Mental Health Activity Manager – Korem Project

Job Purpose

Defining, coordinating and monitoring all mental health related activities in the project area including management of staff, ensuring the quality of care and analysing statistics and reports, according to MSF protocols in order to provide the most appropriate support for patients.

Accountabilities

• In close collaboration with other medical team members, identifying the needs of MH support in the target population and participating in the definition, planning, organization and update of the appropriate MSF strategy and the Mental Health (MH) activities and its budget. Monitoring and evaluating MH activities.
• Reviewing and developing the technical materials, tools, guidelines and documents, and coordinating and ensuring the implementation of all Mental Health standard protocols and procedures set by MSF in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for patients.
• Planning and supervising, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, potential detection, development and internal communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility.
• Coordinating and ensuring that Mental Health activities (in and outside health facilities), with the clients are performed with regular follow-up in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for clients with psychosocial problems. Ensuring Mental Health team is calm and neutral during sessions regardless of personal feelings and/or beliefs and that the translators are trained about terminology and appropriate behavior during sessions.
• Mapping and regularly updating the existing Mental Health services, including other INGO’s, local NGO’s, community groups and governmental health services, etc. and maintaining good and regular communication and collaboration with other components of the project according to objectives and context. Identifying possible advocacy issues and informing MC and PC before taking any action. (Note: Advocacy is not under Mental Health Activities Manager accountabilities.
• Ensuring in close collaboration with medical department, that MH department participates in counselling as well as Prevention Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VTC) activities when needed.
• Participating in monthly reports according to guidelines (SitRep, statistical report, etc.) and reporting problematic situations and cases with the project Medical Coordinator to help with decision making and problem resolution.
• Ensuring that psychiatric patients coming to MSF facilities receive proper treatment including psychotropic medication and psychosocial support either within an MSF program or through referral to an appropriate resource.

MSF Section/Context-Specific Accountabilities

• Develop and implement the MHPSS strategy, tools and SOPs in collaboration with the IMS Psychiatrist and Mental Health & Psychiatrist Referent.
• To Ensure the Provision of mental health and psychosocial support to patients and caregivers that access MSF and MOH facilities supported by MSF.
• Defines strategies on ways to respond to the identified needs during program planning and as per the projects’ Logical Framework. Create links with other partners if possible.
• To Ensure the Provision of Provide psychosocial support for patients accessing the One Stop Centre in collaboration with the NAM, IMS Psychiatrist and Midwives.
• Collaborate with the health promotion team to enable them to provide mental health promotion activities, identify and refer people presenting with MH-related symptoms in the community, and develop messaging and sensitization interventions for mental health related topics.
• Supervise any personnel management processes which could include recruitment, induction, training, performance evaluation, development, and communication for all applicable staff supporting mental health activities.
• In situations where staff are not performing, collaborate with HR Manager to ensure that areas for improvement are clearly defined and communicated and a performance improvement plan is initiated.
• Ensure appropriate data collection relevant to mental health activities within the program and project analysis and monthly and quarterly reporting to ensure proper monitoring of the program. Consider potential opportunities for operational research.

Education

Essential: 

• Degree in Psychology or Social Work or MD degree with specialization in Psychiatry.

Desirable:

• Master’s degree in Psychology or Social Work.

Experience

Essential:

• minimum two (2) years of managerial experience in the mental health and at least three (3) years of clinical experience within the same field.

Desirable:

• Working experience in MSF or other NGO’s.

Desirable:

• working experience in low-resource settings.

Other Requirements

Essential

• Be fluent in English (level C1) and Knowledge of additional local language would be an asset.

Essential:

• High level of Computer literacy (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Internet).

Essential Transversal Competencies:

• • People Management and Development
  • Commitment to MSF Participles
  • Behavioral Flexibility
  • Results and Quality Orientation
  • Teamwork and Cooperation