Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Expert

Action Against Hunger is an international non-governmental organization working in more than 40 countries in the fields of nutrition, food security and livelihoods, water sanitation and hygiene, and care practices. ACF is looking for its program in Jordan for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Expert

Work place: Irbid, JORDAN with 30% travel to field sites

PositionOverview:

Action Against Hunger is a leading humanitarian agency working to combat hunger, malnutrition and its determinants in over 45 countries worldwide. 10 years into the Syrian crisis, Jordan remains host to 1.36 million Syrian refugees (83% of whom live among host communities), in addition to over 90,000 refugees largely from Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan.

Working in Jordan since 2013, Action Against Hunger has focused its response on WASH, Food Security and Livelihoods, and MHPSS programming for refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, both in camps and host communities. Action Against Hunger's 2020 tp 2025 country strategy aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable people to socio-economic and environmental challenges in Jordan with an emphasis on rural and peri-urban women and youth. As of 2022, Action Against Hunger has operations across Amman, Irbid, Mafraq, Zarqa and Madaba with over 70 staff.

Action Against Hunger Jordan’s MHPSS Expert is responsible for ensuring the quality and relevance of Action Against Hunger’s MHPSS program. In particular, the MHPSS Expert will ensure the technical quality of the MHPSS components of three multi-sectoral projects, ensure the development of technical tools, SOPs and approaches, and lead and support with a number of planned assessments to continue to Action Against Hunger’s evidence based programming, and continue to donor positioning for the growth of the MHPSS portfolio. Reporting directly to the DCDP, the MHPSS Expert will be based in Irbid with regular travel to field sites.

Objectives:

1)Technically oversee the start-up and implementation of ongoing MHPSS projects and activities, ensuring the quality of implementation

• Support teams in defining intervention protocols/techniques in accordance with sector standards
• Validate the key stages and the methodologies of the MHPSS programs being undertaken (timetables, baseline / midterm / endline surveys and assessments, technical studies, calls for tender, specifications, community approaches, internal and external evaluations, amongst other elements)
• Provide direct technical support to program managers and deputies on MHPSS and cross-cutting issues (especially gender), whilst alerting or sharing information with the Field Coordinator. This includes training of program staff
• Work closely with the MEAL team to ensure that MEAL systems are in place to measure the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of MHPSS programs; lead the integration of learning / findings from MEAL results into projects
• Train field teams in the use of tools, monitoring and evaluation of sector indicators.
• Provide regular field monitoring of activities, using developed checklists and ensure pro-active follow up with field teams
• Contribute to the writing and review of project reports, ensuring high quality inputs related to MHPSS programming
• Take part in the recruitment of MHPSS related staff, defining technical assessments and conducting technical interviews
• Ensure the technical conformity of MHPSS programs with international rules, approaches, and technical standards, and the Action Against Hunger framework documents and technical works
• Boost the overall standard of implementation of projects in order to maximise their impact
• Ensure, by use of Action Against Hunger-specific monitoring (project quality, field visits, external audit, etc.) that global norms and national standards guiding humanitarian and development interventions are respected
• Issue and follow up on technical recommendations for the improvement or maintenance of MHPSS program quality
• Alert the DCDP and the Regional Technical Advisor to all major difficulties encountered in applying necessary recommendations and / or adaptations to MHPSS programming, and suggest solutions and ways forward

2)Promote accountable, evidence-based programming and program design for the MHPSS Department

• Capture and promote the use of learning within the MHPSS sector at the mission level, and consolidate and transmit lessons learnt and associated recommendations to headquarters
• Guide the technical dimensions of assessments, studies, and evaluations throughout the strategy and programme cycles to build a body of information for evidence-based decision-making
• Promote an understanding of the MHPSS context in Jordan among the field team
• Disseminate information gathered and analysed both internally and externally, including from and with regional and headquarters staff
• Identify the subjects for sectoral advocacy specific to the mission in collaboration with the DCDP
• Produce the MHPSS sections of project proposals in accordance with the formats and deadlines of funding agencies as requested by the DCDP
• Integrate MHPSS programming with other technical sectors as opportunities and synergies arise (WaSH, FSL, Nutrition / Health)

3)Ensure the active participation of Action Against Hungerin sectoral coordination and technical forums and develop sectoral partnerships

• Represent Action Against Hunger in sectoral coordination at national and sub-national levels (sectoral and / or cluster) and with technical authorities
• Participate in visits by funding agencies whenever requested by the DCDP or Field Coordinator
• Working with the regional technical advisor, define Action Against Hunger’scontribution to the various action plans in the MHPSS sector (Consolidated Appeal Process, Flash Appeal, Inter-Agency Contingency Plan, HFA, national sector strategies, Jordan Response Plan, etc.)
• Promote sectoral and synergetic / complementary partnerships (with civil society, NGOs, authorities, the private sector, and other relevant entities), and enhance the capacity of partners on MHPSS
• Take part in the development of operational partnerships in line with the Action Against Hunger’s partnership policy

4)Ensure adherence to Action Against Hunger gender requirements

• Commit and comply with the organization gender, age and diversity principles & policies (working with people, communication)
• Lead on the promotion of gender, age and diversity principles through the MHPSS portfolio

Skills

• Experience in mental health system strengthening in public health settings and referral systems preferred
• Specialised experience in community based psychosocial support interventions
• Experience in applying international guidelines for mental health care integration into primary healthcare (e.g. mhGAP, PM+, etc.)
• Significant experience in MHPSS case management
• Strong training and supervisory skills, including clinical supervision
• Substantial knowledge regarding program management in the field
• Excellent intercultural, interpersonal, organisational, prioritising, and communication skills
• High capacity of work, able to overcome stress and work under pressure, with high degree of flexibility
• Autonomous, organised, and self-motivated
• Diplomatic and tactful, professional and transparent
• Solution-oriented working style
• Firm understanding of ‘Do No Harm’ approach
• Strong understanding of Age, Gender, and Diversity principles

Education:

Master’s degree in clinical psychology, psychiatry, or psychology

Type of professional experience requested:

• At least 4 years of field experience with a humanitarian NGO in the MHPSS sector.
• Experience working in developing and urban contexts, particularly on program management at field level
• Experience with the development of technical tools and SOPs, technical training delivery
• Experience in logframe development and monitoring and evaluation methods
• Knowledge of reproductive health issues and/or protection issues in humanitarian settings preferred

Language level:

Fluency in English and Arabic required

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Action Against Hunger is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Action Against Hunger has zero-tolerance for bribery, corruption or abuse of power in any form.

Please note that any application submitted through the abuse report address will not be considered.

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How to apply:

• Deadline for receiving applications: 29/01/2023
• Shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis and if the ideal candidate is identified before the closing date, Action Against Hunger reserves the right to close the recruitment before the application deadline.
• Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
• Local recruitment is highly encouraged
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

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