Regional Staff Counsellor

Purpose of the Post

To work at the three strategic levels of intervention to Promote and sustain mental health at work for all WHO/EURO workforce:

Prevent: contribute to reshape work environments to minimize psychosocial risks and prevent the workforce from experiencing mental health conditions.

Protect and Promote: strengthen awareness, skills and opportunities for recognizing and acting early on mental health issues to protect and promote the mental health of all in the workforce.

Support: support individuals in the workforce with mental health conditions to access, continue working and thrive at work.

Objectives of the Programme and of the Immediate Strategic Objectives

The objective of the Division of Business Operations (BOS) is to support the work of WHO in the European Region through delivery of services within the areas of human resources, finance, contracting and procurement, legal advice, information & communications technology, printing, security, facilities management, fixed assets, conference support, travel and transport, safeguarding personnel and staff wellness and well-being. As an enabling function, the division enhances the productivity of the health technical programmes and country offices while at the same time overseeing accountability, transparency and compliance with WHO administrative rules and regulations.

The BOS division strives to strengthen the capacity of WHO/Europe to react in an agile way to external and internal changes. The division projects are designed to increase productivity, ensure financial sustainability of the region’s structures, reinforce a client-oriented culture, strengthen country office capacities, and drive strategic initiatives to enhance staff motivation and well-being.

Summary of Assigned Duties

To work at the three strategic levels of intervention to Promote and sustain mental health at work for all WHO/EURO workforce:

Prevent: contribute to reshape work environments to minimize psychosocial risks and prevent the workforce from experiencing mental health conditions

Protect and Promote: strengthen awareness, skills and opportunities for recognizing and acting early on mental health issues to protect and promote the mental health of all in the workforce

Support: support individuals in the workforce with mental health conditions to access, continue working and thrive at work

Under the supervision of the Regional Staff Physician, as part of a multidisciplinary team working closely with individuals, teams, managers and the Organization to address mental health at work.

Prevent:

• Collect data, manage data, analyze data and prepare all the reports and documents (regional, divisional and unit level) related with the annual evaluation of psychosocial risk factors in EURO.

• Support managers to address psychosocial risk factors within their team.

• Facilitate team discussions based on the evaluation of psychosocial risk factors and support the establishment of a team action plan to reduce risks of burnout.

• Engage the leadership and managers in working with psychosocial risks factors

• Develop proposals for the EURO Committee for Health Safety and Wellbeing and collaborate on implementation of their recommendations.

• Collect inputs at all levels of WHO (country; regional and headquarters) and review professional journals/publications to revise, improve and create WHO policies and procedures to support Staff Health and Wellbeing.

Protect and Promote:

• Design guidelines, as well as online information / booklets to increase awareness and knowledge among the diverse WHO workforce across 40 offices in the European Region on a professional approach to promote and sustain staff mental health and wellbeing.

• Conduct workshops, trainings, and information sessions on a wide range of topics (e.g., stress management, resilience, team building, problem-solving, conflict resolution, psychosocial issues, sleep etc.) to ensure that staff regularly receive relevant information and are aware of reliable sources where to find information or assistance.

Support:

• Provide timely response and psychological support to address mental health in case of emergencies and critical incidents in the Region, including in coordination with the focal point for security, human resources or prevention of sexual abuse where applicable

• Provide pre and post deployment briefings to the workforce deployed to hardship duty stations.

• Ensure proactive and responsive support, including access to individual counselling either internally or externally for work related issues and personal/family issues that are impacting the performance or attendance at work.

• Identify and liaise with high quality local and regional mental health resources that can be used for referrals or in times of crisis.

• Advise and provide strategies to managers at all levels in the Region to establish and sustain a psychologically healthy workplace.

General:

• Prepare comprehensive reports, plan budgets for missions, trainings and plans and implement other staff counselling activities to ensure the provision of cohesive counselling services.

• Undertake regular and emergency travels to the Country Offices in the Region and take part in the relevant regional interagency working groups aimed at strengthening of psychosocial support to Staff in the UN.

• Perform other duties as required.

Required Qualifications

Educational Qualifications

Essential: University degree (Bachelor’s level) in psychology, social work, clinical psychology, psychiatry, (medical or nursing, marriage and family therapy, psychotherapy, psychological counselling or in a field relevant to the duties.

Desirable: Master’s degree or professional certification in one or more of the following areas such as clinical psychology or counselling psychology, psychiatry, social work, occupational health, training, stress management, conflict resolution, cross-cultural communication, alcohol/substance abuse, resilience, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, mediation, trauma, sleep etc.

Experience

Essential: A Minimum of five (5) years of progressively professional post graduate experience relevant to the duties is required including with international exposure. Demonstrated experience in data management and data analysis.

Desirable: Demonstrated experience working in a hardship location or providing counselling services to staff working under very difficult and insecure environments. Working experience with UN or other international organizations/NGOs. Project management experience. Knowledge and mindset familiar with scientific research and scientific publications.

Language skills

Required: Expert knowledge of English

Desirable: Expert knowledge of Danish. Working knowledge of either French, Russian or German

Competencies

• Teamwork

• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

• Communication

• Ensuring effective use of resources

• Moving forward in a changing environment

• Knowing and managing yourself

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to identify mental health needs, suggest and/or develop appropriate policies and operational solutions in an organization operating in multiple and diverse countries and contexts.

• Excellent understanding of psychosocial risk factors and very good capacity to engage with teams and managers in addressing these risks.

• Training facilitation skills.

• Emotional intelligence: Ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same

Remuneration

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 64,121 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 4018 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• 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. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.

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