PUI recruits 01 Mental Health and PsychoSocial Support Coordinator

PUI recruits 01 Mental Health and PsychoSocial Support Coordinator

Starting date : Septembre 2019

Duration of Mission: 12 months

Location: Erbil, Iraq 

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilian victims of marginalization and exclusion, or those hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapse by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency. The association leads on average 200 projects a year in the following sectors of intervention: Food Security, Health, Nutrition, Construction and Rehabilitation of infrastructures, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Economic Recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 6 million people in 22 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and France.

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Humanitarian situation and needs:

Iraq has suffered nearly 39 years of conflict and unrest starting with the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s which lasted for 8 years and resulted in around a million people being killed as well as dealing a significant blow to the Iraqi economy. This was closely followed by the annexing of Kuwait and subsequent First Gulf War in 90s which saw heavy causalities and destruction of the Iraqi infrastructure. The 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US led coalition saw even more upheaval and conflict for this population. After a short period of relative stability between 2009 and 2012, the rise of Islamic State group (ISg) in 2014 and its seizure of, at one point, an estimated 40% of Iraq including Fallujah, Tikrit and Mosul, Iraq saw mass population displacement and the exposure of the people of Iraq to multiple and cumulative acts of violence. The military operation to retake areas under IS control has been officially completed end of 2017, however some pockets of ISg fighters remain active up to this day.

Iraq as a whole has been facing one of the most critical humanitarian crisis of the moment. Starting from 2014, the conflict engendered mass displacements, and left up to this day more than 8.7 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. In the end of 2018, more than 4.1 million people returned to their area of origin, and over 1.8 million are still displaced. In addition, 225,000 Syrian refugees who have been displaced since 2013 are still living in Iraq.

Our action in the field:

PUI, present and registered in both Republic of Iraq and Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), is operating in four governorates (Dohuk, Ninewa, Baghdad, and Anbar) and has been responding to the emergency health and WASH needs during the ISg crisis with the aim to be as close as possible to the frontline and be involved in immediate response in accessible areas. Over the crisis, PUI has been positioned as a major health and WASH actor and a first responder in challenging areas with little humanitarian presence. PUI plans to maintain its current health and MHPSS activities in camps as long as the populations are not able to return. Iraq being today in a recovery phase, PUI intends to transition from mobile to static health and MHPSS interventions by supporting existing health facilities. PUI’s strategy for the coming months is also to keep developing a better integrated approach, linking health, protection, WASH, shelter and livelihood interventions in areas of return and displacement to ensure that basic needs of the populations are covered, opening the path to social cohesion among the communities.

Click here for more information about our response to the crisis

As part of our activities in Iraq, we are looking for a MHPSS Resources Coordinator in Erbil. 

The Mental Health & Psychosocial Coordinator (MHPSS Co) enforces the mission’s MHPSS strategy and the quality of current and future programmes during the design, implementation, and evaluation stages.

The MHPSS Co will contribute to the identification of programmatic priorities through needs assessment, the design and direction for MHPSS programming in Iraq, as well as any other areas where needs are identified. In addition, the MHPSS Co will ensure that MHPSS programs are implemented in accordance with international protocols, guidelines and best practices, providing support to programme managers and directly to national MHPSS staff. S/he will promote quality of care in all PUI services

Tasks and activities: 

• Evaluation/Strategy: S/he takes part in developing the operating strategy and proposes new services to respond to needs identified in the target country. S/he carries out MHPSS monitoring for the country and analyses strengths and weaknesses from the point of view of public health
• Programmes: S/he provides functional support, related to technical aspects, to technical managers/advisors during programme implementation.
• Representation/Coordination: S/he coordinates PUI’s representation to partners, donors, and authorities within the sector, in the technical field of expertise, and ensures that information about the mission is properly distributed.
• Human Resources / Training: S/he supports the MHPSS team (PUI employees), provides support to project managers for recruiting technical staff and oversee the technical training activities on the basis of identified needs.
• Logistics and Administration: S/he ensures the activities for which s/he is responsible comply with logistical and administrative procedures.
• Safety: S/he contributes to compliance with safety rules within the mission and communicates any safety-related information to the Head of Mission.

Do not hesitate to look at the job description below for all the details you need.

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Experience: At least, one experience in a similar position.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Good written communication skills
• Knowledge of programs management

Languages: English is mandatory, French, Arabic and Kurdish are assets.

• Fixed-Term Contract: 12 months
• Starting date: September 2019
• Monthly Gross Income: from 2 200 up to 2 530 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI
• Cost covered:  Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…
• Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation
• Housing in collective accommodation
• Daily living Expenses  « Per diem »
• Break Policy  : 5 working every 2 months + break allowance
• Paid Leaves Policy  : 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months