STAFF MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS

Contract

This is a ICRC - Open-ended contract. More about ICRC - Open-ended contracts.

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Experienced Staff Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Professionals going on international missions / short and long-term contracts - for respective national or regional coverage / this is a POOL selection process.

What we do

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and at the same time promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.

Role description

Being a humanitarian worker is an extremely rewarding activity, and ICRC staff have chosen to work for this Institution because they feel highly motivated by the purpose of what they do. Humanitarian workers live and work in physically and psychologically difficult conditions. They are in close contact with victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and may themselves face life-threatening situations. They can be confronted to several psychosocial risks, including concerns about their security, confinement, lack of privacy, cultural adaptation, long working hours, intense workload, job security, internal conflicts, mobbing, and sexual harassment.

The Staff health Centre of expertise in Geneva HQ (RH_COE_SAN) has developed a Staff health strategy inclusive of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for staff. The specific component on MHPSS is based on the promotion of occupational wellbeing, the prevention and the response to psychological distress disorders, with 5 levels of interventions: Organizational setting, psychosocial interventions for the community of colleagues, Basic psychological support, Advanced support and Specialized services.

The national or regional Staff MHPSS expert works in close collaboration with the national or regional Staff health manager or coordinator to support the implementation of the Staff health strategy. S/he also works closely with Management to promote staff wellbeing. The national or regional Staff MHPSS expert supports specifically the implementation of the MHPSS for staff strategy within the Delegations of the country or the region, covered.

Based in either a national or regional hub, the national or regional Staff MHPSS expert is under the responsibility of the HR or Head of Support national or regional coordinator. He/she coordinates visits and activities in the various national offices or regional locations with HQ in Geneva, the management of the national or regional delegation, with the management of all delegations covered (in case of regional coordination) in close collaboration with the rest of the national or regional Staff Health team. The technical line of the national or regional Staff MHPSS expert is the Organizational Psychologist in the Staff health unit at HQ in Geneva.

Main responsibilities

In coherence with the MHPSS for staff component of the Staff health strategy, and in close collaboration with the Staff health team, supports the development and the implementation of structured action plans in each Delegation of the Region. The purpose of the post is to promote good mental health, support the organization to prevent mental ill-health and assure access to care for those staff with psychological distress and mental disorders. This includes regular visits to Delegations/sub-sites to actively support delegation management to improve staff wellbeing and provide technical support to the staff health officers and managers, who are the primary implementers of the staff health strategy. Specific tasks include but are not limited to:

• Support the Staff health teams in the field in conducting comprehensive MHPSS for staff needs assessment and developing MHPSS for staff action plans.

• Capacity building, providing direct support and offering supervision to Staff health teams in the field, to strengthen their ability to provide first line basic psychological support to staff facing psychological distress, mental disorders, critical incidents, and sexual harassment and sexual violence.

• Assure systematic organizational and clinical support following security incidents in the field. Reinforce the competences of key internal stakeholders to improve post-incident support.

• Collaborate with others in the Organization (Managers, HR, Ombuds network, D&I, etc.) to identify and improve organizational psychosocial hazards. Support good managerial practices by offering interventions to team leaders and managers on communication, basic psychological support, leadership, caring teamwork, and other relevant topics.

AND

• Support strategies and interventions to increase staff mental health awareness, self-care strategies, and to decrease stigma associated with psychological suffering and help-seeking.

• Support the implementation of a peer-support system across the organization, and supervision/InterVision/guided reflexive practices in Delegations and teams that are most exposed to risks of Secondary Traumatic Stress.

• Offer direct specialized clinical support to staff experiencing psychological distress, mental disorders, critical incidents, and/or sexual harassment and sexual violence.

• Liaise with the Staff Health Unit in the country and the Staff Health Center of Expertise in HQ and provide support in case of need for medical evacuation of staff.

• Support the development of an external global referral network of trusted mental health professionals for staff in need of long term psychological and psychiatric support.

• Monitor and report about all matters related to the main duties responsibilities and other tasks as needed.

Education and experience required

• Graduate degree (equivalent to Master’s) in clinical psychology with at least four years of post-graduate professional experience in clinical psychology.
• Occupational health and / or Organizational Psychology studies an asset
• Valid license to practice in your country of residence.
• Experience in post-incident support.
• Proven capacity to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, with experience in health teams an asset.
• At least two years field experience in the humanitarian sector in at least two contexts different from the home country.
• Previous experience in designing and implementing MHPSS systems within organizations.
• Experience in project management, from development to implementation (included assessment and monitoring processes).
• Experience in team management and capacity building.

Desired profile and other skills

• Strong motivation to work on support of humanitarian workers.
• English is mandatory, with additional French or Arabic fluency a must. Additional languages (particularly Spanish and Russian) are an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills used to successfully develop effective collaborative relationships across a diverse international organization.
• Exceptional communication skills (verbal, written and presentation) and ability to clearly present complex issues and straightforward solutions to impact leadership and stakeholders.
• Pragmatic, innovative and entrepreneurial approach.
• Resilient, energetic and enthusiastic personality who responds constructively to challenging new ideas and input.
• Strong alignment with the ICRC values of striving for Impact, Compassion, Respect and Collaboration.
• Able to work under pressure in a potentially dangerous environment.
• Capacity to work in unsecure contexts.
• If regional coverage, percentage of expected travel through the Region: 60%.

Our operational & field constraints

• In line with the principle of neutrality, the ICRC does not assign international personnel to a country of which they are nationals.
• Candidates must be in good health and will have to do a medical check-up prior to departure in the field.
• Candidates must possess driving license (for manual transmission vehicles) and an international driving licence at the moment of the deployment.
• Candidates must be prepared to accept unaccompanied postings (i.e. no spouse, partner, children or dependents) for between 6 to 24 months of seniority with ICRC, without guaranty that a family posting mission will be offered after this waiting period.

What we offer

• Rewarding work in a humanitarian and multicultural environment;
• A staff integration program along an onboarding process within the Staff Health Unit and more specifically the staff mental health and psychosocial support team;
• Attractive social benefits, including accident and health coverage, hardship incentives etc.;
• Join an ICRC talent pool and be considered for future assignments.

The ICRC values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Additional information

– to be discussed with you and depending on your profile

• Pool selection for either short term mission (few weeks up to a few months – national coverage) or long-term mission (18 months or more – regional coverage);
• Working rate: 100%, for regional coverage to be prepared to 60% travelling through the region;
• Starting date: to be discussed according to your availabilities and ICRC’s needs;
• Location: Global – depending on ICRC’s needs;
• Hardship: 0 to 3;
• Job level: B3 (national coverage) to C1 (regional coverage and coordination level);
• Application deadline: 31/12/2021.