Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer | Job at IRC

Overview

Job Title: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer

Job location: Kasulu, Kigoma

Job Sector: Health

Category of employment: Fixed – term

Type of employment: Full-time

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

 

 

 

The Job Description:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), founded in 1933 at Albert Einstein’s request, responds to major humanitarian disasters around the world, assisting victims in surviving and rebuilding their lives.
Tanzania has been a place of asylum for more than a half-century, with one of Africa’s largest refugee populations. Currently, the country is home to roughly 287,903 Burundian and Congolese refugees, the majority of whom entered in 2015 as Burundi’s situation escalated. Refugees continue to coexist with host communities in the Kigoma region, citing various reasons and requirements. Within this context, the IRC provides protection and basic assistance in the areas of safety (which includes protection and the rule of law, women’s empowerment, and child protection), health (mental health and psychosocial support services, as well as reproductive health), and education.

 

 

The Job Overview:

This position will be in charge of providing psychodynamic counselling to Burundian/Congolese refugees, as well as advising and supervising CMHW incentive staff on MHPSS service delivery. He or she will be active in the constant engagement, facilitation, and organization of MHPSS services and activities provided at the camp. He/she will also communicate with sectors and other partners about mental health challenges. The MHPSS facilitator role is located at the Nyarugusu camp.

 

 

The major responsibilities.

• To plan, develop, and facilitate MHPSS activities in the MHPSS wellness center through participative means.
  To plan, facilitate, and assist individual and group therapeutic sessions.
• To conduct intake and post-session assessments on all MHPSS beneficiaries.
  To ensure timely referral and follow-up on cases in need of additional assistance.
• To facilitate group discussions and brainstorming sessions with beneficiaries about MHPPS-related activities.
• To ensure high-quality program implementation, monitor activities on a regular basis and provide staff input.
• Build volunteer capacity, including MHPSS training, to facilitate participative and inclusive activities.
• Prepare weekly and monthly reports on progress toward targets.
• To contribute to data entry and analysis.
• To facilitate psychosocial support activities consistent with IRC rules and procedures.
• Supervise and establish specific work plans to incentivize workers to properly execute psychosocial services.
• To collaborate with your supervisor to create an individual work plan based on the annual plan.
• To facilitate activities that increase awareness of mental health and psychosocial assistance.
• To conduct focused Group discussions (FGDs) with community people, leaders, religious leaders, adolescents, children, and youth.
• Submit quarterly and annual donation reports.
• To attend meetings, training as directed by the supervisor, and providing comments.

 

 

The key Work Relationships:

• The position reports to the Senior Health Manager.
• This position directly oversees and incentivizes camp workers.
• The other internal and/or external contacts include National Staff.

 

 

The required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology, clinical psychotherapy, or a closely related subject.
• The experience working with persons who are emotionally troubled or have mental illnesses.
• The ability to operate independently with a high level of initiative is necessary.
• The computer Skills: Knowledge with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook is necessary.
• A minimum of three years of experience implementing programs.
• The strong ability to manage work, meet deadlines, stay calm, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate various tasks, and pay attention to detail.

 

 

The demonstrated skills and competencies:

• The excellent interpersonal skills.
• The effective negotiation, facilitation, and consensus-building abilities.
• The ability to operate under duress and provide results.
• The ability to “think outside the box” and provide creative solutions in the field of mental health and psychosocial assistance.
• The tact, prudence, and diplomacy.
• Teamwork.
• To respect and encouraging individual and cultural diversity.
• Communication.
• Produce outcomes (results).
• Move ahead in a changing world.
• Developing (creating) a positive and motivating environment.

 

 

The Language/Travel:

The excellent verbal and written communication abilities in English and Swahili, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and concisely in all situations.

The Working Environment: Security Level Yellow – The majority of the country is under calm conditions. Insecurity and highway banditry are prevalent in several areas of the Kigoma region.

The Partnership: The IRC is dedicated to working with partners as our preferred operating model and upholding our six partnership principles: equality, complementarity, mutuality, solidarity, outcomes orientation, and humility.

 

The Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, the IRC Tanzania puts the people we serve – our clients – at the heart of our programming and services. IRC Tanzania staff play an important role in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming by raising community and client awareness about existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them, including response processes, access, and eligibility to services, as well as contributing to the development of an institutional culture that encourages staff to listen to clients and communicate and respond to their requests, feedback, and complaints.

 

The Professional Standards: The IRC and its employees must uphold the ideals and principles established in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These include integrity, service, and accountability. In keeping with these objectives, the IRC operates and enforces regulations on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safety, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is committed to creating a diverse organization and an inclusive environment. We actively encourage candidates to submit submissions that indicate their ability to contribute to this goal.

 

The IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered on the basis of merit, regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Individuals with disabilities will be given with reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, perform critical job duties, and receive other employment benefits and privileges.