Background:
Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading international organization working in relief, rehabilitation, protection, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those affected by the world's worst humanitarian crises. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, the IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Tanzania is present in the Kigoma Region, Northwestern Tanzania, providing services in one remaining refugee camp in Kasulu District and at a transit centre in Kigoma town. Approximately 65,000 Congolese receive protection and basic assistance in the areas of Education, Child Protection, Community-based Rehabilitation (care for disabled), Vulnerable Care, Youth & Development and Women's Protection and Empowerment/Gender-Based Violence (WPE/GBV). However Since May 2015, thousands of Burundians displaced by the conflict in Burundi continue to arrive in Tanzania on a daily basis. The population of Burundians currently living in Nyarugusu, Nduta and other transit sites in Tanzania is 128,725 [1]. On 7th October 2015, the government of the United Republic of Tanzania opened Nduta refugee camp which today hosts 32% (41,708) of all Burundian refugees in Tanzania relocated from Nyarugusu and the daily new arrivals. On 14th January 2015 Mtendeli was opened and currently hosts close to 1,000 refugees with a plan to relocate up to 15,000 refugees from Nyarugusu by March 2016.
Scope of work:
Under supervision of the Senior Health Coordinator the overall responsibilities of the position include improvement of the quality of care provided by the MHPSS staff, assuring the standardization of treatment protocols, and quality assurance activities. The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Coordinator will be responsible for providing overall supervision and technical guidance to the MHPSS Manager, psychosocial support officers, and Mental Health Incentive Staff on the effective delivery of community mental health and psychosocial support services involving detection, management, and the non-pharmacological treatment of people with mental health and psychosocial concerns. The MHPSS Coordinator will also help to establish the MHPSS Working Group and create and establish standard operating procedures and a robust referral network for service users and ensure high quality mental health program in line with national and international standards. This will be in close coordination with partners in the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support referral network. The position is located in Kibondo with extensive travel to Kibondo/Kasulu and Kigoma.
Deliverables:
  • Work together with the MHPSS Manager to conduct an assessment on the current referral pathways for clients with mental health or psychosocial concerns (both in the community and throughout the formal service providers) and develop a standard referral pathway and to ensure that clients are receiving quality services. Specially looking at the services that MSF, TRCS, and IRC's Community Based Rehabilitation program are providing.
  • Institute screening tools/protocols for Protection staff, MHPSS Officers, and Mental Health incentive staff.
  • Support the MHPSS Manager to supervise the MHPSS Officer to ensure that MHPSS is being integrated into IRC's existing programming and not existing as a standalone program.
  • Promote and develop community-based PSS initiatives specific to the needs of girls, boys, women, and men, such as group and community-oriented discussions, provide psychoeducation to the camp population on mental health issues and on the ways how to deal with possible mental health and psychosocial concerns.
  • Support the MHPSS Manager to collect data based on the program indicators, objectives, outputs, and impact and write MHPSS reports to be delivered to UNHCR and HQ.
  • Establish and run the MHPSS Working Group in collaboration with UNHCR.
  • Work together with Women's Protection and Empowerment, Child Protection and Education Coordinators to establish procedures for clients who are experiencing emotional distress and develop and facilitate training to equip them with the skills and practical skills to provide psyshcoeducation and referrals to clients.
  • Support the development of mental health awareness materials n common stress reactions, psychosocial well-being, and positive coping mechanisms collaboratively with the refugee population and other partners.
  • Complete a strategy document on IRC's MHPSS approach to be shared with staff, donors, and partner organizations.
  • Build external partnerships with local and international MHPSS organizations and advocate for the expansion of MHPSS services for refugees living in Tanzania.
  • Support the grants team to write multi-sector grants inclusive of MHPSS.
Essential:
  • The qualified candidate must be psychologist, social worker, or public health professional with extensive psychosocial programming experience with 5 + years' experience in setting up or implementing psychosocial programs at national and international levels.
  • Knowledge of and experience in using established inter-agency standards and guidelines in MHPSS and child protection, such as the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.
  • In depth knowledge of psychosocial programming in the humanitarian context and in depth understanding of the consequences of violence and displacement.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within different cultural environments.
  • Honest, hardworking and a self-motivated person able to work in a dynamic environment
  • Ability to work within a team structure or in isolation, flexible, and can cope with stressful workloads and working with limited resources.
  • An excellent command of verbal and written English.
  • French and Kirundi languages would be a plus
Standards for Professional Conduct:
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.
HOW TO APPLY: