Job Vacancy @ Handicap International, Sierra Leone – Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Technical Specialist
Job Description
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
JOB TITLE:
MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT (MHPSS) TECHNICAL SPECIALIST
COUNTRY PROGRAM:
Sierra Leone
REPORTS TO:
Operations Manager
LOCATION:
Freetown – with travels to field offices
HI is seeking for a qualified individual to fill the above mentioned National Position. WOMEN AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
PLEASE NOTE:
Handicap International has clear institutional policies on “Child Protection”, “Anti-fraud, Bribery and Corruption”, “Disability, Gender and Age” and “Protection of Beneficiaries from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment”. It is therefore mandatory for all staff to commit themselves to respect, uphold and promote these policies, and to sign the HI Code of Conduct.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
Handicap International “HI” (operating as Humanity & Inclusion) is an International NGO which has been working closely with the Government of Sierra Leone, international and national partners in the country since 1996 supporting vulnerable groups and people with disabilities. Program areas include inclusive education, social and economic inclusion, rehabilitation, prevention of disabilities, advocacy and rights. Currently, HI is implementing four projects for the promotion of Inclusive Education, Mental Health, Accessible and Technical support and Protection. HI is currently in design/approval process for new projects to create a comprehensive portfolio, in line with the implementation strategy for 2022 and onwards.
Position’s context:
The MHPSS Technical Specialist will be working with the Touching Minds Raising Dignity project (funded by AFD), which has been implemented in Sierra Leone from 2018 and is now starting its second four year’s phase.
The project builds capacity of MHPSS stakeholders to enable them to provide quality services both at community and facility level. S/he will be working in remote or slums communities to conduct monitoring and technical supervision of actors/stakeholders trained by the project implementing partners.
The MHPSS Technical Specialist will not be involved in any team management role. He/she will be in charge of ensuring that the project activities meet technical standards.
Please note that final JD may differ in some areas from this document General Mission
The Field Technical Specialist contributes within the country where he/she is based to the implementation of the mandate and the 10 year’ strategy of Humanity & Inclusion. He/she ensures optimal quality and impact
of the projects implemented in the country, through a delegation system with appropriate control mechanisms. He/she shares with all HI managers the responsibility of a sound management and successful functioning of the global organization, through paradigm changes.
Missions / Responsibilities:
1. Contributes to the regional strategies in line with the global strategies
2. Ensures technical support to projects in line with the global technical frameworks and standards in his/her sectorial scope
a. Provides adequate technical guidance and support to Project Managers
b. Ensures adequate support to multi-sector responses within projects
3. Ensures technical learning from projects
a. Contribute to projects’ capitalization and ensure technical learning from projects within his/her sectorial scope
4. Ensures the control & monitoring of the technical quality and the relevance of HI’s activities in the Programmes under his/her scope
5. Contributes to the development of research and innovation projects in the region when relevant, in his/her sectorial scope
6. Contribute to the local external prestige and influence of HI’s expertise in his sectorial scope a. Represent the technical expertise of HI throughout the local relevant networks b. Contribute to advocacy on specific themes in line with the global advocacy priorities c. Contribute to communication messages locally in line with the global communication priorities
7. Ensure the development of major opportunities or new projects in the region under his sectorial scope
a. Contributes to the context analysis in his sectorial scope
b. Contributes to the design and writing of new projects in the region and when asked in other countries within the Geographic Division
c. Contributes to the conception of major projects (multiple countries, one theme) or of new projects in the region
d. Identify & develop local partnerships and/or consortium with NGOs, Institutions, Companies on technical priorities or important topics in the region under his sectorial scope
Main Activities:
1. Provide technical support and capacity building for HI project staff and one implementing partner (staffed with psychosocial counselors and clinical supervisors).
2. Carry out capacity building for health agents at national level including mental health nurses and Community Health Officers (CHW) on MHPSS related topics.
3. Carry out mental health baseline and endline Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs and Practice (KABP) study PROFILE SOUGHT
Essential
Preferable
Qualification(s):
Master’s degree in clinical psychology or Bachelor’s degree with knowledge and experience in technical support for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support programs (MHPSS), or Master’s degree in public health with a strong knowledge and experience on MHPSS Proven expertise in MHPSS
Experience (type and amount of experience) :
Minimum of 4 years’ experience on projects in the field of community or human rights based mental health and psychosocial support Knowledge of MHPSS framework and references Experience in analysis (donor environment, geopolitics) and ethical positioning Experience in partnership mobilization Experience in research, in planning and coordinating qualitative and quantitative surveys, with dissemination of results
Experience in HI and/or the related sector of activities is a plus
Skills (knowledge, abilities required for the position, refer to skills repository document) :
Excellent communication and writing capacities in English Synthetic and analytic thinking Pedagogical skills Team motivation Strategic thinking Proficient: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Good communication and writing capacities in French is an asset
Personal qualities:
Excellent communication skills and diplomacy Ability to work independently and as a member of a team Flexibility Strong attention to details Good capacity to coordinate and consult with others Good organizational skills Practical, dynamic and solution oriented Open to cultural differences
Good capacity to withstand pressure and manage stress Emotional maturity
Salary: As per HI salary scale for National Staff & candidate’s experience
Probation Period: 4 months
Duration of Contract: One (01) year with possibility of renewal based on performance and funding availability.
All interested candidates should send their CVs and cover letters only, with attachments bearing your full name; example: John Doe – CV (for your CV) and John Doe – Cover Letter (for your cover letter) with the subject of the position applied for by email only to: [email protected]
Closing date for applications is 21st March 2022
Disclaimer: Careerical eConsult posts job listings for the convenience of job seekers. We do not endorse or recommend employers, and a posting does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Careerical eConsult explicitly makes no representations or guarantees about positions listed on our website. Careerical eConsult is not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. It is the responsibility of applicants to research the integrity of the organizations to which they are applying. We advise you to use caution and common sense when applying for any position with an organization or private party.
