MHPSS Officer – Afar (2 Positions)

• Department: Health & Nutrition
• Reports to: Project Coordinator
• No of position: 2
• Salary: As per the organization scale
• Duty Station: Afambo / Amibara Woredas, Afar Region

Organizational Overview

Nexus Ethiopia is a national Ethiopian civil society organization that supports vulnerable and crisis-affected communities through humanitarian, development and peace building programmes. It works with local partners, communities and government institutions to strengthen locally led humanitarian action.

With funding from the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF), Nexus Ethiopia leads the Integrated Lifesaving Humanitarian Response for Drought, Flood and Displacement-Affected Communities in Afambo and Amibara Woredas, Afar Region.

Project Background

The project brings together Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Multi-Purpose Cash (MPC) and Agriculture assistance for displaced people, returnees and vulnerable host communities. Nexus Ethiopia directly implements WASH and MPC, while PHE-EC implements Agriculture. Under a proposed revision currently under EHF review, Nexus Ethiopia would also directly implement Health and Nutrition.

The Health and Nutrition component supports four health centres: Huadaytu and Alasabol in Afambo, and Awash Arba and Sedehafage in Amibara. Mobile health and nutrition teams will complement facility services in communities where flooding, distance or pastoral mobility limits access to care. Priorities include primary health care, maternal and newborn health, outbreak detection, acute malnutrition screening and

treatment, infant and young child feeding counseling, and referral and follow-up for patients who need higher-level care.

To strengthen the project team and ensure effective, accountable and timely implementation, Nexus Ethiopia invites qualified, experienced and committed Ethiopian professionals to apply for this position.

Position Overview

The MHPSS Officer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing Mental Health and Psycho-social Support (MHPSS) activities within the Mobile Health Team. The role focuses on providing psychological first aid, emotional support, case management, community-based psycho-social interventions, and referrals for individuals affected by conflict, drought, displacement, or other emergencies.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

A. Service Delivery

• Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) to individuals and families in distress during mobile health outreaches.
• Conduct individual and group psycho-social support sessions, including stress management, coping strategies, and emotional support.
• Identify and manage MHPSS cases, including children, women, survivors of violence, and persons with severe distress.
• Support basic mental health screening using approved tools.
• Ensure appropriate referral pathways are created and maintained for specialized mental health care.
• Offer follow-up support to high-risk or vulnerable individuals.

B. Community Engagement & Awareness

• Facilitate community awareness sessions on mental health, stress, GBV-related psychological impacts, child protection, and other MHPSS topics.
• Mobilize community members for structured psycho-social activities (e.g., peer groups, youth groups, women’s support groups).
• Strengthen community coping mechanisms through community-based psycho-social support (CB-PSS) approaches.

C. Coordination & Networking

• Work closely with Mobile Health Team members (nurse, midwife, health officer, etc.) to ensure integrated service delivery.
• Coordinate with local health facilities, protection actors, and GBV/child protection focal points to ensure safe referrals.
• Participate in MHPSS cluster meetings, protection meetings, and other coordination platforms when required.

D. Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and confidential records of clients and activities based on organizational protocols.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and activity-specific reports.
• Collect and submit data for indicators as required by the M&E team.
• Contribute to assessments and identify emerging MHPSS needs.

E. Capacity Building

• Train and mentor community volunteers, outreach workers, and other field staff on basic PFA and MHPSS concepts.
• Support in developing IEC materials and awareness tools for psycho-social support activities.

Qualifications & Experience

Educational Requirements

• MSc or Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, or related fields from a recognized institution.
• Additional training in PFA, mhGAP, CB-PSS, or related MHPSS certifications is an added advantage.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in MHPSS programming, preferably in emergency or humanitarian contexts.
• Experience working in mobile health services, outreach programs, or community-based mental health services is an asset.

Technical Skills

• Strong skills in PFA, basic counseling, case management, and group facilitation.
• Good understanding of GBV, child protection, and protection principles.
• Ability to manage sensitive information with confidentiality.

Personal Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Empathy, patience, and ability to work with individuals in distress.
• Ability to work under pressure and in remote, challenging environments.
• Team player with strong coordination and planning skills.
• Respectful, culturally sensitive, and committed to humanitarian principles.