PHC MHPSS Officer 37 views0 applications

Open Position: 1
Contract Duration: May 31, 2027

DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING

JOB SUMMARY

The PHC Mental Health Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) Officer integrates mental health support into PHC services by conducting assessments, providing psychosocial interventions, and ensuring timely referral and follow‑up for individuals with mental health or protection concerns. The role delivers counseling, psychoeducation, stress‑management support, and community‑based activities while strengthening staff capacity, culturally appropriate service delivery, and accountability mechanisms. It also supports protection mainstreaming, maintains accurate documentation and reporting, and reinforces coordinated, confidential, and patient‑centered MHPSS services for vulnerable groups.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct regular mental health and psychosocial assessments in PHC settings and identify the needs of patients, caregivers, and community members.
• Integrate MHPSS into routine PHC services by supporting early identification, basic management, referral, and follow‑up of individuals with mental health or psychosocial concerns.
• Provide direct psychosocial interventions—including psychological first aid, supportive counseling, psychoeducation, stress management, and family support—within the PHC context.
• Identify and respond to individuals at risk of suicide, self‑harm, severe distress, or other urgent mental health conditions, ensuring timely referral and follow‑up according to protocols.
• Administer prescribed psychotropic medications within professional licensure and in coordination with PHC clinicians, following organizational and national guidelines.
• Facilitate individual and group counseling, psychoeducation sessions, support groups, and community‑based psychosocial activities that promote recovery, resilience, and social cohesion.
• Support PHC staff in delivering community awareness activities on mental health, trauma, stress management, coping strategies, and available support services.
• Provide basic psychosocial support and stress‑management interventions for PHC staff and frontline workers to strengthen wellbeing and prevent burnout.
• Establish, strengthen, and maintain referral pathways between PHC services, specialized mental health providers, protection actors, and community‑based services to ensure confidential and timely access to care.
• Offer information, guidance, and referrals to appropriate health, protection, social, and community services based on assessed needs.
• Ensure all MHPSS services are culturally sensitive, patient‑centered, confidential, and aligned with dignity and rights principles.
• Collect, compile, and maintain accurate MHPSS documentation and contribute to weekly and monthly reporting in line with SP, RHB, DoH, WHO/UN, and donor requirements.
• Collaborate with PHC staff to ensure communication, counseling approaches, and service delivery are culturally appropriate and responsive to community needs.
• Conduct community engagement meetings with women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups to gather feedback, identify concerns, and strengthen accountability to affected populations.
• Ensure safe, confidential, and accessible mechanisms exist for community feedback, complaints, and reporting of protection concerns.
• Support the Program Manager in developing and implementing protection mainstreaming plans within PHC activities, including staff training on PSEA, SGBV, and Child Protection, and establishing complaint mechanisms.
• Participate in clinical trainings, mentorship, and capacity‑building activities to strengthen MHPSS integration and adherence to updated guidelines and protocols.
• Carry out additional tasks and responsibilities with a generous and serving spirit for the benefit of Samaritan’s Purse.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE NEEDED

• BA in Psychiatric Nursing
• 3 – 4 years related experience, preferably in INGO
• Renewed licensure
• Strong knowledge of standards and guidelines for MH GAP, GBV and CP programming, coordination, and data management

LANGUAGE

• Proficiency in English and Amharic
• Knowledge of the regional language required
• Knowledge of any other national language is a plus

SKILLS REQUIRED

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be willing to abide by Samaritan’s Purse’s code of conduct and understand the principals of Samaritan’s Purse’s value, as well as be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Demonstrated sensitivity in diverse, cross-cultural settings.
• Knowledge of Sphere and established international protection and GBV standards, methodology and tools
• Attention to detail, anticipation and follow up are core values of the job function.
• Possesses strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Must be a self-starter and internally driven to success and hard work.
• Possesses strong cross-cultural communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Must be a humble team player
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable.
• Willingness to travel in and out of the field.
• Must have analytical and report writing skills.
• High level of integrity and stewardship
• Committed to the SP values and ethics
• Proficient in making clinical decisions in the care of the patient population serving.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk and run; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be exposed to loud noises around the maintenance and construction workshops.
• May travel in country with exposure to communicable diseases, hot and humid weather conditions.
• Work in a security context that is fluid

SAFEGUARDING COMMITMENT

The employee is required to carry out his/her duties in accordance with Samaritan’s Purse Safeguarding policy and Code of conduct.

Employee should remain alert and responsive to any child and adult safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills, which will enable him/her to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child and adult safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct his/herself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding Policy.