Mental Health Officer ( Consultant )

Result of Service The UN Department of Operational Support has identified a need to develop a Mental Health Strategy to ensure the UN’s duty of care for uniformed personnel. The UN system cannot change the fact that the environments in which peace operations are conducted are stressful and emotionally straining to work in, or that war and atrocities take a toll on any individual working in these conditions. However, given that there has been insufficient attention given to mental health support for military and police personnel of peace operations by the Organization, it is important that the UN contribute to a better understanding and consideration of mental health needs of uniformed personnel in peace operations. This project will benefit the UN as an Organization and also Member States by diminishing the probability of uniformed personnel developing mental health issues while deployed to UN Missions, as well as early detection of said issues when they occur and facilitate early treatment when uniformed personnel return to the home country, with the usually high associated socio economic costs.

Work Location Home-based with possible travel to New York and required travel to field duty stations, full time.

Expected duration 1 Year

Duties and Responsibilities The Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH) provides expert healthcare management and in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) services to all UN Secretariat entities (Field missions, Offices Away from Headquarters and Economic Commissions), the New York based agencies funds and programs, as well as providing strategic leadership of whole-of-system medical issues through the UN Medical Directors Network. The Division needs a Consultant to:

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review on best practices around providing mental health services to uniformed Personnel
• Design/implement data gathering and analysis
• Assist in the preparation of a draft Mental Health Strategy
• Consult draft strategy with stakeholders, counterparts, and potential partners
• Finalize Mental Health Strategy and associated implementation and financing plans

• Assist in initial implementation of Mental Health Strategy, with compilation of lessons learnt

  Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: A first-level university degree that qualifies for registration as a licensed medical practitioner (MD, MBBS, MBChB or equivalent) and current unrestricted registration with the medical licensing authority of one of the members states of the United Nations is required. Post-graduate specialist qualification in psychiatry is required. Experience: 1. A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the field of medicine, with at least seven years in the field of Psychiatry is required. 2. Experience of both military and civilian healthcare systems in hospital and ambulatory care settings is desirable. 3. Experience in implementing Mental Health Strategies in military healthcare systems is desirable. Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage.

  No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.