Psychosocial Support (PSS) officer

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate and promote durable solutions for displacement affected populations. 
DRC has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, currently DRC employs over 250 staff in Ukraine and will continue significant scale-up in 2022 to implement emergency response in the Protection, Livelihoods, Shelter/NFIs and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (humanitarian mine action) sectors, using direct interventions, support to duty bearers and civil society organizations (CSOs), and partnerships with CSOs. DRC will continue and adapt its durable solutions portfolio to the evolving context.

DRC is currently looking for a Psychosocial Support (PSS) officer for its activities in Mykolaiv.  

This position will report to the Protection Manger.

Overall purpose of the role:

• Ensure the quality of the planning, implementation and follow up of all technical aspects of the sector activities being implemented by DRC 
• Develop and maintain good relations with the persons of concern, relevant stakeholders and other humanitarian actors, to support adequate implementation and coordination of DRC’s sector activities.

Main responsibilities:

Programming & Operations

• Contribute to the development and delivery of PSS capacity building plans for PSS officers and other protection program staff on PSS methodologies and materials (PSS foundations, PFA and others).
• Support the contextualization of training materials and activity planing tools as necessary and convey this to PSS officers.
• Lead the planning and jointly with PSS officer conduct group sessions on psychosocial first aid (PFA);
• Plan and facilitate and provide culturally and age appropriate PSS activities and positive coping mechanisms activities;
• Compile reports on activity sessions and follow up on areas of technical implementation / additional programing needs
• Lead the data collection of the pre and post assessment and maintain database insuring accurate and relabel data;
• Manage, file and store data, ensuring the confidentiality of the information collected and the services provided;
• Prepare and submit weekly and monthly work plans in a timely manner;
• Conduct coaching and supervision sessions with PSS officers.
• Engage in awareness-raising sessions regarding the availability of mental health, psychosocial support, and protection services;
• Identify and refer cases for more specialized case management services;
• Assist PSS Officer to plan and participate in capacity building trainings as needed and required;
• Contribute to developing and continuously updating a service mapping system detailing available services and assistance in our areas of operation and ensuring follow-up of referrals in a timely manner;
• Support protection teams efficiently and confidentially referring cases;
• Liaise with Protection program team and attend internal update meetings on specified projects, maintaining action plans, and following up on key actions related to PSS delivery.
• Develop relationships with other partner focal points, to facilitate effective implementation and follow up on PSS program
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the Protection manager, relevant to the achievement of protection objectives

Logistics/Finance

• Support the monitoring of financial commitments and expenditures against budgets and provide timely feedback on budget follow-up.
• Plan and coordinate proactively logistics and movements of staff from and to different operational areas.
• Initiate procurements and ensure their execution. 

Required experience and competencies:

• Minimum of 2 years working experience in protection, social work or related field
• Strong understanding of protection issues including child protection and gender-based violence
• Ability to discuss sensitive issues with respect and empathy including ability to provide basic Psychological First Aid services
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Strong sense of personal integrity and understanding of confidentiality and ethics.
• Knowledge of global MHPSS guidelines, including the IASC guidance on mental health and psychosocial support services is desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
• Conversational written and spoken English is strongly preferred (Intermediate level)

Required education:
Relevant university degree or equivalent professional qualification

We offer:
Contract length: 3 months renewable depending on performance 
Level: H

Designation of Duty Station: Mykolaiv
Start date: As soon as possible.
Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for national staff.

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 26 April  2023

We reserve the right to conduct further interviews before the deadline for submission of applications.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo