MHPSS Specialist

Over the past few years, Afghanistan has witnessed a relative improvement in security and stability across much of the country. This has allowed humanitarian actors like INTERSOS to maintain uninterrupted access and expand services in areas that were previously hard to reach. Despite this progress, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions of Afghans continuing to face acute vulnerabilities due to prolonged economic hardship, natural disasters, and limited access to essential services.

In 2025, more than half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, with food insecurity, child malnutrition, and displacement remaining key concerns. Natural disasters, such as floods and recent earthquakes, have further compounded the needs of already struggling communities.

INTERSOS continues to operate through a community-based approach with field bases in Kabul, Kandahar, and Zabul, delivering primary healthcare, nutrition, and protection services with a focus on women, children, and persons with disabilities. The organization enjoys strong community acceptance and collaborates closely with relevant national authorities, including maintaining the full participation of female staff in all activities.

While the operational environment is largely stable and conducive, funding shortfalls and systemic barriers such as restrictions on financial flows and administrative bottlenecks continue to impact the scope and scale of humanitarian response. Sustained support is crucial to ensure the continuity of life-saving services and to address the urgent needs of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.

The MHPSS Specialist will strengthen the operational delivery, integration, and sustainability of MHPSS

services across health, nutrition, SRH, and protection programs in Afghanistan. This role will

operationalize, scale and monitor multi-layered MHPSS interventions, including mhGAP-HIG, Thinking

Healthy, CBT-informed approaches, and PFA, while mentoring field teams and ensuring adherence to

MHPSS IASC standards, SOPs, and referral mechanisms.

Reporting to:

Hierarchical: Protection Coordinator/Deputy Protection Coordinator

Supervision of: PSS Team leads & PSS Counsellors in Afghanistan (in-person & remote)

Location: Based in Kabul with regular travel to provinces- Kandahar, Helmand, Urozgan, Herat, Nimruz,

Farah, and any other area of our expansion.

Key Responsibilities of MHPSS Specialists

Technical and strategic Leadership

● Contribute to the operationalization of the mission MHPSS strategy across health, protection,

nutrition and SRH programmes in alignment with national guidelines, IASC guidance and

organisational priorities.

● Ensure quality implementation of multi-layered MHPSS services, including mhGAP, structured

community-based PSS (e.g., CCC), and focused non-specialized psychological interventions.

● Provide technical leadership and day-to-day guidance to PSS team leads, counsellors, CCC

animators and multidisciplinary teams to ensure adherence to standards and high quality MHPSS

service delivery, ethical practice do-no-harm, contextual approaches and client safety

● Conduct regular programme reviews and gap analyses and lead the implementation of corrective

actions to improve coverage, quality, and continuity of care.

● Design and deliver capacity-building initiatives (training, coaching, structured supervision and

on-the-job mentoring for health and protection staff on mhGAP, PFA, Thinking Healthy,

Psychosocial social related approaches including brief CBT Interventions and techniques.

● Develop, standardize, and update technical tools and systems, including SOPs, supervision

frameworks, training packages, implementation guidelines, and service protocols.

● Establish and maintain M&E and quality assurance mechanisms to track performance, outcomes,

and adherence to technical standards for scalable psychological interventions.

● Support national capacity strengthening and sustainability by embedding MHPSS within routine

services and promoting knowledge transfer across cadres.

INTERSOS – Organizzazione Umanitaria Onlus

Via Aniene 26/a – 00198 Roma (RM)

P.IVA 12731101007 – C.F. 97091470589

Tel: +39 06 853 7431 – Fax: +39 06 853 74364

intersos.org – intersos@intersos.org

Terms of Reference (TOR) MHPSS Specialist Afghanistan

● Document and share operational learning and field feedback to inform adaptive programming,

scale-up, and continuous technical improvement

● Contribute to the MHPSS component of proposals development

● Develop semi-annual and annual MHPSS trend analysis reports

● Provide and contribute to high quality internal and donor MHPSS activity reports

Coordination Internal programme Integration and collaboration

● Coordinate and collaborate with the medical team to integrate and advance mental health and

psychosocial interventions in Health and Nutrition services

● Collaborate with the protection case management team to strengthen PSS in case management

and ensure proper referral procedures.

● Strengthen integration of MHPSS within PHC, GBV/CP/protection, nutrition and SRH through

joint planning, referral pathways, and coordinated service delivery.

● Ensure donor compliance and high-quality reporting, in line with Sphere standards, cluster

requirements, and internal MEAL frameworks

Networking and Inter-Agency engagement

● Represent INTERSOS in MHPSS technical coordination platforms.

● Contribute to inter-agency strategy, technical harmonization, and advocacy.

Expected Operational Deliverables

● Operational implementation of the mission-level MHPSS strategy and action plans within health

and protection programs.

● Field-level operational rollout of mhGAP and structured psychosocial interventions.

● Integrated MHPSS services within Protection, PHC, Nutrition, and SRH programs

● Supervision, mentoring, and coaching reports for MHPSS service provision staff.

● Regular use of monitoring tools to track service quality and progress, with routine donor-

compliant reporting.

● Program reviews, gap analyses and recommendations implemented.

Education

● Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Public Mental

Health, or related field.

● Advanced certification in mhGAP-HIG, Thinking Healthy, or other evidence-based, scalable

psychological interventions preferred.

INTERSOS – Organizzazione Umanitaria Onlus

Via Aniene 26/a – 00198 Roma (RM)

P.IVA 12731101007 – C.F. 97091470589

Tel: +39 06 853 7431 – Fax: +39 06 853 74364

intersos.org – intersos@intersos.org

Terms of Reference (TOR) MHPSS Specialist Afghanistan

Professional Experience

● 5–12 years progressive humanitarian experience, including hands-on MHPSS program

implementation within Protection and PHC programs.

● Minimum 2–3 years in a technical supervisory or national specialist equivalent role with program

design, team leadership, and operational oversight.

● Proven experience integrating MHPSS into Protection, PHC, Nutrition, and SRH programs.

● Demonstrated track record in delivering Level 2 psychosocial support and Level 3 focused

interventions

● Experience mentoring multidisciplinary teams, supervising MHPSS staff and expanding program

coverage and quality.

● Strong familiarity with SOP development, technical notes, training materials, supervision

frameworks and monitoring tools.

● Experience in complex emergencies, including internal displacement contexts.

Languages

● Fluency in English required.

● Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto is required and is mandatory

Personal Attributes

● Commitment to INTERSOS principles, including Do No Harm, gender equality and inclusion.

● Strong leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.

● Ability to work under pressure in remote or complex operational environments.

● Excellent interpersonal skills and collaborative approach.

Working Environment

● Kabul-based with travel to field sites.

● Up to 60% travel expected.

● Flexibility to adapt to security, operational and cultural considerations.

Respected Applicants, please visit the link below and fill in the required information.

https://forms.gle/Sdcb8s5Z4rWvDxye6

Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted with and called for a test/Interview.

Qualified People with Physical Disabilities and Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply