Mental Health Support Officer (Maternity Leave Cover) at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Tasks & Responsibilities

Psychological Support

• Provide psychological support to international mobile staff, at the beginning and end of a mission.
• Support periodically in the referrals of HQ personnel presenting mental health distress.
• Support with the medical evacuation in cases of acute mental distress, of IMS from the region.
• Support staff and their families during medical evacuations upon request.
• Advise on the management and support of team members in distress.
• Maintain regular contact with counterparts in other PSUs. 
• Create awareness on mental well-being by conducting training and psycho-education in the office and for IMS.

Coordination and implementation of psycho-social DBF procedures

• Carry out Pre-departure briefing.
• Conduct return talk (personalized debriefing). •
• Refer international mobile staff to an external referral network of psychologists when needed.
• Maintain and build the pool of local providers in the Eastern African Region to offer further external support to the international mobile staff when needed.
• Follow up in between missions upon request.

Critical Incident support

• Upon request by OCs support in major critical incidents as family liaison, calling and supporting other staff in the field etc.
• Provide support to IMS from the region affected by critical incidents upon return home if needed.
• Upon request, support teams evacuated to Nairobi in close collaboration with the relevant OCs.
• Recommend any qualified psychologists that could respond to critical incidents in the region.
• Part of the Critical Incident management team based on role/need defined.

Building external networks

• Maintain the network of psychologists in different countries in Eastern Africa to offer further psycho-social support to the IMS.
• Organize updates meetings to ensure support is offered to the IMS upon referral.

Training

• Develop and implement workshops and trainings that address mental health issues in creating awareness and preventive programs for the psycho-social support of the IMS.
• Participate in the Field HR days and offer training to the IMS as part of creating awareness around MH and Prevention.
• Participate in the regional mental health training conducted in the region.

Other responsibilities

• Provide support to Missions in the region on a needs basis, including training and awareness.
• Participate in meetings of the Human Resources department, as well as in some other meetings of the Field HR.
• Participate in interdisciplinary working groups of the department.
• Participate in the follow-up and reporting of activities and budgets.

Qualifications

Education

• A Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology, Organization Psychology, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
• Knowledge and experience in group management.
• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of French and a third language is an added advantage.

Experience

• Psychologist with social and clinical experience with a minimum of three (3) years’ experience.
• Experience in mental health interventions in conflict situations, violence and disaster
• Work experience in the international context of MSF is an added advantage
• Experience in emotional support/management of teams under crisis situations
• Competencies

Technical Competencies

• Training skills.

Behavioural/General Competencies

• Principles.MSF’sCommitment to
• Availability to travel and to work flexible working hours
• Cross-cultural Awareness.
• Results and Quality Orientation.
• Service Orientation.
• Planning and Organizing.
• Initiative and Innovation.
• People Management and Development.
• Networking and Building Relationships.
• Security Awareness and Management