Staff Counsellor

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The IUNV Staff Counsellor will be based in Bentiu Field Office, Staff Counselling Unit, Health Services Section. He/she will provide confidential counselling services and psycho-social support to UNMISS integrated personnel. The assignment includes critical incident stress management services to impacted staff members and facilitation of stress management training programmes.

   Under the supervision of the Chief, Staff Counselling Unit or Designated Officer, the UN Volunteer 
   will be responsible for: 

• Acting as a clinical counselling resource to personnel requiring psychological assistance via self, supervisor, or medical referral and performing clinical follow-up. • Providing critical stress management services following critical incidents or other traumatic events as well as for secondary trauma. • Conducting psychosocial assessments making recommendations to the Chief, Counselling Unit or Designated Officer. • Ensuring all personnel have access to counselling services, including travel to Field Offices/Team Sites in South Sudan where UNMISS personnel are deployed. • Collaborating with the Medical, Conduct & Discipline, Gender, Security, HIV/AIDS, Human Resources, UNV programme or other Sections by providing supportive interventions on individual cases upon request, and developing strategic relationships with Senior Management. • Coordinating clinical activities with Civilian and Military Staff Counsellors, Contingent and Field Office Civilian/Military/Police/Staff Clinical focal points. • Providing conflict resolution sessions upon request. • Facilitating greater use of peer support within the organization through the establishment, training, and empowerment of peer support groups, such as Peer Helpers. • Compiling and/or developing information resources that can be made available to personnel including on-line and power point training material, self-help material, and information on other local services available. • Providing stress management induction/briefing to new staff in Field Offices and Team Sites.
• Liaising with other UN agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) under the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) umbrella in the State regarding clinical and training activities. • Monitoring stress management programmes implementation via data collection including compiling daily clinical statistics, analysis, and documentation. • Reporting to the Chief Counselling Unit on all activities. • Any other related task assigned by the Chief, Counselling Unit or Designated Officer.

• Integrity and professionalism: high degree of personal initiative and willingness to accept wide responsibilities; ability to take ownership, and work independently under established procedures. • Accountability: ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations. • Planning, effective organizational and problem-solving skills, and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner, ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender. • Communication; proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills. • Flexibility and willingness to live and work in hazardous and remote places, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the Mission area. • Commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance, and commitment towards the UN core values.

providing clinical services including Counselling, Stress Management and Trauma, etc.; a minimum of two-year’s experience working in an international and multi-cultural environment.
• Experienced in UN mission or another international agency is desirable. • Excellent written and spoken English. • Experience in a UN mission or large international organization an asset. • Solid computer skills, including full proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word etc.) and other IT applications and office technology equipment. • Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian relief, post-conflict situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System. • Sound security awareness.

Living conditions vary between UNMISS duty stations. Each duty station where UNMISS has a field presence has basic residential camp facilities, which includes running water and electricity. Candidates should be aware that accommodation may be austere with the possibility of water shortages and power blackouts. On arrival in Juba accommodation will be on a share basis. Ablutions will also be shared. As the accommodation situation improves single unit accommodation, with an attached ablution, should become available in all locations. Hard wall accommodation is available in Juba.

All UNMISS duty stations apart from Entebbe, Uganda are considered non - family duty stations. The security level of UNMISS duty stations is classified by the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) who will brief on arrival. A number of locations in South Sudan are prone to conflict.

Primary health care services (preventive and curative) are provided in 11 United Nations Owned Equipment (UNOE) Level-I clinics, 21 Contingent Owned Equipment (COE) Level-I clinics, 4 COE Level-II medical facilities within the mission area and the establishment of contractual agreements for Level-III and Level-IIII care outside the mission area. The 4 Level-II facilities available in Juba, Bor, Malakal and Wau, run by the Troop Contributing Countries (TCC), take referrals from the Level-I clinics and provide hospital-based care.

The climate is tropical with a rainy season in many areas, which should normally span from around April to October. Ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions is essential.