Protection Officer – Mental heath Pyschosocial Support (2 Positions

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, we are excited to invite you to join our team as a Protection Officer – (Mental heath Pyschosocial Support). If you are a skilled and motivated professional ready to make a difference, we want you on board! Together, we’ll work to deliver impactful humanitarian solutions in challenging environments.

About the job

Overall purpose of the role: The Protection Officer– Psychosocial Support is responsible for overseeing the PSS program strategy, in addition to ensuring high impact programming. The Protection Officer – Psychosocial Support will advise on program design and implementation, innovative approaches, staff training and capacity building, with the aim of building a cohesive, well-coordinated and high-quality PSS response across multiple locations.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Program Strategy & Design

• Lead technical design and strategy of PSS programming.
• Assess needs and existing capacities across sites; identify DRC's niche in the psychosocial field.

Technical Oversight & Quality Control

• Conduct field-based quality assessments; recommend improvements.
• Develop PSS manuals and tools, adapted to local context and language.

Capacity Building & Staff Support

• Train and coach PSS staff and partners (e.g., Team Leaders, Case Workers).
• Conduct supervision visits, mentoring, and skill-building.
• Deliver training in self-care, stress management, and resilience to staff.

Coordination & Representation

• Represent DRC in key coordination forums (GBV, PSEA, MHPSS).
• Collaborate with external actors to align approaches and services.

Monitoring, Learning & Proposal Development

• Work with M&E to strengthen data collection, learning, and documentation.
• Contribute to proposal writing for MHPSS-related projects.

Required

Essential Qualifications:

• Master’s in Clinical Psychology (mandatory).
• Licensed Clinical Psychologist.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in PSS programming with vulnerable populations.

Key Skills and Experience:

• Strong grasp of IASC MHPSS Guidelines and psychosocial support tools.
• Demonstrated ability to develop materials, train, and coach staff.
• Field experience in East Africa, preferably with IDPs, returnees, and refugees.

Desirable Attributes:

• Experience with structured group and individual interventions for children, elderly, and persons with specific needs (PSN).
• Strong communication and mentoring skills.
• Cultural sensitivity and experience in remote or insecure field environments.