Workplace Counsellor

Summary of Key Functions:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 

• Counselling Access and Services

• Emotional and Psychosocial Support

• Stress Management

• Knowledge Building and Sharing

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 

• Drive implementation and adoption of the UN Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy within the UNOPS context.

• Coordinate implementation, tracking and reporting of Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) recommendations related to mental health and wellbeing.

• Contribute to the definition of practices, norms and strategies related to workplace wellbeing and mental health.

• Work closely with UN agencies and contribute to inter-agency initiatives on wellbeing and mental health.

• Develop workplace action plans on the mental health and wellbeing of personnel, identifying and removing barriers to accessing psychosocial support services.

• Prioritize stigma reduction through mental health literacy initiatives, outreach and health-promotion measures.

• Ensure wellbeing programmes and activities are embedded in and complement the organization’s evidence-based, data-driven approach to mental health and wellbeing. Also, implement routine monitoring and assessment mechanisms.

Counselling Access and Services

• Ensure personnel have access to individual counselling (internally or externally) for work-related issues or personal issues impacting work performance, covering diagnosis, treatment and assistance.

• Collaborate with personnel and supervisors to identify and resolve issues in individual cases, exploring options and developing courses of action.

• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of the organization’s guidelines and policies for personnel wellbeing.

• Actively participate in and contribute to wellbeing and mental health projects, programmes and initiatives.

• Provide immediate support during critical incidents, e.g. organizational rightsizings, workplace accidents, or traumatic events.

Emotional and Psychosocial Support

• Offer a safe, confidential and respectful space for personnel to discuss stress, anxiety, burnout, or personal issues.

• Help personnel to process individual feelings related to workplace conflicts, performance pressures, or organizational changes. 

• Assess and monitor psychosocial needs affecting personnel wellbeing. Identify and recommend measures to prevent systemic issues and trends which adversely affect good mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of personnel.

• Support leadership and supervisors in identifying and addressing psychosocial risks within their teams. 

Stress Management

• Lead internally commissioned research to investigate and evaluate stress levels across regions and countries of operations, as well as develop mitigation strategies.

• Teach techniques for coping with workplace stress such as time management, mindfulness or relaxation strategies.

• Provide expert advice to leaders and supervisors on helping team-members maintain work-life balance.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Contribute to knowledge networks and Communities of Practice (CoPS) on topics related to personnel counselling, personnel assistance programmes, and personnel wellbeing.

• Provide training and consultation on personnel wellbeing and mental health by designing and delivering tailored workshops, webinars and dialogues.

• Conduct periodic induction courses on psychological wellbeing for new personnel

• Assist in organizing expert training, workshops and webinars on personnel wellbeing.