Delegate, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” 

IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of the IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  The IFRC also has country cluster delegation and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

In late 2021, a new Country Cluster Delegation was established in Sarajevo to implement in practice IFRC’s vision of the Agenda for Renewal in the covered eight countries. The Central and South-Eastern Europe (CSEE) Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) works with the National Societies of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia.

In February 2022, a new phase in the armed conflict in Ukraine started. The intensification and spread of hostilities have affected all of Ukraine, causing massive humanitarian needs across all sectors and destroying essential civilian infrastructure.  IFRC launched a major Emergency Appeal for Ukraine and Impacted Countries that is coordinated at the European regional level. In the initial months, the operation was supported by a large number of Surge delegates; over time, the operational structure is being integrated into existing structures at Country, Country Cluster, and Regional Office levels to ensure full synergies with the overall work in the region.

All eight countries covered by the CCD CSEE are impacted by the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and resulting outflow of refugees yet at very different scales. IFRC supports the operations, programming, and organizational strengthening of the National Societies in the eight countries, from its CCD in Sarajevo. As of November 2022, five of these eight NSs receive emergency appeal funding support from IFRC: Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania.

Through the position of MHPSS Delegate, the support to the National Societies in the countries covered by the Cluster, will include important interventions in the area of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, in particular community-based activities. Reporting to the Programme Coordinator in CSEE, the MHPSS Delegate will coordinate activities with the IFRC Operations Manager/Head of Office in charge of each of the noted countries. Furthermore, the delegate form part of the IFRC Europe regional network of MHPSS delegates and will coordinate closely with the regional MHPSS team based in the Regional Office for Europe (ROE) and with other MHPSS delegates across the region to share experiences and best practices. As such, the MHPSS Delegate, CSEE, will have a technical reporting line to the Regional MHPSS Coordinator in ROE.

The MHPSS Delegate will spend 50% of their time in support of Romanian Red Cross’ MHPSS portfolio and the other 50% supporting the National Societies under the Country Cluster Delegation, in particular Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. The MHPSS Delegate will be based in Sarajevo with considerable travel time to the noted countries.

In Romania: the MHPSS delegate will be responsible for supporting the National Society (NS) in further strengthening their MHPSS capacity and institutionalizing that capacity within the NS’s structures and strategies to ensure sustainability.

The MHPSS Delegate will be responsible for the successful implementation of activities under the EU DG SANTE grant as well as the IFRC Emergency Appeal. Responsibilities include providing technical support to the National Society to be able to achieve its commitments under the different funding instruments. Tasks include assessing MHPSS needs, developing workplans, organizing and conducting trainings, monitoring project implementation, and ensuring that strong Monitoring & Evaluation plans are in place for sound data collection, impact documentation and sharing of lessons learnt within the organization. The MHPSS delegate will collaborate and coordinate with other RC/RC Movement partners in Romania, work closely with the French Red Cross MHPSS Delegate, as well as with external MHPSS working groups and stakeholders. The delegate must expect considerable travel to Romania.

In the CSEE Country Cluster: the MHPSS Delegate will support the capacity strengthening of the national societies covered under the emergency appeal. The delegate will coordinate technical MHPSS support to the NSs and their MHPSS focal points and ensure that activities under the Emergency Appeal are achieved. The delegate will also ensure that data, operations information, and lessons learned are shared across the NSs in the country cluster as a learning community. The delegate should expect considerable travel to assess needs for technical support and to monitor quality of the MHPSS intervention. The delegate will inform NS senior management on the Movement commitments (Roadmap roll out etc.), support and guide the NS in advocacy efforts and positioning in national MHPSS for a, as well as guide NS on how to do mainstreaming and integration of MHPSS across sectors.  

Romania (50%)

• Act as the technical advisor and resource on MHPSS for the Romanian Red Cross (RRC) and the IFRC country team in Romania.
• Conduct capacity assessment needs jointly with the NS to identify areas for support.
• Support the NS in the implementation of MHPSS activities under DG SANTE project, as well as the wider Ukraine & Impacted Countries emergency appeal operation. This includes reporting tasks and budget oversight, according to internal and donor procedures, in close coordination with the Head of Office and country team in Romania.
• Support the NS in the development and implementation of community-based MHPSS activities including conducting trainings on basic PSS services as well as awareness-raising, outreach, child friendly spaces etc.
• Guide NS senior management on MHPSS Movement commitments and frameworks.
• Support the set-up of and implementation of Caring for Staff and Volunteers systems and procedures.
• Support and guide NS in advocacy efforts and positioning of the NS in national MHPSS fora.
• Support the NS to develop strategies to self-sustain and develop its institutional MHPSS capacity at national and local level.

CSEE Country Cluster (50%)

• Assess capacity development needs in the NSs covered by the Emergency Appeal and identify areas for technical support.
• Coordinate MHPSS initiatives with MHPSS focal points in all NSs in the Cluster.
• Support the NSs in the implementation of MHPSS activities under different funding streams including the Emergency Appeal and DG SANTE. This includes monitoring of activities and quality of intervention, reporting tasks, according to internal and donor procedures, in close coordination with the Operations Manager for Romania.
• Build and maintain linkages with MHPSS peers implementing MHPSS activities within the cluster to ensure sharing of data, knowledge, good practices, and lessons learned.

Advocacy and liaison

• Sensitize and guide IFRC and NS senior management on MHPSS Movement policy and commitments. Advocate for the importance of integrating MHPSS and global protection minimum standards in a multi-sectorial setting.
• Participate in MHPSS working groups (where they exist) and relevant humanitarian clusters (in IDP settings) and working groups (in refugee settings) such as : MHPSS, protection, GBV, child protection, health and/ or education.
• Link with Movement partners to develop adapted guidelines for protection and psychosocial support.
• Ensure that IFRC actions are in support of the Host National Society and is part of a coordinated response with partner agencies
• Provide regular and timely reports following global standards.  

   

• Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals 
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

• Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Social Sciences or similar
• Documented participation in relevant MHPSS trainings
• Teaching or pedagogical professional or strong training/facilitation experience and skills preferred

• Experience in implementing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) activities for at least 5 years
• Demonstrated strong capacity in building and institutionalizing MHPSS capacity in a National Society or another humanitarian organization (strategy development, focal point mentoring, etc.)
• Experience in planning and conducting MHPSS trainings, e.g. Psychological First Aid, basic PSS, MHPSS in Emergencies, Setting up Child Friendly Spaces as well as Caring for Staff and Volunteers trainings
• Experience of mainstreaming and integrating MHPSS activities across other humanitarian sectors, such as Shelter and Cash programming
• Experience of working in humanitarian emergency situations
• Strong Red Cross/Red Crescent experience preferred
• Demonstrated project management experience (reporting, budgeting, monitoring, etc.) including PMER for MHPSS (data collection, Monitoring & Evaluation plan development, impact measuring etc.)

• Highly organized, excellent time management skills
• Advanced skills in computer productivity applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Deep understanding of MHPSS issues in emergencies contexts
• Knowledge of a cultural background of refugees in current crisis
• Outstanding personal resilience and experience from working in stressful situations
• Excellent communication and active listening skills
• Strong skills in assessment and analysis
• Fluent spoken and written English
• Good command of another IFRC official language (French, Spanish or Arabic) preferred
• Knowledge of languages spoken in Central & South-Eastern Europe is an added value

Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability

Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust