil society groups, authorities, etc.
• Develop/contribute to developing and continuously update a service mapping system detailing available services and assistance in our areas of operation.
• Support the field-based teams in ensuring that other RI sectors (including health) in the field are efficiently and confidentially referring cases to the team based on selected criteria.
• Coordination with Protection Program senior officers (Syria) for any PSS activities to take place in WGSSs and catchment areas of WGSSs or through Health facilities.
• Coordination with Protection Program senior officers (Syria) to ensure effectiveness of community-based activities
• Regularly check with the field-based teams to ensure that materials and facilities are fully functioning and ready to provide activities (logistically, capacity).
• Create and conduct well-being activities plan to protect the team from burnout. Support community health workers and health teams in enhancing the internal referral system as well as the building the needed counselling skills for a survivor centered approach

Qualifications & requirements:

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required.

• Degree psychology or related field with a minimum of 3 years of post-licensure experience particularly in Counselling Psychology and Social work (with additional psychological therapy qualification)
• Strong understanding of protection issues including child protection and gender-based violence
• Ability to discuss sensitive issues with respect and empathy including ability to provide basic Psychological First Aid services
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Ability and experience to effectively provide training on PSS/PFA
• Experience in the Syrian context and emergency PSS in conflict settings
• Knowledge of global MHPSS guidelines and best practices and MHPSS approaches/tools in low resource and humanitarian contexts
• Must be capable of working both individually and as part of a team.
• Strong sense of personal integrity and understanding of confidentiality and ethics
• Organized and able to independently manage multiple tasks under strict deadlines
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
• Proficiency in Excel, SPSS, or another statistical analysis software preferred

Language Skills:

• Fluent Arabic language communication skills required (both oral and written)
• Very good oral and written English skills

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities. We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability

Professional Standards

All Relief International members (staff, volunteers, and interns) are committed to the RI policies such as, RI Code of Conduct, Child Protection Policy, Reporting Conflict of Interest, Reporting Misconduct, Reporting Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. All newcomers are expected to adhere to all these policies.

Safeguarding

• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, ensure all people who come into contact with Relief International are as safe as possible.

Disclaimer Clause

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with position.