Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Manager

Medair is an international humanitarian organization established in 1988. Medair has been operating in Afghanistan since 1996 with programs mainly in the Health, Water & Sanitation, and Livelihoods sectors with significant reconstruction activities in remote areas. Current projects are Water & Sanitation, Food Security, & Disaster Risk Reduction.

An Integrated Emergency Response: Medair aims to respond to high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and morbidity in Tirinkot district.  The project intends to improve and extend WASH services including water supply infrastructure and hygiene practices to improve outcomes for vulnerable families.

An Integrated Emergency Response: Medair aims to respond to high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition, and morbidity in Uruzgan, which has been significantly affected by drought and conflict conditions. Building upon Medair’s decades of experience in the Central Highlands and Kandahar, the project intends to improve and extend the utilization of lifesaving preventive and curative nutrition and health services by mothers, PLWs, and children U5; to increase access to clean water, to reduce vulnerability to water-related and other preventable diseases, and to improve and increase food security for the most vulnerable families through food voucher distributions.

Overall purpose:

The MHPSS Manager, in collaboration with the Country Health and Nutrition Advisor, conducts formal on-the-job training to MHPSS staff, conducting supportive supervisions, monitoring, and evaluating the execution of the assigned MHPSS and Protection activities conducted by MHPSS staff in the health facilities and project locations. This involves effectively supporting and reporting on the MHPSS activities in line with objectives and timeframe. In close cooperation with the Health and Nutrition Advisor and Health and Nutrition Project Managers training of local staff to meet quality standards in mental health and psychosocial support delivery, encouraging beneficiary participation, liaising with other stakeholders including the MHPSS department of MoPH, MHPSS TWG and Protection cluster, and anticipating, planning, and contributing to the donors reports and proposal writing for integrated MHPSS components in overall programming with a special focus on Protection.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and Protection activities in the integrated projects.

• Support and supervise the assigned MHPSS activities to meet the project objectives and within the allotted time frame, reporting promptly technical concerns to Health and Nutrition Project Managers and Health and Nutrition Advisor (e.g., projected failure to meet objectives; increased beneficiary needs).
• Provide strong leadership of the assigned MHPSS activities, working to ensure both short and long-term positive impacts and outcomes for the beneficiaries and project staff.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of an appropriate and effective MHPSS strategy in close collaboration with the Health and Nutrition Advisor.
• Set clear objectives and indicators for MHPSS activities in collaboration with the Health and Nutrition Advisor.
• Conduct formal and on-the-job training to all relevant MHPSS staff.
• Continuously monitor and supervise MHPSS activities, evaluating progress through outputs and impacts using both quantitative and qualitative data involving the MHPSS team in analysis and taking appropriate action as needed to ensure continued progress.
• Provide input into the integration of beneficiary participation and accountability in all aspects of the project.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of all MHPSS activities according to Medair, donor, and other applicable timeframes and formats.
• Develop new proposals, linked to the assessed needs and gaps and the Medair country strategy, in conjunction with the In-country Health and Nutrition Advisor and Sr. MHPSS advisor at GSO.
• Develop the strategy and mechanisms to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into Medair programs in line with Medair’s global Strategic Approach for MHPSS and international standards (IASC, Sphere).
• Develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for MHPSS programs, analysing data trends and best practices with subsequent learning to inform MHPSS strategy and programming.
• Perform any other duties not listed in the JD but requested by the line manager.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Supervisory responsibilities:

• Facilitate regular meetings to assist information sharing between the MHPSS staff, to ensure all MHPSS staff members are aware of project objectives and current work plans, and to provide the opportunity for feedback.
• Provide coaching, technical supervision, and on the job training to staff to develop ownership for MHPSS and protection activities.
• Assess the training needs of MHPSS staff and ensure that appropriate training is conducted.
• Support MHPSS staff with referral and follow-up of cases requiring referral to Mental Health PHC consultation or specialised care.
• Conduct clinical supportive supervision and on-the-job training to MHPSS staff.

·       Quality management:

•        Promote and use the Medair operating procedures, ensuring that all standardised formats are used and guidelines are followed.
•        Ensure MHPSS activities are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country, and international standards, i.e., Sphere, CHS, and IASC guidelines.
•        Ensure accurate record keeping of all activities at the health facilities.
•        Submit required daily, weekly, and monthly reports. Carry out required quality checks according to the provided checklists.
•        Assist with the translation of documents from English to Pashto/Dari /Pashto to English as required, especially medical or technical terms.

Communication, Coordination, and External Representation:

• Develop and maintain appropriate, regular, transparent, and supportive communication structures with the assigned MHPSS team, Medair in-country and GSO advisors, and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure good cooperation and partnerships.
• Participate in Protection, Cluster, MHPSS TWG, and GBV meetings as appropriate, as well as in Medair internal trainings, and other working groups or meetings as required, representing Medair and feeding back to the MHPSS staff and broader team on relevant issues.
• Liaise with stakeholders providing MHPSS activities in the same location, esp. for referrals.

Education:

• Graduated from a recognized medical faculty and received training in mental health is required. Master's degree in the same field is preferred. 
• Certified trainer for PFA, and at least one other evidence-based approach (Self-Help+, Problem Management+, etc.)
• (Clinical) Psychology.
• Knowledge of IASC and Sphere guidelines for MHPSS.
• Certified mhGAP trainer.

Relevant experience:

• Minimum 9 years relevant post-graduate experience is required.
• Experience implementing mental health/ psychosocial/ protection projects or activities.
• Proven ability to train, coach, and supervise staff in MHPSS and protection interventions.
• Good numerical, report writing, and administration skills.
• Experience in the design, monitoring and evaluation of MHPSS and protection programme activities.
• Able to prioritise clearly and oversee multiple tasks.
• Able to take the initiative on project decisions.
• Knowledge of IASC guidelines and policies for MHPSS in emergencies, as well as knowledge of humanitarian principles, Sphere, and CHS.
• Ability and willingness to manage project implementation.
• Knowledge and experience of (primary) mental health care principles and management.
• Experience implementing MHPSS interventions within multi-sectoral programming.

Languages: Pashto/Dari oral and written skills and Good command of English is required. Good English oral and written skills is desirable.

Computer: Strong MS Excel, MS Word, and ODK is required. Proficiency in data analysis, reporting and familiar with DoPH and HMIS reporting is desirable.

Organizational capacity: Ability to organize clinics efficiently and orderly, coordinating team members and beneficiaries, identifying bottlenecks, and providing solutions is required. Ability to work with community leaders to arrange clinic sites, access, and security is desirable. 

Team building:

• Willingness to support others and to share workload.
• Good training and coaching skills.
• Aptitude for community mobilization and capacity-building.

Adaptability: 

• Ability to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels.
• Ability to plan work efficiently and delegate or fill gaps if needed.

Problem solving & initiative: 

• Excellent problem-solving skills with a solution-oriented attitude.
• Able to recognize and resolve team conflicts productively.

Character: 

• Respectful attitude towards team members and beneficiaries.
• Honest and dependable, with strong anti-fraud principles and high level of integrity.
• Flexible in working hours.

Communication skills: 

• Maintains clear and consistent communication with line manager and other team-members.
• Willingness to listen and consider differing opinions.

Interested applicants should apply and forward their applications through the online JOB APPLICATION FORM which can be found under the submission email. The link should be copied, pasted, and opened on a new page.

Note 1: Please indicate the position title and vacancy number in your application letter. Applications received after the closing date or without the exact position title and vacancy number will not be given consideration. After submitting the online application, if some applicants do not immediately receive an automatic email from Medair, they shouldn't worry about their submission. When you open the link. please use the dropdown menu and choose the title of the position.

Note 2: Kabul/Tarinkot, Afghanistan, with frequent travels to Kandahar and Tarinkot /Kabul (70-80% at the provinces and 20-30% Kabul). The post holder is expected to be available, willing, and autonomous to travel within the project area as requested.