The IRC has commenced in Myanmar with its initial emergency response program designed to save lives and meet basic needs of the May 2008 Cyclone Nargis affected people. The IRC is working in Myanmar with the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and the Ministry of Health and Sport.
Scope of work: The MHPSS Advisor will be responsible for technical oversight and quality of mental health and psychosocial support activities in identified IDP camps and villages of targeted township in Kachin, Rakhine and Northern part of Shan State. The MHPSS Advisor will responsible for implementing key capacity building strategies for mental health integration, including scalable psychological interventions and designing strategic MHPSS responses as part of comprehensive humanitarian response program in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine State.
Key Responsibilities:
This position is specifically assigned for strengthening MHPSS response service of International Rescue Committee in Myanmar.
•Designing MHPSS response action plan as part of comprehensive humanitarian response of IRC Myanmar
•Providing technical support for MHPSS components in integrated humanitarian health response projects
•Leading capacity building of IRC local staff members of Health, Women’s Protection and Empowerment and Protection projects
•Participate national and global level MHPSS technical working groups and coordination with country program sector leads.
1. Technical Supervision and Oversight
•Provide technical support to the mental health and psychosocial support service team of Health, WPE and Protection in humanitarian response project area.
•Lead design, in collaboration with other sector focal points, of MHPSS services in target areas in Myanmar.
•Participate in the development of MHPSS approaches, strategies, and projects, as relevant
•Adapt and utilize standard MHPSS indicators for the Myanmar country program, ensuring minimum MHPSS service standards are applied throughout projects
•Coordinate and supervise MHPSS implementation, including development of workplans and monitoring plans
•Ensure strong documentation and reporting of field activities
•Provide support to partners, where relevant, to build their MHPSS capacities
2. Human resources
•Support in the design and recruitment of the MHPSS team, developing and adapting JDs and team structures to fit the scope of the projects
•Design country program MHPSS capacity building strategies and action plan for local staffs
•Design and adapt the capacity building packages for different MHPSS service providers of country program.
•Ensure completion and analysis of pre and post knowledge tests, training evaluations and on the job supervision checklists.
•Provide capacity building actions to MHPSS service providers of IRC and partner organizations, including ministry of health and sports and ethnic health organizations.
3. Coordination and Representation
•Actively lead or participate in coordination mechanisms (e.g. Health, general coordination, potential MHPSS coordination group) and advocate for principles of IASC MHPSS guidelines.
• Participate and contribute national level MHPSS strategic working groups and national strategy formulation as necessary.
•Liaise, advocate and negotiate relevant donors, external stakeholders and health and protection key policies makers on strengthening MHPSS services in country.
•Develop and maintain strong relationships with key local MHPSS stakeholders, including MOHS and DSW representatives, as relevant
•Support sector leads (Health, WPE, Protection) for contributing IRC inputs and perspective to MHPSS in relevant cluster approach.
•Liaise regularly and work closely with program, operations and finance staff in Yangon to coordinate program planning.
4. Grants and Program Management
•Prepare and maintain/update detailed work plan(s) that support and achieve program activities.
•Develop strong MEAL system in coordination with MEAL core unit, ensuring MEAL plans specific for MHPSS activities
•Provide accurate and regular narrative and financial reports, as well as document results and maintain detailed records of program activities for timely submission, as required by IRC policies.
•Conduct and draft needs assessment reports and other internal reports as required
•Support drafting of program quarterly/annual donor report as required.
•Support drafting of program briefing materials, and respond to requests for program information from IRC Regional Management, IRC HQ, donors, Myanmar Government and others;
Key Working Relationships:
Position reports to: Health Program Director
Position supervises: Technical supervision on all MHPSS focal points from IRC humanitarian response projects. No direct administrative supervision.
Other Internal and/or external collaboration:
Internal: Sr.Humanitarian Advisor, WPE Coordinator, Technical Advisors
External: MHPSS working group, Protection cluster, Health cluster.
