Senior MHPSS Officer

Job Title

Principal Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer

Responsible to

Child Protection Manager

Dotted line to

National Case Management Specialist

Employees reporting to this position

MHPSS Officer

Budget Responsibilities

N/A

Role Dimensions

The Principal Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer plays technical support roles in implementing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities, training TPS/APS, community agents, and referral to appropriate care structures, actively participating in thematic platforms with a diverse range of actors, and formal and informal systems, UN agencies, NGOs, and Civil Society concerned with the humanitarian response in the province of Ituri, Djugu Territory, Irumu, and Mahagi. Additionally, they contribute to the drafting of periodic reports on the progress of the implementation of the MHPSS component of the project and technical notes on the theme of violence against children in armed conflict contexts, document best practices and lessons learned.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Implementation

• Coordinate periodic planning and ensure the effective implementation of MHPSS project activities;
• Identify and suggest action lines that could contribute to achieving the project's objectives;
• Participate in the development of new implementation strategies for the project;
• Monitor and evaluate the activities and performance of the MHPSS Officer under their supervision;
• Inform the hierarchical superior (Program Manager) of any event or situation that could have any impact on the conduct of the project;
• Develop/adapt a functional referral system to appropriate MHPSS services;
• Contribute to the mapping of service providers of mental health and psychosocial support services in the intervention areas;
• Coordinate the implementation of the HEART (Healing and Education through the Arts) approach;
• Support the identification of personnel needs and contribute to the capacity building of staff and stakeholders (TPS/APS, PSS focal points, community agents) involved in the care of psychosocial distress and psychological disorder cases in children;
• Ensure the establishment and functioning of safe/confidential spaces within health structures, CFS, community centers to facilitate listening sessions, peer-to-peer support sessions for survivors of VAC and presenting signs of psychosocial distress;
• Support the referral of cases with specific psychosocial needs and requiring psychological intervention to other specialized actors/services;
• Coordinate with health centers and the Case Management team to ensure adequate medical and psychosocial care for VAC survivors and other protection cases benefiting from psychosocial support services;
• Support the realization of awareness-raising activities on available services, participate in community mobilization and the development of key messages to be disseminated in communities and broadcast in the media;
• Keep the tools for tracking progress of activities up-to-date and produce periodic reports on them;
• Ensure the application of the guiding principles (respect, confidentiality, non-discrimination, security) and the guidelines for MHPSS care;
• Actively participate in the weekly meetings planned by the Program Manager, including case conferences with Social Workers (as needed);
• Work closely with the MEAL department in tracking performance and quality indicators of services and contribute to periodic evaluations of project activities;
• Support the HR department in efforts to strengthen staff well-being and conduct related activities with staff involved in the implementation of the project;
• Contribute to the representation of SC in inter-agency MHPSS coordination platforms (psychosocial commission, thematic MHPSS subgroup, etc...);
• Perform any other non-listed tasks related to the position at the request of their supervisor.
• Provide daily coaching and supervision of the work of the MHPSS Officer and community psychosocial support partners to ensure that the defined and planned activities are executed effectively according to the specific objectives of the project and the established implementation plan;
• Ensure the correct coding of expense lines supporting project activities and regularly update tracking tools;
• Participate in the review of expense reports produced by partners for submission and validation by the Finance department;

Supervision

Finance

Accountability

• In collaboration with the MEAL Officer, support the monitoring of accountability activities;
• Contribute to the functioning of feedback and complaint mechanisms established in target communities and IDP camps;
• Supervise the implementation and use of tools and accountability mechanisms in communities and IDPs and dedicate at least 60% of working time to this supervision;
• Ensure that the database on feedback and complaints is correctly filled, that those who give feedback or file complaints receive responses, and that all data and information is compiled.

Advocacy

• Contribute by providing evidence, documenting advocacy actions for the prevention and responses to violence against children in conflict contexts.

Child Safeguarding Policy

• Ensure that each staff, partner staff, and service provider has been trained and signed the Child Protection Policy and the Code of Conduct of Save the Children and applies it daily;
• Ensure all measures are taken to facilitate Child Protection Focal Points in the exercise of their mandates;
• Detect and report any suspected cases of abuse committed against beneficiaries and other children and take appropriate measures by referring to SC's Protection Policy;
• Promote the Child Protection Policy among state agents and local NGOs.
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Child Participation

• Develop, in collaboration with Child Protection Assistants, frameworks for children's expression;
• Ensure that the norms and standards of child participation are taken into account in the context of all intervention mechanisms implemented within the project;
• Regularly produce a report on child participation and make proposals to improve child participation in project activities.

Other

• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Program Manager;
• Strictly adhere to SC's child protection policy and other SC policies, including those related to security, the alarm bell, and fraud prevention.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Postgraduate degree in Psychology, Psychiatry, or equivalent field

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• At least 4 years of work experience in the field of MHPSS and child protection;
• Proven work experience in a humanitarian crisis context and in IDP camps;
• Experience in community mobilization;
• Ability to analyze and adapt approaches to different environments and actors;
• Good communication skills, teamwork, and ability to develop relationships with local authorities, communities, and local organizations.
• Experience in supervision and coaching;
• Knowledge of the field of child protection and the context of the Ituri Province;
• Familiarity with the norms and standards of work of Save the Children International.

Desirable

• Experience in supervision and coaching;
• Knowledge of the field of child protection and the context of the Ituri Province;
• Familiarity with the norms and standards of work of Save the Children International.