Mental Health Officer [Temporary]

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peace operations, and regional commissions.

The Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH) provides expert healthcare management and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) 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 PCC/TCC liaison. This position is located in the Clinical Governance Section, Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH). The incumbent will report to the Senior Medical Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Mental Health Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Medico Administrative Duties:
• Manages/ reviews medical reports and supporting documents for compensation claims, mostly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and mental health related by:
(a) Reviewing all medical documents submitted by Member States on behalf of claimants.
(b) Requesting additional /missing medical information when needed.
(c) Liaising with treating physicians in Member states for clarification when required.
(d) Liaising with PK Mission medical staff when required.
(e) Reviewing latest literature on the matter when required for the case assessment.

• Advises Medical Director on:
(a) Confirmation or rebuttal of diagnosis, including reasons based on medical documents review and analysis.
(b) Identification of other potential causes/contributors to the diagnosis, based on documents review and liaison with treating physicians or PK Mission medical staff.
(c) Likely percentage attribution of any disability to the UN service as per the guides of the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, Sixth Edition.

• Deputizes for the Clinical Governance Senior Medical Officer in the United Nations Development of the Mental Health Strategy for Uniformed Personnel working group by:
(a) Consulting draft strategy with stakeholders, counterparts and potential partners.
(b) Finalizing Mental Health Strategy and associated implementation and financing plans
(c) Initial implementation of Mental Health Strategy, with compilation of lessons learnt.

General:
Performs other related duties as required.

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. 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. 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.

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.


TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise and is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.


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 improvement; 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.

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 members states of the United Nations is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Post-doctorate specialization in psychiatry is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in the field of Psychiatry is required.

Experience of both military and/or civilian healthcare systems in hospital and ambulatory care settings is required.

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

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

Experience in implementing mental health -risk management systems is desirable.

Experience in military compensation claims is desirable.

Experience working in the United Nations, or other similar international organization is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 30 June 2024. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

• 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.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.