Organizational Context:
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is ministry of the Society of Jesus, incorporated as an international non-governmental organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The organization was founded in November 1980 and now has a presence in over 50 countries. JRS undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support and guidance of an international office (IO) in Rome. JRS service is human and spiritual, working in situations of greatest need, seeking the long-term well-being of refugees and displaced people while not neglecting their immediate or urgent needs. The main services provided are in the field of education, emergency assistance, and psychosocial support and livelihood activities. Currently, more than 724,000 individuals are direct beneficiaries of JRS projects.
JRS’ Psychosocial Department offers a range of services to people who have been displaced in 4 refugee camps in Maban, the Upper Nile Region of South Sudan and in Renk County. JRS Psychosocial services also reach the host communities of the same locations. The JRS psychosocial intervention in Maban and Renk uses a multi-layered response with focus on provision of basic services, re-establishing community networks and support systems and providing focused services for most vulnerable groups. Services include home visits, groups, material support, individual counselling, training in basic mental health and counselling, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and distribution of assistive and mobility devices.
Position Description
The overall purpose of the job is to provide technical MHPSS support to the project team and supervise the implementation of the different multilayered MHPSS interventions delivered by Counsellors, Social Workers and other non-specialists at both community, group and individual levels.
The Clinical Psychologist in the capacity of an MHPSS Coordinator will be responsible for mentoring and supervising the mental health and psychosocial in the delivery of MHPSS teams and interventions in line with the JRS Global and regional MHPSS strategies as well as IASC guidelines on MHPSS building a culture of professional excellence with the team so that they meet the incumbent of this role, in liaison with Regional MHPSS Officer also leads the adaptations of MHPSS tools, protocols, and curricula so they are relevant and culturally appropriate to meet the unfolding Mental health and psychosocial needs of persons we serve.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Support
- Clinical Supervision:The Clinical Psychologist will be responsible for supervising Social Workers and providing guidance throughout implementation of Project MHPSS intervention approaches.
- Case management: build up case management repository for the project in accordance with the standard case management principles and JRS MHPSS case management process.
- Assessment and diagnosis: provide guidance towards the use of various global and internal assessment tools in relation to project needs and in accordance with diagnosis.
- Mainstream MHPSS into all projects activities and build resource materials for MHPSS adaptable to the project according to the project theory of change.
- Capacity strengthening and enhancement: Train Social Workers, partners and Community.
- Support Structures on Community Based Psychosocial Support ,Approach, general MHPSS, mhGAP HIG, PFA , Social emotional Learning and any other skills as required by project objectives and arising needs during implementation
- Provide support supervision, consultation, mentorship, and specialized clinical care to beneficiaries, and support Social Workers to manage complex MHPSS cases
- Supervise and support implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions, Psychological first Aid, problem management Plus as well as provision of psychoeducation and awareness raising to the community.
- Conduct quarterly review meetings with community support structure members to review progress, challenges and developing actions to improve psychosocial work across the refugee settlements/ project scope.
- Participate in all MHPSS and Protection related meetings and Working Group
- Manage, mentor, and supervise JRS Renk MHPSS Team and coordinate all MHPSS activities including planning and budget management for MHPSS activities.
- Provide supervision and coaching for complex individual cases and support groups.
- Ensure data protection and initiate innovative solutions to data management and record-keeping of individual sessions and support groups.
- Prepare reports on activities of the counselling team and contribute to project reporting, project planning, and project implementation.
- Ensuring JRS Policies, including Child Safeguarding are upheld to the highest standard across the entire JRS Renk Community
- Representing JRS at Renk level MHPSS TWG and lead the MHPSS TWG at Renk with key partners
- Representing JRS at Camp Coordination and other partners meetings
- Contribute to the professional development of team members through training and mentorship.
- Take lead in the follow-up and documentation of the psychosocial referral systems in conjunction with the Deputy Project Director – Programs
- Enhance the quality of services through evidence-based interventions like WHO’s scalable psychological interventions and maintain JRS and international MHPSS service delivery standards.
- Liaise and work with other JRS partners as appropriate and as delegation permits.
- Collaborate with the Deputy Project Director – Programs on departmental strategy and implementation of operational plan, including direct planning and implementation of MHPSS activities.
- Coordinate the implementation of a MEAL plan and programmatic Theory of Change, including capacity development of staff in MEAL best practices in conjunction with Deputy Project Director – Programs and in alignment with the IASC MHPSS M&E Framework.
- Collaborate with the Education department on Inclusive Education with guidance from the Deputy Project Director – Programs
- Timely completion of the performance management with supervisees.
- Serve as administrative back stop to Deputy Project Director as necessary.
- Attend all trainings as required.
Project Management
- Ensuring that budget and funded targets for PS department are achieved, and the work plan is successfully carried out in a timely manner.
- Managing data collected by the team and using it to inform program decisions.
- Serving as JRS focal point for all referrals to Psychosocial services and coordinating effectively with other humanitarian actors to deliver services to clients.
- Completing accurate and timely reports for JRS and donors.
- Monitoring budgets and resources allocated to the project.
- Assuring high-quality service provision.
- Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience required:
- A clear commitment to the mission and ethos of JRS and share its values of compassion, professionalism, and desire to be with those most in need.
- Masters in clinical psychology, Msc in Counselling psychology, Psychiatry with a training in Community Based Psychosocial Support.
- Background and training in Community Based psychosocial Support, Research experience and sound clinical practice experience is an added advantage.
- Minimum of 5 years’ professional experience in project management of a humanitarian service delivery project.
- Working and updated knowledge of MHPSS best practices and techniques, including Psychological First Aid (PFA), Mental Health Global Action Programme (mhGAP), IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings, Problem Management Plus (PM+), theories of community-based services.
- Experience with service delivery to multicultural and diverse populations, particularly in international and emergency humanitarian settings.
- Experience with data management and an ability to use data to inform program decisions.
- Experience in program design, quality assurance, and monitoring/evaluation.
- Demonstrated success supervising and leading teams.
- Expertise in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook).
- Strong skills in thinking analytically and strategically.
- Demonstrated ability to solve problems effectively and quickly with minimal resources available.
- Previous International experience working in the related position is an added advance.
- Demonstrated ability to work and live in a stressful environment with only basic amenities.
- Commitment to working with marginalized and vulnerable communities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
- Excellent skills in training individuals or groups of people.
- Patience, perseverance, and ability to work flexibly in stressful environments and a simple lifestyle.
- Proactive and self-motivated.
- Fluent in spoken and written English.
- Ability to speak in Arabic Language is an added advantage.
- Membership of any Psychology Association is also an added advantage.
Core values
- Commitment to JRS mission, vision and values, and the ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and in advocating for their rights to protection and a life in dignity.
- High integrity, honesty, and confidentiality, ability to deal tactfully, consistently, fairly, and discreetly with situations, people, and information.
- Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value. willingness to work in flexible, sub-optimal and multi-cultural environments.
Interested candidates should submit their applications online through [email protected] with the following documents and clearly mark the Job title and duty station in the email subject addressing to HR Department, JRS Country Office, Juba (South Sudan), application deadline is 5:00 pm of September 12th, 2024.
- An updated cover letter demonstrating the candidate’s suitability against the ideal Candidate Profile outlined above.
- A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) with three Professional References.
- A copy of Valid Passport for Internationals and Nationality ID for Nationals.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the urgent need to fill this position, we will be reviewing applications on daily basis. only candidates who apply by the deadline and meet the Job requirements will be considered. However, shortlisted candidates will only be contacted, the first phase of Interview will be a Written Interview and those successful during the Written Interview will be invited for Oral Interview which is the second phase. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Commitment to Child Safeguarding
JRS is committed to safeguarding of children (under 18 years) who encounter with JRS South Sudan personnel and volunteers in all JRS South Sudan works. All JRS-South Sudan Staff are expected to comply with JRS Child safeguarding Policy and Procedures in this regard and to sign a declaration of commitment to this effect.
Commitment to Protection of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)
JRS-South Sudan takes the protection of sexual exploitation, abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) serious, and all the JRS-South Sudan personnel and volunteers are expected to comply with the JRS-PSEAH policy and to sign declaration of commitment.
