STAFF MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT DELEGATE

Region: Global Deployment Option

Looking for …

Looking for Staff Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (Staff MHPSS) professionals going on international missions, for between 6 to 18 months (this is a pool/roster selection process).

What we do

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and at the same time promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.

Role description

Being a humanitarian worker is rewarding, and ICRC staff have chosen to work for this Institution because they feel highly motivated by the purpose of what they do. Humanitarian workers live and work in physically and psychologically difficult conditions. They are in close contact with victims of armed conflict, other situations of violence and may themselves face life-threatening situations. They can be confronted to several psychosocial risks, including concerns about their security, confinement, lack of privacy, cultural adaptation, long working hours, high workload, job security, internal conflicts, mobbing, and sexual harassment.

The ICRC is implementing a staff health strategy inclusive of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for staff. The main component of this strategy is based on the promotion of occupational wellbeing and the prevention and the response to psychological distress, with five levels of interventions: organizational setting, psychosocial interventions for the community of colleagues, basic psychological support and access to specialized services.

Main responsibilities

In coherence with the staff MHPSS component of the Staff health strategy, and in close collaboration with the Staff health team, the Staff MHPSS delegates support the development and the implementation of an action plan in each Delegation of the region or at national level, where ICRC operates. The purpose of the post is to promote good mental health, support the organization to prevent mental ill-health and assure access to care for staff with psychological distress and mental disorders. This includes regular visits to Delegations/sub-sites and to actively support delegations’ management to improve staff wellbeing, provide technical support to the staff health officers and managers, who are the primary implementers of the staff health strategy.

This role includes (but is not limited to):

• Lead the Staff health teams in the field to conduct staff MHPSS needs assessment and action plans.
• Capacity building of Staff health teams in the field, to strengthen their ability to provide basic psychological support to staff in need.
• Assure detailed organizational and psychological support following security incidents in the field. Reinforce the competences of key internal collaborators to improve post-incident support.
• Collaborate in the organization with Managers, Human Resources, Ombuds network, Diversity & Inclusion teams, etc., to identify and improve organizational psychosocial hazards. Support managerial practices by offering interventions to team leaders and managers on staff care.
• Support strategies and interventions to increase staff mental health awareness, self-care strategies, and to decrease stigma associated with psychological distress and help-seeking.
• Support the implementation of a peer-support system across the organization, and supervision/Inter-Vision/guided practices in Delegations and teams that are most exposed to risks of Secondary Traumatic Stress.
• Offer direct specialized clinical support to staff experiencing psychological distress, mental disorders, critical incidents, and/or sexual harassment and sexual violence.
• Engage with the Staff Health Unit in the country/region and the Staff Health Center of Expertise in HQ and provide support in case of need for medical evacuation of staff.
• Support the development of an external global referral network of trusted mental health professionals for staff in need of long term psychological and psychiatric support.
• Supervise and report about all matters related to the main duties responsibilities as needed.

Education and experience required

• Graduate degree (equivalent to Master’s) in clinical psychology with at least four years of post-graduate professional experience in clinical psychology and a valid license to practice in your country of residence.
• Occupational health and / or Organizational Psychology studies an asset
• Experience in post-incident support.
• Proven capacity to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, with experience in health teams an asset.
• At least two years field experience in the humanitarian sector in at least two contexts different from the home country.
• Previous experience in designing and implementing MHPSS systems/strategy within organizations.
• Experience in project management, from development to implementation (included assessment and monitoring processes).
• Experience in team management and capacity building.

Desired profile and other skills

• Strong motivation to work on support of humanitarian workers.
• English is required, with additional French or Arabic proficiency a must. Additional languages such as Spanish and Russian are an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills used to optimally develop collaborative relationships across a diverse international organization.
• Outstanding communication skills (verbal, written and presentation) and ability to clearly present complex issues and pragmatic solutions to impact leadership and collaborators.
• Pragmatic, innovative and entrepreneurial approach.
• Resilient, energetic, caring and enthusiastic personality who responds constructively to challenging new ideas and input.
• Strong alignment with the ICRC values of striving for Impact, Compassion, Respect and Collaboration
• Able to work under pressure in a potentially dangerous environment.
• Percentage of expected travel through the region or the country: 60%.
• Capacity to work in insecure contexts.

Our operational & field constraints

• In line with the principle of neutrality, the ICRC does not assign international personnel to a country of which they are nationals.
• Candidates must be in good health and will have to do a medical check-up prior to departure in the field.
• Candidates must possess driving license (for manual transmission vehicles) and an international driving licence at the moment of the deployment.
• Candidates must be prepared to accept unaccompanied postings (i.e. no spouse, partner, children or dependents) for between 6 to 24 months of seniority with ICRC, without guaranty that a family posting mission will be offered after this waiting period.

What we offer

• Rewarding work in a humanitarian and multicultural environment;
• A staff integration program along an onboarding process within the Staff Health Unit and more specifically the staff mental health and psychosocial support team;
• Attractive social benefits, including accident and health coverage, hardship incentives etc.
• Join an ICRC talent pool and be considered for future assignments.
• Working rate: 100%, to be prepared to 60% travelling through the region or the country you are assigned to;
• Starting date: to be discussed according to your availabilities and ICRC’s needs;
• Location: Global – depending on ICRC’s needs;
• Hardship: 0 to 3;
• Job level: B3 (national coverage) to C1 (regional coverage and coordination level);
• Application deadline: 15/07/2022.

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.