MHPSS Specialist

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

1. Job Purpose

The MHPSS Specialist provides strategic technical leadership, coordination, and quality assurance for the design and implementation of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions within the emergency multi-sector project. The role is central to ensuring that MHPSS approaches are not implemented in isolation but are effectively mainstreamed and integrated across key sectors, including health, nutrition, protection, and community-based systems. By doing so, the position strengthens a holistic response that addresses both the psychological and social needs of crisis-affected populations.

The Specialist ensures that all MHPSS interventions are designed and delivered in accordance with internationally recognized standards, particularly the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, as well as specific donor requirements and organizational policies. This includes providing technical guidance to sector teams, building staff and community capacity, and establishing systems for quality assurance, monitoring, and continuous learning to enhance program effectiveness.

A key aspect of the role is to operationalize a layered system of care, ensuring that MHPSS services are delivered through a continuum that ranges from community-based psychosocial support and prevention activities to more specialized mental health services at facility level. This includes strengthening community structures such as peer support groups, community volunteers, and local leaders, while also reinforcing service delivery points such as health facilities with appropriate referral pathways, case management systems, and trained personnel.

Aligned with the program’s integrated and resilience-focused approach, the MHPSS Specialist works to ensure that interventions not only respond to immediate psychological distress but also contribute to longer-term recovery, social cohesion, and resilience building. This is achieved through culturally appropriate, inclusive, and conflict-sensitive programming that prioritizes vulnerable groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities, and displaced populations.

Overall, the role plays a critical function in enhancing the well-being, dignity, and coping capacities of crisis-affected communities by ensuring that MHPSS services are accessible, coordinated, and effectively embedded within a comprehensive multi-sectoral response framework.

The MHPSS Specialist is responsible for the technical leadership, coordination, and quality assurance of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions within the emergency multi-sector project. The role ensures that MHPSS services are integrated across health, nutrition, protection, and community systems and delivered in line with IASC guidelines and donor standards, contributing to improved well-being and resilience among crisis-affected populations.

This aligns with your program approach where MHPSS is integrated across sectors and delivered through a layered system including community and facility-based services.

2. Major Responsibilities

A. Technical Leadership and Program Design

• Lead the design, adaptation, and implementation of MHPSS strategies and workplans.
• Ensure alignment with IASC MHPSS guidelines, Sphere standards, and donor (USG/DoS/BHA) requirements.
• Integrate MHPSS into health, nutrition, WASH, and protection interventions.
• Provide technical oversight for Psychological First Aid (PFA), individual and group counseling, and community-based psychosocial support.

B. Project Implementation & Quality Assurance

• Oversee implementation of MHPSS activities across all target woredas.
• Ensure quality delivery of services including:
  • Psychological First Aid (PFA)
  • Basic psychosocial support
  • Structured group interventions (e.g., PM+, SH+)
  • Case management and referrals
• Establish and maintain a functional referral pathway for specialized mental health services.
• Conduct joint supportive supervision and field monitoring visits.

C. Capacity Building and Supervision

• Train and mentor project staff, health workers, and community volunteers on MHPSS approaches.
• Strengthen frontline workers’ capacity to deliver basic and focused psychosocial support within a stepped-care model.
• Facilitate training on:
  • PFA
  • GBV-sensitive approaches
  • Child protection and safeguarding
• Provide regular supervision and coaching to MHPSS staff.

D. Coordination and Partnerships

• Represent the organization in MHPSS Technical Working Groups and Protection Clusters.
• Coordinate with:
  • Health and WASH clusters
  • Government bureaus
  • UN agencies and NGOs
• Support MHPSS service mapping (4Ws) and contribute to joint assessments.

E. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Develop MHPSS indicators and integrate them into MEAL frameworks.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of MHPSS activities.
• Contribute to donor reports, sitreps, and learning documents.
• Support baseline, midline, and endline assessments related to psychosocial well-being.

F. Safeguarding, Protection & Cross-Cutting Issues

• Ensure all MHPSS interventions are confidential, survivor-centered, and culturally sensitive.
• Integrate:
  • Gender equality
  • GBV risk mitigation
  • Inclusion of persons with disabilities
• Promote accountability and feedback mechanisms at community level.

4. Expected Key Outputs (End Results)

• Functional and integrated MHPSS services across all intervention sites
• Improved access to psychosocial support for conflict-affected populations
• Strengthened community resilience and coping mechanisms
• Trained and capable frontline workforce delivering MHPSS services
• Effective referral systems linking community and specialized services

5. Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in:
  • Psychology
  • Psychiatry
  • Social Work
  • Public Health
  • Counseling or related field

Experience

• Minimum 5+ years of experience in MHPSS programming in humanitarian settings
• Proven experience in emergency response and multi-sector integration
• Experience with USG/BHA/DoS funded projects is highly desirable

6. Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of IASC MHPSS guidelines and humanitarian standards
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Psychosocial programming and case management
  • Training and capacity building
  • Coordination and stakeholder engagement
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work in high-stress, insecure, and remote environments

7. Working Environment

• Field-based position with frequent travel to remote and conflict-affected areas
• Requires flexibility, resilience, and ability to work under pressure

8. Core Values

• Commitment to humanitarian principles
• Respect for dignity and diversity
• Accountability and integrity
• Strong alignment with organizational mission and values

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only