Job Description

Title: Senior Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer (Sr. MHPSS Officer)

Company Name: Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Cox's Bazar

Vacancy: Not specific

Job Location: Noakhali, Cox's Bazar (Teknaf, Ukhia)

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ Master of Science (MSc) in Psychology
∎ The applied field of psychology (Clinical/counseling/educational psychology) is preferred.

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 3 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ GK was created in 1972 with two visions. Firstly, "the fate of the poor decides the fate of the country". Secondly, the "development of the country depends on the development of women". Since 2017, Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) and UNHCR have entered into a partnership to respond to the Rohingya crisis in Cox Bazar and Bhasanchar.
∎
∎ The Sr. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer will supervise Mental Health and psychosocial Focal Points/psychologists in Child Protection, Health, and Nutrition Programmes in various locations and is responsible for the technical quality of the work as well as ensuring teamwork, sharing, and learning across locations.
∎ Job Purpose:
∎ The Sr. MHPSS officer will be responsible for overseeing all MHPSS programming in camp settings, throughout Ukhia/Teknaf/ Bhasanchar (Catchment area/ 4W Mapping), with an emphasis on technical support for programming and capacity-building of staff, guiding mental health service integration into primary health care. The Sr. MHPSS officer will also be supporting GK`s role in the implementation and monitoring of a psychological intervention as part of a collaborative Human Resource Planning Project.
∎ To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Main Responsibilities:
∎ To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation. The tasks listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
∎ Technical Monitoring and Program Quality:
∎ The Sr. MHPSS officer is overall responsible for the appropriateness and quality of MHPSS
∎ intervention conducted by the UNHCR project. S/He is expected to identify and work on removing barriers to enhance patient safety, effective medical care, and improved patient-centered activities. Work closely with the Assistant Health Coordinator and the Health Coordinator to ensure the smooth running of mental health programs and provide technical supervision support to the GK's health programming activities.
∎
∎ Ensure activities are consistent with established best practices, and acceptable international ISCG, WHO, and national standards as well as ensure programs across different sites in the camp are of comparable quality by encouraging the transfer of good practices from one field site to another.
∎ Develop/update MHPSS policies and standard operating procedures for GK, and help GK partners develop their policies and SOPs in terms of MHPSS.
∎ Program Planning, Implementation and Establish Systems
∎ Project Management & ensure accountability
∎ Lead the process of developing MHPSS capacity assessment tools for local and national NGOs and relevant departments.
∎ Provide technical mentoring and supervision of Psychologists and protection Caseworkers and develop their capacities to work in the area of MHPSS, in in-line with international guidelines and best practices.
∎ Ensure MHPSS programs utilize standardized protocols, policies, and guidelines according to the UNHCR standards, contextualized to the Rohingya Response.
∎ Work closely with the AHC, HC, senior management, and field teams to determine the operational needs of the MHPSS programs within the scope of the grants.
∎ Oversee the collection and timely reporting of data and statistics for all programs (including objectives, indicators, and outcomes of health programs) according to UNHCR requirements.
∎ Review monthly field and UNHCR reports and ensure appropriate follow-up and decision-making on data relevant to the organization's health programs.
∎ Conduct regular field visits for programmatic support and technical capacity building.
∎ Conduct regular file audits to ensure a high-quality service is being provided in line with MHPSS WG agreed protocols and relevant international guidelines.
∎ Support the development and implementation of group-based psychosocial programming
∎ Provide clinical supervision to staff offering mental health and psychosocial support services and create a peer supervisory network built on foundations of knowledge exchange
∎ Promote ongoing integration of MHPSS at the community level within health facilities and other community-based services.
∎ Support the professional, and technical development of the MHPSS team.
∎ Work with the senior management team, and field teams in strategic planning for future health programs.
∎ Provide technical input during proposal development technical reviews, and feedback on the final proposals.
∎ Support the Senior Pharmacist and clinic manager to monitor the psychotropic consumption in all PHCs and ensure there are adequate supplies at all facilities at all times. Support the Senior
∎ Pharmacists are to monitor the psychotropic consumption in all PHCs and ensure there are adequate supplies at all facilities at all times.
∎ Be aware of the cross-sectorial MHPSS/Protection interventions with Protection partners and work on strengthening the cross-referrals and collaboration between them and GK's MHPSS
∎ interventions.
∎ Support the Senior Pharmacist to monitor the psychotropic consumption in all PHCs and ensure there are adequate supplies at all facilities at all times.
∎ Program Management:
∎ Provide input for monthly field reports in order to provide donor reporting, analyze trends, and adjust the programs as needed.
∎ Work with the senior management and field teams to plan for future program directions in terms of beneficiary needs, new sites, and/or new programs.
∎ Representation:
∎ Attend MHPSS Sector and as well as other coordination meetings which are relevant to the MHPSS program and communicate relevant information to the Senior Management Team.
∎ Ensure maximum visibility of the agency amongst the NGO community.
∎ Contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of the organization's Code of Conduct, ethics, values, and standpoint with regard to internal and external actors.
∎ Collaborate with UNHCR and the MHPSS WG co-chairs to ensure that the WG achieves its goals.
∎ Human Resources Management:
∎ Coaching and directly supporting MHPSS teams (Psychologist, Community Psycho Social Volunteers, Community Para Counselor) in the implementation of the MHPSS activities.
∎ Ensure that Training needs assessment is conducted periodically to tailor training needs to the findings as well as in accordance with the strategy of the Response.
∎ Maintain open lines of communication with all field staff.
∎ Conduct regular MHPSS training and capacity-building sessions for staff on topics including case management, psychological first aid, and evidence-based scalable psychological intervention (Interpersonal therapy (IPT), integrated adaptive therapy (IAT), etc.
∎ Innovation Learning and Development:
∎ Conduct MHPSS-related assessments pertaining to needs on individual and community levels Develop or revise MHPSS training materials, monitoring and evaluation tools, and client documentation forms as needed in collaboration with the technical advisor.
∎ Support and coordinate the implementation of a research project aiming to establish evidence-based MHPSS programming, including training and supervision of staff as well as joint monitoring of the rollout of the intervention
∎
∎ Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
∎ Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards within GK and amongst beneficiaries served by GK.
∎ Special Note:
∎ Carry out any additional assignment in accordance with her/his position entrusted by the Supervisor of GK from time to time and mutually agreed upon;
∎ Management may, at any point of time, modify this job description as it is deemed necessary in Gonoshasthaya Kendra's interests in consultation with an incumbent.
∎
∎
∎
∎

Additional Requirements:
∎ Age at least 25 years
∎ Experience in any development organization, including specific experiences on the MHPSS concept.
∎ Experience in direct psychosocial support to vulnerable children and adults. Supervision and case management experience is highly required.
∎ Experience with developing technical material and conducting training. Experience with community-based work.
∎ Proficiency in MS Office; good communication skills in English, and Bengali. Chittagonian language is highly desirable.
∎ Solution-oriented, collaborative, maturity in dealing with challenging work and complex team structures.
∎ The willingness to frequent field travel and the capability of working under pressure is also essential
∎ Technical skills:
∎ Good interpersonal, team working, problem-solving and communication skills are essential, as is a mature, confident, patient, and resilient disposition. Long hours, working with people in disadvantaged situations and limited funding and resources can sometimes make the job quite demanding, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel

Salary: Tk. 84000 (Monthly)

Compensation & Other Benefits:
∎ Mobile bill, Insurance

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 23 Oct 2023

Company Information:
∎ 17 Oct 2023
∎ Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Cox's Bazar
∎ Address : 40/ A, Mukti Jodda Shoroni, Saimon Road, Baharchara, Cox's Bazar.

Category: NGO/Development

: Only shortlisted applicants will be called upon for interviews. The selected candidates need to be joined as soon as possible.