Senior Psychologist - Samos

Background/IRC Summary:The mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) program aims to ensure that crisis-affected populations have access to high quality humanitarian services focusing on the promotion and treatment of mental health concerns. The project will address the mental health needs of the population currently residing in Reception Identification Center (RIC) of Vathy in Samos, while a possibility of also working with cases living in alternative accommodation should not be omitted.

Job Overview/Summary:The Senior psychologist’s role has a dual responsibility, to act as the head of the office including the hierarchical supervision of the team and the clinical supervision of the caseworker and to work with the caseload of Vathy RIC as a psychologist, providing both individual and group support. The team will consist of eight staff members in total, including two psychologists, one caseworker, two interpreters, one programmatic assistant, and one operations assistant. The Senior psychologist will be responsible for providing evidence based preventative and curative services to people suffering from mental health concerns currently living in Vathy RIC, who are referred by other actors through the established referral pathway system. The psychologist will also be responsible for managing cases, conducting appropriate referrals to a psychiatrist if needed and protection services. The psychologist will provide targeted psychological interventions based on the client’s needs and presenting complaints.There will be a focus on vulnerable populations, specifically, but not limited to, survivors of gender based violence and torture and people with severe psychopathology.

Reports to:The position will report to the Senior MHPSS Manager and will receive additional technical support from the IRC’s HQ-based Mental Health Technical Advisor, as well as clinical supervision from an external clinical supervisor.

Responsibilities

Technical Quality

• Provide technical and management leadership to the MHPSS program in their location in accordance with best practices and IRC policy and in cooperation with the Senior MHPSS Manager.
• Ensure that individual, family and group counselling is provided to people in need for MHPSS support, that clients are referred when necessary and that updated information management systems are in place.
• Ensure regular communication with the Senior MHPSS Manager to integrate appropriate technical priorities in program design, in order to provide updates on achievements and challenges.

Operational duties

• Makes sure the IRC office is functional and well maintained and address challenges.

Context analysis & Representation – External & Internal Coordination

• Monitors the contexts and proposes programmatic adaptations based on context alternations.
• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, such as local government actors, UN agencies, NGOs, social services and other relevant actors.
• Participate in the MHPSS and other relevant working groups at appropriate levels to contribute to coordination across agencies and sites.
  

Staff Supervision & Development

• Supervises staff members in their location.
• Follow the HR Handbook and legal requirements for staff management practices and processes.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, annual performance reviews, high level staff performance and other HR management related tasks.
• Ensure training, support and ongoing capacity building opportunities for MHPSS staff (IRC’s & partners’) on technical skills.
  

M&E and reporting

• Maintain the oversight of the achievements of the program on Samos Island.
• Monitor and consolidate information collected from monthly and staff activity reports.
• Develop and maintain effective and efficient oversight, support, quality control and reporting systems and processes. Monitor and consolidate information collected from weekly and staff activity reports.
• Support data analysis, conduct data review meetings and adjust programs as needed, and disseminate information to the appropriate coordinating mechanisms, field teams, beneficiaries and IRC implementing team accordingly.

Other

• Work closely and coordinates with IRC supply chain, finance and grant, M&E and partnerships staff to ensure timely program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings.
• Advocate with peer agencies, government and other stakeholders to promote timely and quality MHPSS response.
• Lead MHPSS assessments locally, to contribute to concept papers, project proposals and reports and/or course correction in current programs.
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Major Psychologist Responsibilities

• Adhere to internationally recognized best practices for evidence based psychological interventions and the management of clients with mental health concerns. This includes ensuring the confidentiality of clients and respecting their decisions;
• Establish a safe space to conduct private and confidential sessions acceptable to those on the site and safely accessible by women and children.
• Assess the client’s needs and presenting complaints and develop a care plan with the client based on those needs, including referrals to other services;
• Provide age-appropriate culturally relevant individual and/or group psychological counselling for population at risk including but not limited to survivors of torture, asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors;
• Support the client(s) coping process and mobilize their internal and external resources for processing extreme adversity;
• Conduct follow-up sessions as needed and decide with the client when to close the case;
• Identify concerns related to and support adherence to referral protocols and guiding principles for gender based violence and child protection, and bring these concerns to the MHPSS Manager;
• Maintain an effective working relationship and regular communication with other psychologists working on the same project;
• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including referral organizations community groups and other implementing partners;
• Complete daily case reports and data collection according to guidance provided by the MHPSS Manager and the MH Technical Advisor.
• Collaborate with the rest of the team to exchange information and ensure that IRC programs are responding to the evolving needs of refugees;
• Attend regular supportive supervision conducted by theMHPSS Manager;
• Closely collaborate with the mental health caseworker to ensure appropriate referral of clients to other services (protection, medical, legal)
  

Other

• Provide psycho-education sessions and psycho-social support groups to asylum seekers.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs;
• Lead weekly team meetings.