REGIONAL STRESS AND RESILIENCE ADVISOR - BASED IN DAKAR (TO COVER WEST AFRICA)

Position within the organisation

Based in Dakar, the Regional Stress & Resilience Adviser is under the responsibility of the HR manager. He/she coordinates visits and activities in the various Regional locations with HQ in Geneva, with the management of the Regional delegation and with the management of all delegations covered. The technical line of the Regional Stress & Resilience Adviser is the Stress & Resilience adviser based at HQ in Geneva.

Specific tasks

• Contribute to develop a culture of stress prevention and co-resilience among ICRC regional operations and staff
• Develop and use tools to help resident and mobile staff understand and deal with stress at the team and individual level.
• Support integration of stress prevention and management in the Delegation and sub delegations yearly Planning for Results (PFR)
• Provide group and/or individual "preparedness & support" sessions for new joiners
• Adjust own support level to the specific needs and preparedness of the various offices located in the Region.
• Identify and train peer support volunteers (staff members trained to support their colleagues at times of adjustments and stress, lend a listening ear with a role limited to basic help.) Identify and train key persons within the team who would be able to provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) to their colleagues
• Give guidance / training of team leaders in the field on how to support their staff
• Organize Team Supervision sessions for teams with high exposure to human sufferings
• Offer systematic support following security incidents
• Contribute to monitoring stress level of ICRC staff
• Identify and liaise with local professional able to provide MHPSS services as needed
• Give direct support to the ICRC staff if needed (group or/and individual support)
• Evaluate the possibility of a hotline specifically dedicated to support national staff
• Assist, in case of need, in any medical evacuation of staff
• Report on activities and findings, statistics and tools developed

Responsibilities

1. To assess the psychosocial needs of the ICRC staff in the Region various delegations (approx.10) and the current relevant practices addressing workplace stress, traumatic stress and vicarious stress.
2. To recommend organizational adjustments to support staff resilience e-g:
   • Advise Line Managers on adequate actions & attitudes
   • Ensure organizational clarity of roles and responsibilities
   • Promote conflict resolution techniques
3. To set-up a psychosocial support system integrated in the general objectives of the Delegation and according to the ICRC stress policy for ICRC’s staff in the Region in coordination with the HQ stress and resilience advisor.
4. To monitor and report about all matters related to the main responsibilities and other tasks as needed.

Selection requirements

Psychologist or stress counselor with solid experience in:

• Support and counselling of individuals working in a volatile security environment
• Positive-constructive promotion of resilience and well being
• HR and people management or occupational psychology
• Training of individuals and teams to work in conditions of duress
• Knowledgeable in Psychological First Aid

• Familiar with contemplative techniques
• Familiar with peer support system and guidance of team leaders
• Group support for teams having gone through security incidents
• Working with multi-cultural staff
• Ability to translate psychology into day-to-day language and practices
• Familiar with humanitarian and/or emergency operations
• Ability to work in parallel in different locations
• English and French fluency compulsory, additional languages (Arabic) are an asset.
• International driving license (valid for manual transmission vehicles) and good practice

What we offer

• Rewarding work in a humanitarian and multicultural environment
• A two-week orientation course and other opportunities for further in-house training
• Generous social benefits
• Length of assignment:  12 months
• The opportunity to join an ICRC talent pool and be considered for future assignments elsewhere

Length of the assignment: 12 months, extendable

Application deadline: 21.01.2018

Starting date: ASAP