Psychosocial Support (PSS) and Education Specialist

Summary of Position

Search seeks a professional, motivated, creative, and well-organized PSS Specialist and Education Specialist . This position holder will support local community leaders and civil society organizations. These activities are part of the implementation of an ongoing project aiming to build the capacity of local CSOs and Focal Points. He/She will work closely with different departments within the Beirut office, the MENA team.

The position holder will play a leading role in building the team’s capacity and in supporting program quality in regards to PSS and education programs and activities, as well as key related principles, such as protection and safeguarding.  S/He will be responsible initially to support the capacity building module of the PSS programme, which includes content development and delivery, followed by the overall planning, implementation and management of future activities. The person will also be in charge of setting up a case management and referral system for PSS cases.  S/He will ensure that the activities are implemented according to the plan in an appropriate, relevant, effective, timely, coordinated and complementary manner. S/He will also be responsible for helping in the selection of community-based education spaces, collecting beneficiaries’ data, monitoring the teaching and learning processes, and providing coaching. Finally, the PSS and education Specialist is expected to provide transversal support to all project teams to ensure project and activity sensitivity, and to mainstream PSS and children and youth related needs and sensitivities across Search’s portfolio.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Identify programmatic gaps and develop a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Action Plan;
• Develop a holistic and solid understanding of the various MHPSS strategies, interventions and curriculums operating in relevant countries;
• Contribute to Country Strategy Review and Proposal Development with specific indicators and objectives on MHPSS;
•  Support in the planning, preparation, coordination, and the successful implementation and documentation, of the Children/Youth Education programme components assigned, in line with Search's quality standards, projects’ logical frameworks, and donor requirements; and
• Contribute to the development/establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of education and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting.

Quality Program Support

• Support the design, development and delivery of new community-based psychosocial education projects, as well as in identification and selection of spaces for the implementation of Community-based Education;
• Identify risks in management of the projects, and identify mitigation measures;
• Lead on the design and delivery of PSS and education curriculums, in English and Arabic, as well as other topic-centered activities in Search’s portfolio;
• Lead the development and/or contextualization/revision of education/training materials, and tools, in English and Arabic, as per need and capacity for the programme that she/he is assigned to;
• Support the field-based teams in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing through provision of key messages on constructive coping mechanisms;
• Support the field-based team in raising awareness regarding the availability of mental health, psychosocial support and protection services;
• Support the project teams in planning and conducting individual and group counseling sessions/ psychosocial first aid (PFA);
• Support the project teams in planning, developing and facilitating and providing children, youth and adults with culturally and age appropriate, safe and stimulating non-structured as well-structured PSS activities such as recreational sports and games, life skills and positive coping mechanisms activities;
• Support the project teams in activating social networks through engaging with community to support traditional community structures and support groups;
• Support the project teams in identifying and referring cases for more specialized case management services;
• Work with the project teams to build beneficiary capacities in terms of PSS, safeguarding, protection and managing referrals;
• Ensure that appropriate outreach activities and fair beneficiary registration and selection processes are conducted for the implementation of the education programme components assigned;
• Ensure the monitoring of the children / youth education programme components assigned, by contributing to data collection, spot visits, data analysis, and drafting of regular activity implementation/monitoring/evaluation reports, need-based.
• Support the project teams in the monitoring and evaluation of PSS and education related outputs and outcomes, as well as on reporting achievements;
• Contribute to activity reporting when relevant; and
• Collaborate closely with Search’s Children and Youth division to ensure the mainstreaming of Search approaches across PSS and education-related activities, as well as the internal and external sharing of achievements and lessons learned.

Capacity Development

• Prepare the instruments to conduct a comprehensive capacity needs assessment for the Search’s Beirut-based office and team, as well as for each project, coordinate the development of a technical capacity building plans, and prioritize training needs and resource these appropriately;
• Lead on the development / tailoring / delivery of context-sensitive PSS and education related curricula (to team members and project beneficiaries);
• Contribute to the internal development of Search’s Lebanon office’s expertise and sensitivity in regards to education, PSS, children and youth programmings, protection and safeguarding;
• Conduct trainings and coaching sessions on topics of MHPSS programming; 
• Regularly check with the field-based teams to ensure that materials and facilities are fully functioning and ready to provide activities (logistically, capacity);
• Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned; and
• Organize key staff capacity buildings and learning events/workshops and materials.

General

• Comply with Search for Common Ground policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
• Ensure and maintain confidential case files to document interaction and interventions using the relevant tools.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.

Qualifications

Education:

• A university degree, master’s degree preferred in one of the following fields is required: education, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• Certification in education, counselling , PSS, or trauma healing.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of post-licensure experience particularly in Counselling Psychology and Social work (with additional psychological therapy qualification) and with Children/Youth education/Youth programmes (planning, implementing/overseeing the implementation and reporting for education/livelihoods activities/projects) – formal/non-formal education programmes (academic, life-skills and recreational activities for Children, vocational and life skills trainings, entrepreneurship, business set-up and employment for Youth).
• Teaching experience in schools or in delivering training and/or mentoring/ coaching teachers/facilitators/trainers (public or private schools, community centers or institutes, etc.).
• Experience in dealing with public stakeholders within the Education system (e.g. school principals, Ministry/Directorate of Education representatives, communities).

• Experience in contributing to the designing/ revision/ contextualization of learning/ recreational/ PSS materials / programmes for children or youth.
• Strong understanding of protection issues including child protection and gender-based violence.
• Ability to discuss sensitive issues with respect and empathy including ability to provide basic Psychological First Aid services.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability and experience to effectively provide training on PSS.
• Experience in MENA context and emergency PSS in conflict settings.
• Knowledge of global MHPSS guidelines and best practices and MHPSS approaches/tools in low resource and humanitarian contexts.
• Must be capable of working both individually and as part of a team;
• Strong sense of personal integrity and understanding of confidentiality and ethics
• Organized and able to independently manage multiple tasks under strict deadlines

Other Requirements

• Knowledge and understanding of key MHPSS, Child Protection, Humanitarian Assistance, gender, and Global Development issues including disaster response, humanitarian assistance, conflict affected populations, and other related areas
• Understating of prevention of violent extremism and education (PVE-E) programming;
• Demonstrated knowledge of development and humanitarian crisis impact on children’s protection, health, education, and overall well-being
• Knowledge in pedagogy, child/youth development and evaluation of learning
• Previous experience from working in a humanitarian/recovery context, preferably as a project officer.
• Knowledge and previous experience in working on reinsertion, violent extremism and active trauma.
• Previous experience from working in a complex and volatile context.

Competencies and Skills

• Ability to synthesize and develop high-quality knowledge products from diverse data sources including programmatic materials and tools; outstanding gender analysis skills
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to develop strong working relationships across cultural and organizational boundaries with internal and external stakeholders, and managing through influence
• Works collaboratively with team members to drive forward progress
• Strong English and Arabic communication and writing skills are essential
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
• Proficiency in SPSS, or another statistical analysis software preferred