MHPPS Officer

ABOUT THE JOB

Project HOPE is an international NGO of more than 900 engaged employees and hundreds of volunteers who work in more than 25 countries, responding to the world’s most pressing global health challenges. Throughout our 60-year legacy, Project HOPE has treated millions of patients and provided more than $3 billion worth of medicines to local health care organizations around the world. We have helped build hundreds of health programs from the ground up and responded to humanitarian crises worldwide.

CODE OF CONDUCT

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to treat each other with respect, take affirmative steps to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse and Trafficking in Persons, and to disclose all potential and actual violations of our Code of Conduct, which may include Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption, Discrimination or Harassment.  Together we can reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Job Purpose:

In charge of supervising and providing guidance to the team of Mental Health workers and Social Workers in the following activities:

• On-the-ground implementation of mental health-related activities in the assigned oblast(s);
• Carrying out all activities related to social support services to individual patients/survivors and linking them via supervised referrals with other relevant government-provided support services and community organizations;
• Developing mental health outreach initiatives and awareness raising activities and both in the targeted communities; and
• Ensuring the quality of care and analyzing statistics and delivering reporting; Management of psychologist and volunteer staff.

Key Activities and responsibilities:

The MHPSS Officer would implement, monitor and report on all activities related to MHPPS and SGBV defined in the BHA-funded Protection strategy in locations assigned, insuring quality of care aligned with Project Hope standards, meaning: 

• Supervising, in close coordination with the Protection/MHPSS Specialist, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, potential detection, development and internal communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required.
• Coordinating and ensuring that Mental Health activities (in and outside health facilities), with the clients are performed with regular follow-up in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for clients with psychosocial problems.  
• Support the development of in-house guidance and SOPs on case management services, referral pathway procedures, and other Protection-related activities.  
• Mapping and regularly updating existing Mental Health and SGBV services in the operational oblasts in order to facilitate both program coordination and development of appropriate pathways. This includes developing relationships with other INGO’s, local NGO’s, community groups and governmental health services. 
• Collecting data associated with Project HOPE’s MHPSS and SGBV work, drafting report language and support development of monthly reports according to donor requirements and intern guidelines.
• Under the guidance of the MHPSS Specialist and incoordination with the assigned Health Coordinator and within the scope of practice allowed for non-medical personnel, ensure that psychiatric patients receive proper support in their treatment including psychotropic medication and psychosocial support either directly within a Project HOPE managed program or through referral to an appropriate resource.
• Work with psychologists, volunteers and other MHPSS community actors to organize support groups in identified Social Centers and IDP sites to ensuring ongoing assessment of psychosocial, socio-economic, and administrative needs for patients, provide them with psychological first aid, self-care guidance, and relevant referral information.
• Maintaining a network of and cooperating closely with relevant medical facilities, local and regional officials, institutions, NGOs and indicating possible local actors or local NGOs which could be involved in awareness activities at the local and regional levels.

Educational Background

• Degree Social Work, Gender related studies, Psychosocial studies; candidate with degrees in Psychology/Clinical Psychology preferred.

Experience

• Understanding of mental health and protection sector program design in humanitarian environments.
• Community experience working with vulnerable populations on psychosocial interventions.
• Candidates with degrees in psychology: Experience in diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in health care facilities highly preferred.
• Experience in social services departments (NGOs, Governmental organizations) 

Technical Skills

• Fluency in Ukrainian/Russian and English is required.
• Diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.
• Psychosocial support techniques knowledge 
• Knowledge of and ability to develop/adapt and deliver MHPSS/SGBV trainings and curriculum

Soft Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to humanitarian principles
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Adapts to changes in work environment 
• Written communication 
• Quality management 
• Teamwork and cooperation