Staff Counsellor, Service Contract at World Food Programme (WFP)

JOB PURPOSE

The challenges of working in difficult conditions to bring much needed food and support to our recipients can place a great deal of pressure and stress on WFP staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly exacerbated challenges and stress.

As part of the Wellness Division, the Staff Counselling Unit is committed to preventing and alleviating stress to improve the overall health, performance, and morale of staff. We do this by identifying and addressing factors that contribute to stress in the workplace, promoting good employment and management practices, and providing counselling services that help to mitigate or avoid the negative effects of workplace stress. 

The Staff Counsellor will provide efficient and effective psychological counselling to staff across RBN requiring support related to work-place difficulties or personal issues. A large emphasis will be placed on extensive engagement with staff and promotion of staff well-being. The Staff Counsellor will report to the WFP Regional Staff Counsellor.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Advanced University degree in Psychology, Psychiatry, Counselling or related field. Registration as a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Counsellor or equivalent in the country of origin is preferred.

Experience: 

Typically, five years or more of relevant experience in the field of mental health. Experience in hardship duty stations providing counselling or wellness services to staff working in difficult and hazardous environments is desirable

Knowledge & Skills:

• Broad knowledge of all facets of the field of counselling and ability to provide an environment in which others can talk confidentially and act without fear or repercussions within a climate of established trust.
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and presentation) including the ability to defend and explain difficult issues and positions to staff at all levels.
• Excellent multicultural awareness and competence, including skills to work with cultures other than one’s own, and knowledge of how visible and invisible cultural power structures can affect wellbeing and work performance.
• Ability to identify clients’ needs and, if required, suggest internal or external resources to support.
• Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with staff and management across functions and offices.
• Capacity to be proactive in the promotion and organization of wellness activities.
• Very good working knowledge of technology tools such as Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multi- cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Language:

• Fluency (level C) in English language.
• Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

• Provide culturally sensitive counselling services to WFP staff and dependents. This may include case management, individual sessions, group sessions, emergency/critical incident support, and referrals to other resources as required.
• Deliver in-person and online psychosocial workshops, briefings, and trainings for management and employees across a wide range of issues (e.g., stress management, communication, leadership, COVID-19 awareness, culture & diversity, conflict resolution, etc.).
• Provide in-person and remote training and mentoring for Wellness Support Volunteers to facilitate their role in supporting staff.
• Travel as required to WFP duty stations both in Kenya and in other countries in the Eastern Africa Region, to promote wellness and deliver counselling services.
• Liaise, collaborate, and proactively maintain relationships with relevant parties including the WFP global and RBN Staff Counsellor networks, medical colleagues, Wellness Support Volunteers, Family Liaison Officer, PSEA Officer, Wellness Committee, Respectful Workplace Advisors, National Staff Associations, Security Unit, Human Resources, Ombudsman, etc.
• Support countries in the Region to input and further develop content and resources on the WFP Wellbeing platform (website & application).
• Support the work of the Family Liaison Officer to implement programmes and interventions to address the wellness of families of staff in the Region.
• Actively engage with management and staff to establish relationships based on trust, respect, and empowerment.
• Increase awareness regarding important themes, policies, and guidelines to promote staff wellness and safe workspaces.
• Prepare comprehensive reports, trainings and proactively plan and implement staff counselling activities to ensure the provision of cohesive counselling services.
• Maintain at all times, high standards of professional ethics and confidentiality consistent with the Wellness Division Ethical Guidelines and Standards of Practice.
• Complete administrative duties including as maintaining statistics on activities and completing reporting requirements as per the requirement in the Staff Wellness Division.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Experience working in UN or other humanitarian organizations.
• Experience with technology such as digital content creation, graphic design, podcast creation, etc.
• Additional training or certification in related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, critical incident stress, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, mediation, trauma, etc. will be an advantage.