Senior Mental Health Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Department of Operational Support.

The Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH) provides expert healthcare management and Occupational Safety and Health services to all UN Secretariat entities (Field missions, Offices Away from Headquarters and Economic Commissions), the New York based agencies funds and programs, as well as providing strategic leadership of whole-of-system medical issues through the UN Medical Directors Network.

The Clinical Governance Section is responsible for development and implementation of the Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Framework, risk and performance management including adverse events reports, root cause analysis, clinical audits and performance benchmarking, patient satisfaction surveys, oversight of clinics operation and liaison with PCC/TCC, DPO and Field Missions.

Under the general direction of the Medical Director of DHMOSH, in close collaboration with the Senior Medical Officer of the Clinical Governance section, the incumbent will develop a proposal for a UN Mental Health Strategy for Uniformed Personnel.

The Senior Mental Health Officer reports to the Medical Director, Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH).

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Mental Health Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
• Conduct a comprehensive literature review of all available resources on best practices around providing mental health services to Uniformed Personnel.
• Design a survey study of mental health issues in uniformed personnel deployed to the UN missions.
• Implement data gathering and analysis methodology for said survey.
• Write reports including descriptive analysis of the findings from both the literature study and the survey.
• Organization and participation in interviews and workshops with stakeholders, included but not limited to currently deployed uniformed personnel in UN missions, civilian and military mental health experts currently deployed in UN missions, mental health experts in home countries or currently deployed uniformed personnel and mental health experts in not TCC Member States.
• Development of a proposal for a Mental Health Strategy, including in-depth analysis of expected outcomes after implementation, for uniformed personnel deployed to UN missions, including pre-deployment, during deployment and post -deployment actions and tools.
• Consults draft strategy with stakeholders, counterparts, and potential partners in person or virtually.
• Chairs the Mental Health Strategy project Advisory Board.
• Finalizes Mental Health Strategy including associated implementation and financing plans for all UN missions and Member States.
• Creates all required training material, create systems to monitor and identify the determinants of stress among UN uniformed personnel and provide tools on preventative and mitigating measures.
• Establishing, supervising and implementing a pilot of said Mental Health Strategy for one year in UN high-risk missions.
• Undertakes trips to UN missions for needs assessment before drafting the strategy and monitor implementation during the pilot stage.
• Completes compilation of lessons learnt and development of a proposal for improvement of the Mental Health Strategy after the pilot implementation.
• Finalizes Mental Health Strategy for uniformed personnel deployed to UN missions including lessons learnt and final financing plans for sustainability of the strategy.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of Psychiatric care systems, health systems and quality management systems. Analytical skills and ability to synthesize and apply theoretical approaches into practical systems. Knowledge in all aspects of system-level management of psychiatric conditions. Ability to work under extreme pressure and time constraints.

Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.

Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Education

A first-level university degree that qualifies for registration as a licensed medical practitioner (MD, MBBS, MBChB or equivalent) and current unrestricted registration with the medical licensing authority of one of the member state of the United Nations is required. Post-graduate specialist qualification in psychiatry is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible clinical experience with at least eight years in the field of Psychiatry is required.

Experience of both military and civilian healthcare systems in hospital and ambulatory care settings is desirable.

Experience in implementing Mental Health Strategies in military healthcare systems is desirable.

Experience in leading reform across multiple environments with complex stakeholder groups is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The post is currently funded until 31 December 2023. Extension is subject to availability of funds.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.