Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Specialist - Erbil Or Baghdad

The IRC's Protection Team works to safeguard the human rights and wellbeing of those affected by several years of conflict and displacement in Iraq. The IRC's Protection programming is focused on increasing the safety and assistance of Iraqis who are currently or formerly displaced, as well as those returning to their area of origin. With Protection at the forefront of the crisis in Iraq, the IRC's team is a leader in ensuring that vulnerable communities are receiving access to information and services through Protection Monitoring, Legal Case Management, Psychosocial support and Community-based protection assistance.

Job Overview/Summary

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist, is responsible for the overall technical oversight of quality MHPSS services for Iraq with a focus on the Protection Rule of Law and other protection programming. The MHPSS Specialist will provide technical oversight for a range of psychosocial support efforts within Protection programs. She/he will review existing systems and structures within the IRC’s MHPSS services and align procedures and efforts across technical areas, using industry standards and guidelines.

The MHPSS Specialist will also provide capacity building and technical support to the Protection Rule of Law (PRoL), Child Protection (CP) and Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) staff and for focused non-specialized and community and family MHPSS interventions. She/he will develop standard operating procedures for the provision of psychosocial support, as well as support and psychoeducation in individual, group and community-based settings. MHPSS services will be specific to the needs of girls, boys, women, and men, and will be informed by an understanding of cultural norms around mental health, gender roles, violence against women and girls, and the neglect, exploitation and abuse of children and other vulnerable groups. The MHPSS Specialist will directly report to the Protection Coordinator and works closely with the Child Protection and Women’s Protection and Empowerment Coordinators.

Major Responsibilities

• Provision of MHPSS technical support to mental health and psychosocial support teams, community health teams and protection providers as well as IRC partner organizations:

• Provide training on the identification and management of priority mental health conditions to general health and protection staff in line with relevant guidelines;
• Improve and develop curricula, materials and other tools used by teams during the implementation of MHPSS programming;
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOP) and protocols for mental health and psychosocial support providers for consistent use across IRC programs (supervision mechanisms, care pathways, etc.);
• Provide training, technical supervision and monitoring and evaluation assistance to staff implementing PSS activities;
• Provide support to staff implementing activities, and develop a staff self-care plan;
• Develop and ensure integrated data collection tools are used across protection and health teams; with a special focus on referrals and follow up using the IASC MHPSS RG referral tool;
• Identify and raise technical challenges that Protection partners will face in the delivery of community based non-specialized MHPSS services and propose tools and mechanisms to overcome them in a timely manner;
• Conduct/participate in mental health and psychosocial needs assessment among the affected populations;
• Build the capacity of staff to effectively identify critical cases and refer accordingly;
• Support response to the identified needs byproviding training for specific psychosocial group and individual level interventions/ activities (adapted and appropriate to each one’s specific age, needs and capacities);
• Collaboratively set up, monitor and develop community based non-specialized MHPSS activities with WPE, CP and Protection Managers;
• Assess partner’s learning using a series of mentorship tools, and support staff to assess partner’s field based teams;
• Support the timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level;
• Any other tasks as deemed necessary by the supervisor.

Research, Learning and Analysis

• Work withpartner organizations and IRC teams to conduct regular analysis of MHPSS data collected from field teams in order to note trends and inform programming accordingly, as well as sharing information via reports as needed

Coordination & Representation

• Support timely information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level
• Represent IRC in internal and external forums as needed
• In close collaboration with the Protection, WPE and Child Protection Coordinators, identify, establish, and maintain strategic partnership and coordination with other service providers related to MHPSS services to ensure sharing of learning

  ​

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to:Protection Coordinator

Indirect/Technical Reporting: Child Protection and Women’s Protection and Empowerment Coordinator

Position directly Supervises: Nil

Education:

• Advanced degree in Psychology or counselling with psychotherapy, clinical and or counselling psychology work experience in humanitarian settings

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in psychosocial support/psychology, in clinical and/or direct practice settings.
• Knowledgeable in and has used the IASC MHPSS guidelines and best practices as part of their previous work experience.
• Strong experience in clinical supervision, training and or coaching others.
• Extensive experience designing and rolling out training to diverse audiences.
• Experience working with partners to implement programming
• Solid understanding of case management and survivor-centered care in humanitarian settings,
• Strong experience in training with good facilitation skills and ability to organize and implement trainings on sensitive topics

​​

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Strong understanding of humanitarian protection principles and standards
• Proven understanding of women’s and child protection
• Demonstrated organizational, management and reporting skills;
• Strong communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to liaise with partner organizations;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with ability to communicate effectively with different types of people, including representation and liaison with external parties
• Interpersonal qualities: Works well in teams and promotes teamwork, flexible and able to handle pressure and conflict well in a calm and constructive manner
• Must be capable of applying their skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others
• Ability to work under pressure with competing priorities and deadlines;
• Strong problem solving skills with ability to be flexible, adaptable, and creative in a challenging and fast-moving multicultural environment.

 ​

Languages:

• English is required
• Arabic is highly desirable

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

 
Standards of Professional Conduct:  
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality
IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including maternity leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Attention Returning National Candidates:
IRC strives to attract, motivate and retain qualified national staff in our programs. We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a national of the country in which this position is based and are currently located outside of your home country and possess over two years of international work experience, IRC has introduced an attractive remuneration package. The package includes competitive compensation, return flight to post, shipping allowance, temporary housing and a relocation allowance. Certain restrictions may apply. 

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.