Mental Health Psychosocial Support Officer

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:  

Level 3:  the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff. 

ROLE PURPOSE:  

The PSS Officer will be responsible to support the technical design and day to day monitoring and implementation of the PSS program with high quality and standards. S/he will be responsible for  supervision and guidance, training, and coaching of  SC Ukraine and partners PSS workforces. S/he will ensure that SC PSS interventions are adhered to IA global and regional PSS standards/guidelines; and will ensure quality implementation, monitoring and reporting of the program.

SCOPE OF ROLE:  

Reports to: Child Protection Coordinator, will receive technical support  from the PSS Coordinator.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:  

Assessment Monitoring, implementation of quality PSS prevention and response  

• Under the technical guidance from the PDQ PSS Officer, collaborate with other CP colleagues to incorporate  PSS needs in any upcoming joint/ multi-sectorial assessment. 

• In coordination with the PSS specialist , support other sectors in identifying, designing, planning and delivering community-based PSS prevention and response across sectors: Conduct appropriate, need based PSS awareness/calming activities for families and children and/or children/families on the move related activities using the functional community based structures, volunteers  

• Support the dissemination of evidence-based, age and gender appropriate  Community Based PSS messaging through to target populations including children and families.  

• Support the PSS Specialist  in devising and conducting Training and capacity strengthening for the functional SC sectors and partners staff in order to enable them to conduct structured PSS activities for boys, girls, adolescents and caregivers. Based on agreed intervention packages and curriculums in priority for child practitioners and PFA II dealing with children in distress 

Coordination, networking  and operational support:  

• Provide ongoing feedback to the CP Coordinator  on any operational needs or challenges  arising at the field location.  

• Work as the first point of contact for SC sectors and partner organizations for PSS related issues in each field location; support partnerships to benefit from local expertise, develop local PSS capacity, improve the local impact and sustainability of PSS activities.  

• Make regular visits to the field; carry out process monitoring and provide feedback and support for achieving high quality PSS prevention and response, document lessons learnt and thus contribute  to develop and strengthen a shock-resilient PSS prevent and response program which could eventually inform system strengthening 

• Where challenges arise, ensure that these are flagged early, communicated to the CP coordinator and addressed in an appropriate way; Communicate and share learning with other SC units and sectors involved in the emergency response 

• Assist the CP Coordinator and PSS Specialist in development of PSS  implementation plans and propose PSS budgets for SC and partner organizations. 

• Maintain positive coordination and relationships with partner and other SCI sector staff.

Ensure program quality  

• In coordination with the PSS Specialist, support the use and roll out of appropriate PSS tools which recognize vulnerabilities of children in varied levels and contexts, recognize the resilience of children and community in mitigating risks.  

• Conduct collection, documentation and reporting of PSS program data according to CPMS and IASC standard. Monitor and ensure day to day basis that PSS program components are following the Quality Bench Mark and in accordance with the Minimum Standards of Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and Core Humanitarian Principles and Standards.  

• Provide feedback to the PDQ PSS Officer, Case Management Officer and the CP Coordinator  in terms of needs for capacity building of project staff, partners, and government as required. 

• Participate in the lessons learnt and best practices documentation. 

• Write high quality weekly and monthly reports. Provide timely inputs to programme and donor reports on MHPSS intervention activities  

• Other PSS related duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop SCI Child Protection programme. 

Analyse the contexts and promote the Centrality of Protection 

• Ensure through day to day monitoring that the PSS prevention and response is effectively targeting the most  affected children and communities including unaccompanied and separated children, Prevention and response to child recruitment, grave violations, including maiming and killing, Prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and child trafficking,  

• Contribute  in developing and rolling-out advocacy strategy for PSS. Always act as proactive advocate to ensure that other international and local service providers are adhered to Centrality of Protection Policy, thus prioritise protection at the centre of all humanitarian actions when delivering MHPSS services. 

Additional job responsibilities 

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience. 

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice) 

Accountability: 

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values 

• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved. 

Ambition: 

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same 

• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others 

• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale. 

Collaboration: 

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters 

• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength 

• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to. 

Creativity: 

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions 

• willing to take disciplined risks. 

Integrity: 

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS  AND EXPERIENCE

Required

• Degree in Psychology, Mental Health, or related field. 

• Minimum of 1 years of progressively responsible professional experience in a similar capacity 

• Work experience in humanitarian emergencies or protracted-conflict settings. 

• Sound knowledge of IASC MHPSS guidelines, human rights, and protection in humanitarian contexts. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within partners  

• Written and verbal communication and reporting skills in English and Ukrainian  

• Commitment to Save the Children values and Child Safeguarding. 

Desired

• Academic background and/or professional experience in the provision of Child and Adolescent 

• MHPSS services. 

• Experience working with IDPs, refugees and returnees. 

• The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature of work required and are not necessarily all-inclusive 

• Proficient in MS Excel , MS Word, Outlook 

• Strong influencing skills  

• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy