The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Program Manager

Job Description

Mental Health Manager

Duty station: Dnipro

Key working relationships:

- Position Reports to: Health Coordinator - Position directly manages: - Internal collaborations within IRC: Health Managers, Protection Managers, Senior MHPSS Officers, WPE Managers, CP Managers

Job Overview/Summary:

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Program Manager will be responsible for supporting the integration of mental health into primary health care in line with WHO mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG) and national guidelines. In addition, the MHPSS Manager will take the lead in the development and implementation of the MHPSS clinical guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and referral pathways for the integration of MHPSS and Integrated Protection Program. The MHPSS Manager will provide technical support to the Child Protection, Women’s Protection and Empowerment and Protection Rule of Law Programming for focused non-specialized MHPSS interventions. The position requires strong emphasis in training and technical supervision of protection and health teams engaged in MHPSS. Under the direct supervision of the Health Coordinator, the MHPSS Manager will also coordinate with the MH Technical Advisor and as necessary the WPE, CP and ProL Technical advisors.

Specifically, the Mental Health Manager will be responsible for:

Major Responsibilities:

· Lead the setting up of the mental health PHC integration program in line with the National Mental Health Program plans and strategies that are aligned with the WHO mhGAP HIG and IASC MHPSS guidelines and IRC Outcome and Evidence Framework (OEF) in the supported health facilities and through the community health component.

· Actively participate in coordination mechanisms, represent the IRC in the MHPSS Technical-working group and ensure the implementation of IASC MHPSS guidelines where relevant

· Conduct/participate in Mental Health, and Psychosocial needs assessments as necessary among the conflict affected populations. This will include assessments consistent with IASC guidelines and Mental Health Psychosocial WHO assessment toolkit, at different stages of program planning and implementation.

· Support response to the identified needs by providing training for specific psychosocial group and individual level interventions/ activities (adapted and appropriate to each one’s specific needs and capacities) and lead individual and group counseling sessions

· Contribute to the development and implementation of an MHPSS strategy for the Ukraine response.

· Support the development of referral pathways to strengthen links to available services for MHPSS in an integrated approach.

· Develop a community MHPSS awareness package in coordination with the health promotion team and protection (PRoL, CP and WPE) coordinators and partners.

· Support the recruitment of MHHPSS team when relevant

· Participate in the development/review of mentorship plans and other activity plans on quarterly basis

· Work closely with the health officers and pharmacy officer to ensure availability of WHO essential psychotropic medications at the clinics at all time

· Coordinate with other MHPSS stakeholders to ensure complementation.

Partner Management

· Work closely with project coordinators to identify implementing partners, designing interventions, monitor their implementation and provide supportive supervision.

- Ensure the development of regular performance monitoring plan of partners to achieve the set project’s objectives; provide technical support and guidance. - Development of capacity building plan for partner organizations along with close monitoring of performance improvement and training uptake. - Arrange regular meetings with implementing partners to discuss the future program implementation cycle and understand the challenges and barriers that might delay the progress.

**Documentation and Reporting****:

· Lead the development and implementation of data collection, M&E and quality control measures (e.g. on the job supervision checklists, impact measurement tools, client satisfaction measures and mhGAP training reports) for mental health services, and community-based psycho-social activities

· Participate in preparation of internal and external reports, including submission of weekly reports to coordinators.

· Support project staff to maintain program records and documentation as per project management minimum standards, including maintaining the confidentiality and security of MHPSS client data

· Promote the culture of learning and documentation so that lessons learned and good practices are documented and shared for institutional memory and learning as well as to advocate on behalf of the targeted communities

· Working on donors’ reporting and contribute to proposal development

· Ensure proper documentation of all trainings, completion and analysis of pre and post knowledge tests and on the job supervision checklists.

· Perform other duties as assigned by the Health Coordinator

Requirements:

· Language: Bilingual in Ukrainian and Russian desired and excellent verbal and writing skills in English

· Medical psychologist (with a master’s degree in clinical psychology or counselling psychology) or Medical Doctor specialized Psychiatrist with minimum four years of experience working on MHPSS programs.

· Sound knowledge and experience on implementing IASC MHPSS guidelines in emergency settings

· Strong experience in clinical supervision, training and or coaching others.

· Experience in assessment, program design, evaluation and technical training and supervision using WHO’s mental health gap action program (mhGAP).

· Extensive experience designing and rolling our trainings to diverse audiences.

· Experience working with partners to implement programming

· Solid understanding of case management and survivor-centered care in humanitarian settings,

· Ability to work within a team structure or in isolation, flexible, and can cope with stressful workloads and working with limited resources

· Experience in mental health and protection work with displaced persons, refugees, returnees and migrants

· Excellent command of the use of Microsoft Office especially Outlook, Work, Excel and Power Point

· Good communication, teamwork skills and ability to work independently

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Qualifications