Regional Technical Advisor, MHPSS, Africa & Eurasia

Position Summary:

HIAS seeks a Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Regional Technical Advisor to support overall direction and technical leadership for its’ MHPSS programming in the Africa and Eurasia. The ever-growing complexity of the migratory context in Africa and Eurasia has highlighted the psychosocial needs of migrant populations, and the necessity for HIAS to develop a regional position to support emerging and ongoing MHPSS programming. HIAS currently provides collaborative community-based mental health and psychosocial support services (CB-MHPSS) in Chad and Kenya and is looking to expand its MHPSS programming in other countries where it has existing locations in the region.

Organizationally, HIAS is guided by its’ Refugee Rights Framework. This rights-based approach, based on international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law and practice, provides a programming framework for HIAS’ focus on refugee protection. This framework prioritizes programming impact that ensures forcibly displaced people realize their potential and become contributors to society, with this impact being achieved through the realization of legal and civil rights and social and economic rights including: 1) the right to protection from harm, violence and discrimination; 2) the right to recovery from the shock of displacement, and 3) the right to economic self-sufficiency and inclusion.

CB-MHPSS programming at HIAS includes a focus on individuals, families, and communities. The overall goal of HIAS Community-Based Mental Health Psychosocial Support programming is for forcibly displaced people and vulnerable migrants to have improved mental health and psychosocial well-being helping them to access their rights. This goal may be achieved through three key outcome areas: (1) Family, community, and social structures, including refugee and host communities and public and private partners, promote the psychosocial well-being and resilience of women, men, girls and boys; (2) Individuals and communities develop healthy coping mechanisms; and (3) People with mental health and psychosocial problems use appropriate focused care, including referral to specialized care when needed.

Under the overall supervision of the Director, Resilience Programs, the successful candidate will provide technical support related to program planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, donor diversification and partnership development, and coordination, working in close coordination with Country Directors, field coordinators, and HQ development, advocacy and M&E teams. The Technical Advisor will ensure quality services are delivered that meet both ethical and global standards and that the programs evolve to meet changing needs and succeed in implementing HIAS’ Refugee Rights Framework. The Technical Advisor will be responsible for ensuring systems are in place to implement evidence-based programs, both within MHPSS and cross-sectorally, support opportunities for innovation, and build HIAS’ profile in the Africa and Eurasia regions in the MHPSS sector.

Essential Functions:

Technical Support & Program Design

• Guides the development and implementation of MHPSS programming tailored to the Africa and Eurasia contexts.
• Provides ongoing technical support for mental health and psychosocial support programming to HIAS operations in Africa and Eurasia, including development of Communities of Practice and training materials.
• Provides technical oversight and field monitoring of the program staff in close coordination with M&E and program managers to ensure high-quality implementation of MHPSS frameworks and tools.
• Works with country programs to develop and implement staff capacity building plans.
• Shares cross-context learning with program staff across the regions.
• Reviews and shares program-specific tools/resources/curricula and works with countries and HQ to contextualize and adapt global and country-specific materials.
• Guides strategic programming of MHPSS actions while maintaining strong contacts among MHPSS project teams in Country offices and the Director, Resilience Programs.
• As needed, contributes to the development of case studies of successes and lessons learned, and other publications to highlight HIAS’ specific areas of expertise and value added.

Partnership Development & Coordination

• Contributes to positioning HIAS as a key actor and partner of choice on MHPSS in the Africa and Eurasia through alliance building, direct responses to the demonstrated needs of migrant populations and the generation of evidence, and shares critical MHPSS developments and best practices with the country offices.
• Serves as HIAS’ Technical Representative in external regional meetings and academic fora with donors, other non-governmental organizations, inter-agency groups and foundations as requested by the Director, Resilience Programs.
• Contributes to capacity building of key partners’ MHPSS staff and other stakeholders at the regional and national level.
• Facilitates the development, strengthening and expansion of partnerships with national Ministries of Social Services and Health, pertinent UN agencies, and other relevant stakeholders on MHPSS issues.

Monitoring & Evaluation, and Research

• Supports regional research projects by helping identify the most relevant research questions based on HIAS’ MHPSS programming in the region.
• Contributes to case studies, promising practices, lessons learned and other knowledge-based products to share HIAS’ learning with the broader forced migration field.
• Supports program monitoring in collaboration with the Regional M&E Coordinator and MHPSS project staff and ensures monitoring data is used to inform programming as needed to guarantee high-quality implementation of MHPSS programming.

Donor Diversification

• In line with HIAS organizational strategic goals, supports the diversification of regional and global funding.
• Contributes to the review of proposals, focusing on the technical quality, to include a thorough review of the technical activities and ensuring their alignment to the Refugee Rights Framework.
• Supports the Regional Development Officer to mobilize resources in the Country Offices and to build partnerships for the development of new MHPSS projects in Africa and Eurasia, including for the purposes of emergency response efforts.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Master’s degree or higher in psychology, social work, or related field
• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience implementing MHPSS programming in humanitarian settings, and at least 1-2 years acting in an advisory capacity in MHPSS programming, preferably in Africa and/or Eurasia
• Demonstrated experience in implementation of multi-sectoral response to MHPSS, including (but not limited to) GBV, child protection, legal response, and economic inclusion
• Knowledge/experience of mental health considerations and best practices related to the treatment for individuals impacted by displacement, conflict, torture, GBV, and other human rights violations
• In depth understanding and practical experience with IASC MHPSS guidelines, in addition to other MHPSS global guidelines and best practices
• Demonstrated ability to train staff and implementing partners on MHPSS, including excellent communication and presentation skills
• Demonstrated capacity and experience in conducting field level assessments and developing assessment tools, e.g. questionnaires, focus group discussions
• Experience in the development of theories of change, including output and outcome level performance measurement indicators and targets related to MHPSS
• Collaborative, flexible team player with the ability to think creatively, logically and critically about solutions to gaps in programming
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, including the ability to regularly communicate with, motivate and support field-based staff as well as effectively communicate key program achievements and operational challenges
• Excellent oral and written English and French language skills required.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills required
• Up to 40% travel may be required.

About Us:

HIAS is a global Jewish nonprofit organization working across five continents to ensure that refugees and displaced persons are protected. Throughout the United States, we help refugees reunite with families, resettle and become self-sufficient. Guided by our values and history, we help refugees rebuild their lives in safety and security and advocate to ensure that all displaced people are treated with dignity.

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, citizenship status, religious creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, age, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.