International Medical Corps recruits 01 MHPSS Coordinator – Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Roster
International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.
Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.
BACKGROUND
When catastrophe hits, International Medical Corps is often one of the first humanitarian aid organizations on the scene—providing rapid and effective aid that saves lives, reduces suffering, and promotes self-reliance.
International Medical Corps: provides safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient centered care; offers needs-based response according to the context and type of Sudden Onset Disaster (SOD) and/or outbreak in the affected nation: adopts a human rights-based approach to their response; ensures they are accessible to all sections of the population affected by the SOD and/or outbreak particularly the vulnerable; and treats patients in medically ethical manner consistent with the World Medical Association Medical Ethics Manual.
International Medical Corps is accountable to: patients and communities; host government, Ministry of Health; our organization and donors. International Medical Corps commits to a coordinated response under the national health emergency management authorities. International Medical Corps collaborates with the national health system, the cluster and the humanitarian community.
Selected personnel are on standby to deploy to a crisis within 48 hours. Personnel may deploy to new areas of operation or lend support to International Medical Corps teams already on the ground. International Medical Corps maintains a roster of volunteers, staff who have completed pre-deployment paperwork, orientation and training. The roster is updated on regular. Through this expression of interest, applicants maintain professional profiles with International Medical Corps so that information is complete and readily available for an emergency response deployment.
JOB PURPOSE
This position will support International Medical Corps emergency response delivering outpatient clinical care to disaster effected populations.
The primary responsibility of the Emergency MHPSS Coordinator is to support the implementation of the MHPSS component of an initial emergency response. The MHPSS Coordinator will take the lead on emergency coordination, including active involvement in MHPSS Technical Working Group coordination, conducting a rapid MHPSS needs assessment, rolling out training in Psychological First Aid and detection and referral of mental health cases, supporting an MHPSS service mapping and strengthening referral pathways for those with MHPSS needs. The Emergency MHPSS Coordinator will also oversee MHPSS program development, including proposal development, the hiring and supervision of MHPSS staff, monitoring and evaluation of MHPSS activities, and reporting.
**NOTE** Candidates applying to this position are indicating that they are interested in being considered for the International Medical Corps standby roster for emergency response. Roster members will only be contacted when there is an emergency response need for which the responder is qualified for. This position will not be compensated unless responders are deployed to an emergency response.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation. The tasks listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
- Provide technical and administrative support to mental health and psychosocial program staff; providing guidance on planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of MHPSS activities in different sites.
- Conduct routine project needs assessments and program reviews to ensure successful implementation and donor compliance as well as compliance with IMC MHPSS Quality Standards.
- Manage MHPSS program team ensuring there is adequate cover during periods of absence, training needs are met and performance evaluated.
- Work directly with any MHPSS Consultants when required by the program.
- Ensure link and coordination between MHPSS department, and other departments/sectors especially protection and health department.
- Participate and represent MHPSS program including at regular staff meetings, meetings with donors, and regional meetings.
- Liaise closely with any new or previous sub grantees.
- Participate in IMC RT team for strategic planning; working to create MHPSS component in country strategy.
- Assess the capacity of the local staff and work on a capacity building plan that is in line with the program and country strategic objectives.
- Participate in identification and hiring of MHPSS program staff
- Participate in performance appraisal of national and expatriate MHPSS staff
- The MHPSS Coordinator reports directly to the Team Leader and receives technical support from regional and global MHPSS advisors.
- When responding as a member of the Emergency Management Team (EMT) for WHO, the Emergency MHPSS Coordinator will report to the Medical Coordinator.
EXTERNAL COORDINATION
- Actively participate in or co-chair interagency Mental Health and Psychosocial Support technical working group together with representatives from other agencies and organizations.
- Represent International Medical Corps at other relevant coordination meetings and cluster meetings (e.g. health, protection,) as required.
- Work to improve interagency coordination, sharing of information, and promote MHPSS guidelines, best practices and IASC MHPSS reference group endorsed materials and resources. This includes translation and dissemination of global MHPSS guidelines and materials and planning joint assessments and response strategies.
- Liaise and collaborate with existing government structures, local authorities and NGOs/CBOs in organizing MHPSS activities, particularly as it relates to the mapping of services and the proper referral of EMT patients who may be in need of MHPSS services.
- Identify and work with suitable local partner organizations and institutions for joint MHPSS work.
- Identify and where appropriate collaborate with existing formal and informal community leaders and service providers.
ASSESSMENT
- Conduct an MHPSS needs assessment among the affected populations in consultation with IMC MHPSS TU advisors and IMC local leadership. This will include using assessment tools consistent with IASC guidelines and the MHPSS WHO/UNHCR assessment toolkit (e.g. extent of mental health integration at hospitals and PHC clinics; and a rapid community based assessment of MHPSS needs and resources, mapping of existing services and supports).
- Produce high quality report (with IMC TU support) and disseminate and discuss findings externally, including with donors.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
- Take a lead in MHPSS program development and proposal writing in consultation with IMC MHPSS TU advisors.
- Develop the strategy and mechanisms to integrate a mental health and psychosocial support into IMC programs in keeping with IASC guidelines of mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies.
TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
- Assess and initiate training of identified staff in appropriate skills in consultation with IMC MHPSS TU advisors, and in some cases the EMT Medical Coordinator when an EMT response.
- Train ERT, EMT and national staff in key relevant aspects of IASC guidelines and Psychological First Aid (PFA).
- Organize external workshops in coordination with other agencies and organizations IASC MHPSS Guidelines orientation.)
- Organize tailored training and continued on the job mentoring and capacity building for national staff
- Produce and share training materials and training reports including relevant data (e.g.attendance, pre-/post tests, training evaluations).
REPORTING AND M&E
- Develop data collection tools and forms to capture MHPSS activities, results and impact in consultation with IMC TU MHPSS advisors.
- Establish systematic data collection for reports
- Take a lead in writing MHPSS section of all donor reports.
- Submit data required for donor reports, and monthly reports.
- Submit program information, data and success stories to promote visibility (e.g. IMC website, media)
- Other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.
CODE OF CONDUCT
It is our shared responsibility and obligation to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Trafficking in Persons, Child Safeguarding and any suggested violation to our Code of Conduct, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any suggested activities then you have an obligation to report.
Qualification
- The qualified candidate will be a mental health professional with MA/S or equivalent in social science (e.g. psychology, clinical social work) or medical field (e.g. psychiatric nurse, psychiatrist) with knowledge of humanitarian field, human rights, international development, public health or other relevant field;
Experience
- Knowledgeable in and has used the IASC MHPSS guidelines and best practices as part of their previous work experience.
- Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian MHPSS work, including in emergencies and in conflict settings.
- Demonstrable technical expertise in the assessment of and design and delivery of responses to pre-existing and emergency induced MHPSS needs.
- Training experience required; capacity and proven track record in national staff and partner training, including capacity building of the national counterparts to management level;
Competency
- Strong organizational and supervisory skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within different cultural environments
- Ability to work within a team structure or in isolation, flexible, and can cope with stressful workloads and working with limited resources
- Ability to travel on short notice to project sites
- Experience in working in the country or region is a plus.
- English language proficiency is required
- Fluency in another language such as French, Arabic, or Spanish is an advantage
Other
International Medical Corps is a‘first-responder’ both to natural and man-made disasters and has a mandate of working in remote locations. The organization has a comprehensive security management policy and plan in place and committed to do everything possible within its remit to ensure safety and security. Notwithstanding, the mandate and programming choices of International Medical Corps require staff with high degree of resilience, extremely decisive quality and ability to move fast.
Equal Opportunities
International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.