MHPSS Officer

Job Description

Title: MHPSS Officer

Company Name: Friends in Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB)

Vacancy: 1

Age: Na

Job Location: Cox`s Bazar (Ukhia)

Salary: --

Experience:

• At least 3 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Bachelor/Honors
• Masters

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology/counselling psychology/clinical psychology, or a closely related field.

• At least 3 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience providing psychosocial counselling or mental health support, preferably in humanitarian, protection, or GBV-related programming.
• Experience working in camp-based or emergency settings is an advantage.

Essential:

• Demonstrated experience working with vulnerable populations, including women, girls, and survivors of violence.
• Strong understanding of GBV guiding principles, survivor-centered approaches, confidentiality, and ethical counselling practices.

Desirable:

• Experience in the Rohingya refugee response or similar humanitarian contexts.
• Training in Psychological First Aid (PFA), trauma-informed care, or basic clinical interventions.
• Ability to communicate in Rohingya or Chittagonian (asset).

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong counselling, listening, and empathy skills.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and respect for confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively with GBV and protection teams.
• Strong documentation and reporting skills.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work respectfully in diverse community settings.
• Ability to manage emotional workload and practice self-care.

Core Values:

The MHPSS Officer is expected to demonstrate empathy, professionalism, accountability, respect for diversity, and commitment to safeguarding and humanitarian principles, while prioritizing the dignity, safety, and well-being of survivors and communities at all times.

Purpose of the Position:

The MHPSS Officer will provide quality, ethical, and survivor-centered mental health and psychosocial support services to women, girls, and other GBV-affected individuals among Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

The position focuses on individual counselling, emotional stabilization, referral and linkage to specialized services, and integration of MHPSS within GBV prevention and response activities. The MHPSS Officer will work closely with the GBV Officer and project team to ensure that psychosocial care is delivered safely, confidentially, and in line with humanitarian principles, GBV guiding principles, and ethical standards.

Position Title: MHPSS Officer (GBV-Focused)

Programme: GBV Prevention and Response – Rohingya Refugee Camps & Host Communities

Location: Rohingya Camps and Surrounding Host Communities, Cox’s Bazar

Reporting to: Project Coordinator

Technical Coordination with: GBV Officer

Duration: As per project agreement

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

A. Psychosocial Counselling & Survivor Support

• Provide individual and group psychosocial counselling to GBV survivors and other vulnerable individuals using survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches.
• Conduct initial psychosocial assessments to identify emotional distress, coping capacity, safety concerns, and support needs.
• Develop and implement individual counselling plans, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for survivor choices.
• Provide emotional stabilization, basic psychological first aid (PFA), and ongoing psychosocial support based on assessed needs.
• Ensure safe follow-up, case closure, and referral for survivors requiring specialized mental health or protection services.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and ethical standards in all counselling sessions and documentation.

B. Referral, Linkages & Service Coordination

• Establish and maintain effective referral pathways with GBV, health, protection, legal, child protection, and specialized MHPSS service providers.
• Coordinate closely with the GBV Officer to ensure timely and safe referrals for GBV survivors requiring psychosocial, medical, legal, or protection services.
• Accompany survivors to referral services when necessary, ensuring dignity, safety, and informed consent.
• Participate in case discussions and coordination meetings while strictly adhering to data protection and information-sharing protocols.
• Map available MHPSS and protection services and update referral information regularly.

C. MHPSS Integration within GBV Prevention & Response

• Support the integration of psychosocial wellbeing components into GBV prevention, awareness, and community engagement activities.
• Facilitate group psychosocial support sessions, life-skills activities, and stress-management sessions for women, girls, and community members.
• Contribute to the adaptation and implementation of context-appropriate MHPSS and GBV prevention modules.
• Promote positive coping strategies, resilience, and community-based support mechanisms in camps and host communities.

D. Community Engagement & Capacity Strengthening

• Work with community volunteers, outreach workers, and facilitators to promote psychosocial wellbeing and early identification of distress.
• Provide basic orientation or coaching to field staff and volunteers on psychological first aid, stress awareness, and safe referral practices.
• Engage respectfully with community leaders, women’s groups, and adolescents to reduce stigma around mental health and GBV-related psychosocial support.

E. Documentation, Reporting & Data Management

• Maintain accurate, secure, and confidential counselling records, assessment forms, and referral documentation.
• Prepare weekly and monthly activity reports highlighting key achievements, challenges, and emerging psychosocial trends.
• Contribute to ethical documentation of case examples, lessons learned, and success stories with informed consent and “do no harm” principles.
• Support monitoring and learning by sharing insights on community wellbeing and service gaps with the Project Coordinator.

F. Safeguarding, Ethics & Accountability

• Uphold organizational safeguarding, PSEA, child safeguarding, and Code of Conduct policies at all times.
• Ensure counselling spaces are safe, private, and survivor-friendly.
• Immediately report safeguarding concerns, ethical dilemmas, or risks in line with organizational procedures.
• Promote accountability, respect, and cultural sensitivity in all interactions with survivors, communities, and colleagues.

• Mobile bill,Weekly 2 holidays