Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Officer

Mission

Background: Lebanon is facing a protracted crisis characterized by armed conflict, economic collapse, and healthcare system challenges. This crisis has led to widespread displacement, exposing millions to injury, trauma, and critical needs. Particularly, the healthcare system’s deterioration has severely impacted access to essential services like Rehabilitation, Reproductive Health, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). MHPSS needs are critical, with mental distress significantly heightened due to persistent violence, poverty, and social isolation. The availability of MHPSS services is limited, especially in remote areas, leaving vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls, at higher risk of isolation and abuse.

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) has a significant presence in Lebanon and is well-equipped to address the aforementioned challenges. The ongoing projects in the country aims to provide an inclusive response focusing on the most vulnerable due to conflict, displacement, and economic hardships, emphasizing persons with disabilities, women, and adolescent girls. Specifically, HI enhances access to gender and age-sensitive multidisciplinary rehabilitation and MHPSS services for affected populations across Lebanon. Through this approach, HI technically supports local partner organizations to provide physical and functional rehabilitation, assistive products, and psychosocial support to the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls at higher risk of isolation and abuse, and their caregivers.

Scope of Work: Under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close collaboration with the Reginal MHPSS Specialist, and other MHPSS officers colleges , the MHPSS Technical Officer will contribute to the implementation of HI mandate and strategy (expressed in StratOp) in Lebanon. The MHPSSTO will ensure the translation of strategic goals into effective response actions. He/she will uphold and facilitate the implementation of the strategic technical framework (StraTech) at the program level, adapting approaches dynamically to meet the needs of the context. The MHPSS TO will contribute to the implementation of projects by providing advice and delivering technical expertise and training to HI teams, partners, ministries or clients in the case of technical assistance. He/she will ensure high-level standard quality and impact of the project(s) and program(s) concerned on his/her perimeter of intervention. He/she will closely collaborate with the Regional MHPSS specialist in the development of the sector, writing proposals, and general technical advisement, ensuring that the interventions are swift, effective and coordinated. In addition to advising on project implementation, the MHPSS TO will provide clinical training and supervision to partners’ psychologists to ensure effective delivery of MHPSS services.

Reports to: Project Manager (PM).

Collaboration and Support: Within the project structure, the MHPSS TO collaborates closely with various positions and teams to facilitate effective program delivery and support:

Internal: Deputy Country Manager, Operations Team, Project Team, Regional MHPSS Specialist, MHPSS officers, MEAL staff, support services team.

External: project implementing partners (including Psychologists and PSSW), the authorities in the project area implementation, other stakeholders including local organizations and INGOs in the area of implementation, MHPSS coordination working groups.

Area of Intervention:

- Office in Beirut

- Frequent field visits to other areas of intervention;

Handicap International is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from woman and persons with disabilities.

Missions / Responsibilities

Responsibilities

Responsibility (:1):    Providing guidance and technical support to projects in accordance with the technical frameworks and general standards of his/her sectoral scope

• Provide appropriate technical guidance and support to HI teams and local partner organizations on the implementation of MHPSS interventions.
• Ensure that MHPSS activities are integrated into Rehabilitation, Gender-Base Violence (GBV), and Reproductive Health (RH) services.
• Adapt MHPSS approaches dynamically to address the evolving needs of the context, especially for women, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of age and gender-sensitive strategies and activities.
• Ensure compliance and adaptation of project activities to internal and global standards (IASC, Sphere, WHO), with suggestions for necessary improvements.
• Adapt and update the project's technical documentation in response to changing circumstances and needs.
• Initiate and manage research and data collection to inform responsive MHPSS interventions.
• Produce policy guidance for the countries to participate to the design and improvement of the MHPSS sector.

Responsibility (2): Providing Capacity Building and Clinical Supervision

• Identify training needs and develop a comprehensive training plan for HI staff and partner organizations under the different projects with an MHPSS component.
• Deliver training and supervision on MHPSS interventions, including Basic Helping Skills, Psychological First Aid, Crisis Management Protocols, scalable interventions such as Self Help Plus and Problem Management Plus, and evidence-based psychotherapies such as IPT, CBT and trauma-focused approach for both group and individual settings.
• Conduct on-the-job clinical support and supervision for partner staff, including social workers and psychologists, via regular field visits, case discussions, and monitoring staff performance.
• Guide and refine clinical practices among partner staff to ensure a high standard of care through optimal skill utilization.
• Develop partner staff’s technical competencies using varied methods such as case discussions, role-plays, and other relevant training techniques.
• Provide strategic and technical support in program implementation and direction, in collaboration with the MHPSS Specialist.
• Support partner organizations in establishing and enhancing frameworks for data collection, reporting, and monitoring service outcomes.

Responsibility (3): Ensuring Regular Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Ensure regular reporting on activities to the Project Manager, providing technical feedback and recommendations to the project team.
• Develop monitoring tools to assess the quality of MHPSS services delivered by partners.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits at partner’s level.
• Contribute to the development of technical guidelines, lessons learned, and protocols, ensuring that data collection by field teams is suitable for analysis and reporting in collaboration with the MEAL department.
• Prepare and submit monthly plans and reporting to the Project Manager/MHPSS specialist, and discuss updates on weekly basis.
• When needed, assist with the development of proposals with the MHPSS Specialist

Responsibility (4): Ensuring the internal technical training of his/her sector on cross-cutting themes

• Contribute to technical recruitments in cooperation with the Project Manager and MHPSS Specialist.
• Carry out the necessary technical trainings for the newly recruited MHPSS staff.
• Contribute to the skills upgrading and capacity-building plan for MHPSS professionals and may be a third-party assessor.
• Contribute to the development of a local talent pool (conducts technical interviews of candidates and makes recommendations, identifies training and coaching needs).
• Assist in coordinating technical professional development and facilitating a community of practice, in collaboration with the technical division.

Responsibility (5): Contributing to Ensure the External Technical Influence of HI on its Perimeter

• Represent HI’s technical expertise by delegation in relevant local, regional and international networks and with local partners.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the project's technical partners as delegated by the Specialist or Project Manager.
• Write new project content for the continuity or expansion of the project(s) within its technical scope.
• Contribute to the writing of new proposals for new opportunities while advocating for the integration of MHPSS services into future projects.

Responsibility (6): Emergency Preparedness and Response Responsibilities

• Contribute to the support or implementation of emergency preparedness actions of the program(s) and, during an emergency, adapts his/her work modality in order to contribute to an effective HI humanitarian response.

Note that this job description must remain flexible, to respond to additional tasks or changes as identified by the line manager.

Education:

• Essential: MA in Clinical Psychology with MOPH license to practice.
• Essential: Certification in an evidence-based psychotherapy (e.g., CBT, IPT)

• Desirable: Certification/training in scalable interventions such as SH+, PM+, mhGAP;
• Other certificates demonstrating continuous professional development;

Experience:

Essential:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience the field of clinical psychology;
• Minimum of 4 years practical experience in working with non-governmental organizations in emergency and/or development contexts;
• Experience in providing professional capacity building and trainings to teams;
• Experience in providing clinical supervision to mental health professionals, including psychologists

Computer skills:

-              Essential: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PP, Outlook…

Language:

• Essential: English (high proficiency)
• Essential: Arabic (mother tongue)

Other skills:

Essential:

• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team;
• Autonomy in work;
• Demonstrated ability to develop and apply clinical tools;

• Proven experience in development and provision of training and coaching;
• Trained on and able to provide supervision on evidence-based psychotherapies and on mental health approaches in emergencies;
• Excellent reporting capacity skills (written and oral communication);
• Ability to work with partners;
• Knowledge of referral mechanism;
• Ability to develop accessible information materials;
• Ability to respect deadlines and work under pressure;
• Patience, flexibility and diplomacy abilities
• Stress resistant in a very challenging environment
• Sense of humor
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication aptitude, open-mindedness, creativity, pro-activity
• Good problem-solving skills
• Able to multitask and prioritize
• Ensuring effective use of resources
• Willing to frequently travel to project locations;

Desirable:

• Experience in translating written technical documents from English into Arabic

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:

HI workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in HI Code of conduct. In accordance with these values, HI operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child. Safeguarding, Anti-fraud, bribery, and corruption.

Basic salary ranges for the position: MHPSS Technical Officer is going to be paid according to the experience and to HI salary Grid.

Basic Salary Starting USD 1,950 USD

Closing date:

Interested candidates send their CV to [email protected] with the subject “MHPSS -TO 2024”

Application should include CV and motivation letter, with MOPH Lisence to practice. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.