Job title: Senior Mental health and psychosocial support Officer
Band / Level / Grade: 8 A
Based: Aden
Department: Health

Background/IRC Summary: 
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees required to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and in 22 US cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. 
The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC Yemen Country program has been established in 2012, and currently is implementing coordinated Health, Nutrition, Environmental Health (WASH), Economic Recovery and Development, Women Protection and Empowerment, and Education programming in eight governorates. IRC Yemen Program operates with main office in Aden and Sana’a . Other subfield offices include Abyan, Hodeida, and Al Dhale, with the Al Dhale office covering Lahj, and the Abyan office covering activities in Shabwah.

Job Overview/Summary:

Under the supervision of the Community Health Manager, The Senior Mental health and Psychosocial Support Officer will be responsible to help in the implementation and monitoring of the mental health program and ensure that program goals, objectives, targets, and activities are met, as stated, and agreed in the project work plan and log frame. This position will be working closely with psychologists and psychiatrists for handling cases, conducting appropriate referrals if needed, and protection services. The psychologist will provide psychological interventions based on the needs and preventing complaints. 

Reports to: 
With overall mentorship from Deputy Health Coordinator, this position will be directly supervised by Community Health Manager. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Implementing psychosocial activities and Develop quality of mental health and psychosocial support interventions, embedded in public health programming.
• Conduct group meetings and brainstorming sessions with beneficiaries for MHPSS related activities
• Plan and facilitate with psychologist and Psychiatric the psychosocial Individual and support group Therapeutic sessions and activities.
• Supervise and develop detailed work plans for incentive staff for proper implementation of psychosocial services.
• Support the client(s) coping process and mobilize their internal and external resources for processing acute adversity. 
• Supervise and support community health workers in providing psychosocial support and psychological first aid.
• Train the CHWs and health workers on Mhgap and THP.
• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant partners including referral organizations community groups and other implementing partners;
• Producing timely progress reports, including both quantitative and qualitative information, on MHPSS
• Ensure regular supervision and monitoring activities at the village, district, and governorate levels. Share findings and recommendations with the supervisor.
• Collaborate and ensure with the rest of the team to exchange information that IRC programs are responding to the evolving needs of IDPs, refugees, and the host community.
• Provide psycho-education sessions to the members of clients /staff when needed.

Other 

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Job Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in medicine or College Degree in Psychology or Social or any other related qualification
• Minimum one year of experience in MHPSS activities and project design.
• Experience to implement a mental health at the community level such as the Mental health gap action program (MhGAP)and thinking healthy program (THP) for CHWs
• Experience in monitoring and training staff and/or partner organizations; experience of handling staff desirable.
• Understanding of the social organization, and community health issues
• Good analytical and reporting skills
• Understanding budget management 
• Excellent  Communication and interpersonal skills 
• Preferred spoken and written English and Arabic.
• Computer skills literacy including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience in a flexible approach to handling and prioritizing a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Be able to work in a stressful setting and adapt quickly to changing environments
• Willing to travel frequently (daily) to different locations in Yemen.

Professional Standards
The IRC and IRC workers must implement the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.