MHPSS Officer

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The Opportunity

Provide high quality individual and group support to children, adolescents, their caregivers and teachers, provide high-level technical assistance to MHPSS program staff, lead the setting up and delivery of Iraq MHPSS programs for children, adolescents, their caregivers and teachers and contribute to high quality of proposals and reporting. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

In order to be successful you will bring/have:

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Under supervision of MHPSS Supervisor and MHPSS Specialist:
* Provide high quality individual and group support to children, adolescents, their caregivers and their teachers, through the use of evidence based MHPSS techniques that build beneficiaries’ coping strategies, trust, resilience and self-confidence in a durable way.
* Conduct MHPSS needs-assessments to identify the needs of the local community.
* Support Child Protection staff through MHPSS training.
* Support MHPSS team and in coordination with the MHPSS specialist, to identify severe cases to be referred to psychological/psychiatric service providers in the area.
* Conduct MHPSS capacity building for community members & partners
* Conduct MHPSS awareness raising events.
* Ensure that MHPSS activities at field level have sufficient resources at hand to build capacity, monitor, quality-assure, capture evidence and learning, and help in developing further in their ability to provide quality and needs-based MHPSS interventions.
* Identify training needs of the MHPSS teams and support the MHPSS specialist in the development and conducting of training modules, MHPSS implementation tools and awareness raising activities for staff, volunteers, key community members and partners’ staff on various topics.
* Lead on regular participatory activities with different groups of children, adolescents and youths to identify issues affecting children in their communities, and assist the teams to develop appropriate responses;
* Support in the continuous assessment of MHPSS needs of children, adolescents, their caregivers and teachers and ensure that these are appropriately reflected in field offices’ contextual strategies.
* Support the designing of children, adolescents and youth and family assessments and M&E tools and supervise their administration.
* Invest in building positive relationships with the communities, with specific focus on caregivers and teachers and raising awareness of MHPSS work;
* Participate in regular national meetings with other MHPSS focal points in each intervention location, in order to provide and receive technical support to MHPSS program staff.
* Work with cultural sensitivity and respect the dignity of refugees and members of the host communities at all times
* Perform other functions relative to Child Protection activities and initiatives that may be assigned by the direct supervisor.
* Respect boundaries of work and technical capacity and do not engage in harmful practice.
* Ensure that in all interventions and support provided, gender equality is guaranteed.
* Set-up of safe mechanisms for responding to the needs of vulnerable children at individual level;
* Ensure full compliance of Child Safeguarding Policy at field level and especially with SC engaged personnel.
* Respond to all Child Safeguarding Policy concerns expressed or discovered appropriately and effectively.
* Maintain appropriate records of activities & input and share data through the MEAL system.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability
* Support the MEAL team and in coordination with the MHPSS Specialist, the MEAL framework, and support in MHPSS assessments.
* Provide technical support to MHPSS staff in terms of technical and/or sensitive assessments and monitoring and evaluation.
* Work with the MHPSS Specialist and MEAL team to identify and incorporate project suitable accountability mechanisms.

COMPETENCIES
Delivering results
Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/ organisation.
Applying technical and professional expertise
Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organisation.
Working effectively with others
Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working
Communicating with impact
Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust with others.
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:
* Degree in psychology, mental health or other relevant field
* Minimum 2 years of experience in MHPSS field

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
* Sound knowledge of protection in humanitarian aid context specifically in Iraq
* Proven capacity to supervise, and coach staff in child protection technical skills and project management
* Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including team leading and influencing.
* Experience in capacity building and training of local communities, and protectıon stakeholders regarding education programming
* Excellent written and oral communication skills Arabic and English
* Comfortable with high levels of ambiguity and able to take decisions independently in fluid context.
* Commitment to Save the Children values and Child Safeguarding.

Desirable
* Previous experience of managing a community center MHPSS project or similar
* Experience in working with refugees and returnees

We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector.

The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
* No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
* All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
* Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Application Information:
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.