Вакансія: MHPSS officer (Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Officer), Odesa, Ukraine

HEKS/EPER is looking for the MHPSS Officer (Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Officer) national position. Base in Odesa with travels to field sites.

General background:

According to the Ukraine Protection Cluster, the physical safety of civilians is increasingly threatened by indiscriminate attacks as fighting continues in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, and Kherson Oblasts. More than ever, ensuring protection of civilians remains paramount, as does addressing the growing protection needs for the conflict-affected and displaced population of Ukraine. On 4 April, the High Commissioner for Human Rights made a statement expressing serious concerns over grave breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law.  As a result of the Russian military offensive, approximately 7.1 million IDPs are recorded in Ukraine (with a 10% increase compared to the survey conducted in February).

It has been as well observed an increase of IDPs coming from Northern areas (Sumy, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv oblasts) and Kyiv.

Months of war have taken a toll on the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of women, girls, men and boys in Ukraine. MHPSS remains a matter of high concern for host communities, IDPs and people on the move. According to MSF, an urgent increase in mental health services across the country are needed, with coordination with the national health system and other organisations, to ensure that the response to mental health needs and the resources behind it reach the most vulnerable people.

Project Information:

Through funds provided by Norwegian Church Aid, HEKS/EPER is implementing an emergency response focused on targeting the most vulnerable individuals and IDPs in Ukraine. HEKS/EPER’s response will target the most vulnerable individuals at GCA of the war-affected region among them Odesa, Mykolayiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions (Oblasts) with immediate unconditional cash, WASH, and integrated Protection assistance including GBV, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and adolescent sexual reproductive health. Project sites may vary depending on access and security situations.

Job objective

Multi-sectoral emergency assistance for the most vulnerable conflict-affected people in Ukraine

Tasks and responsibilities

The MHPSS officer will report to the Head of Programme and support them by:

• Supervising the day-to-day implementation of MHPSS activities in the assigned project locations.
• Assuming line management responsibility of the MHPSS field team in the assigned project locations.
• Coordinate with HEKS partners in assigned project locations and follow up on the quality implementation of MHPSS project.
• Provide capacity building to MHPSS field team / partner teams and other colleagues as needed on MHPSS main topics such as: Psychological first aid, community-based PSS, and psychosocial support interventions.
• Coordinate with program officers from other project components to ensure positive synergies and complementarity.
• Conduct regular field and monitoring visits (in-person and/or remotely) to support and guarantee project intervention quality.
• Coordinate with local/ international organizations including local authorities, stakeholders, UN agencies, relevant MHPSS working groups.
• Submit timely project reports (monthly/ weekly) including quantitative and qualitative data to the MHPSS advisor.
• Together with the MHPSS advisor, GBV manager and Finance Department, develop and manage the budget for MHPSS project activities.
• Support the collection of all information related to project costs in the project location.

Competencies & requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or any other relevant fields.
• Minimum one year of relevant professional work experience in the development, planning, and management of MHPSS projects with practical experience in overseeing, monitoring, and reporting on project outcomes, as well as operational research. 
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian context, preferably in South and East Ukraine.
• Training and experience in MHPSS, including experience in direct provision and/or management of PSS interventions (focus or non-focused) strongly preferred.
• Experience in community mobilization and implementing principles.  
• Experience in training relevant actors on Psychological First Aid preferred
• Communication and facilitation skills, including fluency in written and spoken English/Ukrainian and/or Russian and strong interpersonal skills.  
• Experience in working in emergency program, including in Ukraine, is an added advantage.

Languages:

• Ukrainian and English (written and spoken)

Posting period:

From 27.08.2022- 09.09.2022 (extension of the competition)

Qualified candidates should send their CV and cover letter in English to [email protected]. Only short-listed candidates will receive notice requesting additional information