MHPSS officer

Description

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title:  MHPSS officer

Department:    Technical department

Location: Gaziantep with frequent travels to program locations  

Reporting to:   MHPSS coordinator.  

Direct reports: Not Applicable

ABOUT Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 16 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.

RI includes the four corporate members of the RI Alliance: RI-US, RI-UK, MRCA/RI-France and RI-Europe.  Under our alliance agreement, we operate as a single, shared management structure.

RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.  Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities. 

RI employs 7,000+ staff and auxiliary workers

97% of staff are local nationals

We only have some 90 ex-pat staff out of 7,000+

RI spent $150 million in 2019 on our programs

Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities. 

RI invests in four broad program sectors:  Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.  We design our programs to incorporate The RI Way:  local participation, integrated programming, the development of civic skills, and complementary partnerships including with local NGOs, governments, and the private sector.  RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change. 

About our Country Program/ Regional Programs:

Middle East Region

RI in the Middle East has programs in six countries - Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Yemen, with a focus on the 4 main RI sectors: Health, WASH, Education and Economic Opportunity.

Relief International currently employs 3900 staff (direct and indirect) in the region and has a range of emergency response and development programs valued at 70 million USD on an annual basis

Position Summary.

As part of the Syria Refugees and IDPs Project in Turkey, RI seeks a mental health officer (under supervision of MHPSS coordinator) to provide technical assistance in projects design, capacity building of the staff and partners in MHPSS and ensure standards are being adhered to in quality of services and care provided through RI supported MHPSS centres.

He/ She will also participate in designing and carrying out assessment for MHPSS in order to incorporate MHPSS services in RI Essential Package of Health Care to Syrian and IDPs communities within Turkey. RI projects focus on persons with disabilities and their families as well as other deprived persons.  

Main activities within MHPSS programming include assisting in building the capacity and working with partners to improve psychosocial case management and provision of mental health services through psychologists, child psychologists, and support/psycho-education groups, along different levels of holistic care.

Key Responsibilities and Duties.

• Assist MHPSS coordinator in providing technical and administrative support to mental health and psychosocial project/program team; providing guidance on planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of MHPSS activities.

• Keep on-going communication and conduct regular site visits to the assigned centres according to the scheduled plan, and share findings with line manager.

• Ensure the submission of the data and reports from the supported centres to Gaziantep office on a regular basis. 

• assist in conducting periodic project needs assessments and program reviews to ensure successful implementation and donor compliance when needed.

• Participate in developing the strategy and mechanisms to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into RI programs, in line with RI agreed Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies.

• Ensure close coordination between the MHPSS component of the project and other components especially protection, education and health. 

• Participate and represent the MHPSS project in regular staff meetings when needed. 

• Periodically participate in reviewing and managing M&E systems for MHPSS programming, in collaboration with MEAL team and implementing partner, including the development of M and E tools and methodology, management of reporting mechanisms and information flow, and analysis of program data and impact. 

• Assist in Identifying program gaps, areas of growth, and strategies and share these findings with line manager,

• Support in adapting program Lead and participate in regular strategy and program planning workshops for MHPSS and the overall organization.

• Assist in building accountability system, including incorporation of feedback mechanisms for staff and beneficiaries, into program.

• Participate in MHPSS program development and proposal writing. 

• Assessment of the capacity of the local partner staff and working on a capacity building plan that goes in line with the country strategic objectives.

• Represent RI at relevant coordination meetings (Clusters, UNHCR, WHO, etc.).

• Wherever possible, identify or work with suitable other local partner organizations and institutions for joint MHPSS work.

• Help carry out any other tasks identified by the supervisor.

Other related tasks that may from time to time

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 your job related activity and practice is compliant with safeguarding standards.

For all Manager level and above roles:

·     You will ensure a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying.

·     Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity and cultural differences, gender issues and the commitment to equal opportunities

Experience and skills required for the role.

·     A qualified psychologist or a professional with equivalent proven experience.

• Minimum 2 years' experience in mental health and psychosocial programming for refugees and IDPs especially with I/NGOs.
• Experience in capacity building trainings on MHPSS and special needs rehabilitation topics.
• Experience in providing supervision, coaching, and technical support is plus.
• Strong understanding of the refugees need and Türkiye context. 

·     Fluency in English.  Ability to communicate in Arabic and Turkish is highly desired.

• Ability to conduct a site visits to partners centers on a regular basis.
• Excellent use of MS Office products including Word and Excel. 
• Team player with good interpersonal, communication, and strategic planning skills required, including patience, diplomacy, willingness to listen and respect for colleagues within diverse team.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently in a fast-paced, stressful environment;
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

RI Values.

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

We value:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

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