Staff Counsellor, Damascus

Result of Service: N.A

Work Location: Damascus

Expected duration: N.A

Duties and Responsibilities: Under the supervision of Technical Supervisor, Chief Staff Care and Wellbeing Division (SCWD) and administrative Supervisor, Deputy Director UNRWA Affairs (Operations) The incumbent: 1- Provides Psychosocial Support during emergencies and Critical Incidents to groups and/or individual staff members and their dependents; This Psychosocial Support includes but is not limited to psycho-education, psychological first aid, family support and coordination of services for individual or group interventions; facilitates appropriate traumatic stress interventions, following a critical incident or traumatic event; recommends and arranges for individual and/or group follow up support to staff and their dependents. 2- Responds to critical and security incidents by conducting assessments on the impact of the event, developing appropriate interventions; makes recommendations for follow-up or referral purposes; coordinates with UNDSS, UN agencies counsellors and Peer Helpers to ensure the provision of adequate psychosocial support during emergencies and ongoing collaboration with all well-being stakeholders. 3- Develops psychoeducation materials, implements resilience building programs and strengthens referral mechanism and mental health networks for seeking psychosocial support; in line with the Staff Care and Wellbeing Division Plan and the global mental health strategy plan; contributes to the development and implementation of training and educational materials and provides continuous psychosocial status and needs assessments; carries out briefing sessions on staff care and related issues and leads group support sessions for staff. 4- Advises management on stress mitigating strategies and activities to enhance the welfare, resilience and wellbeing of UNRWA personnel; provides support and advice on healthy work environment and culture. 5- Assures, in conjunction with the Health Services Department, a continuum of services (referral, short-term supportive intervention) to those staff members suffering from serious or chronic diseases or illnesses or substance use; updates the referral mental health network system as appropriate and support staff in utilizing external services when appropriate. 6- Collaborates on an area-level with Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) teams and focal points for an integrative approach with UNRWA staff whereby integrative framework is implemented to ensure culturally sensitive psychosocial support related symptoms or syndromes. 7- Maintains detailed records and data base of psychosocial activities and provides comprehensive reports on monthly basis or as required; provides statistics and trends analysis on issues related to staff wellbeing whilst maintaining confidentiality; prepares ad-hoc and special reports as required; captures lessons learnt and best practices and disseminates, as appropriate. 8- Supports in building capacities of peer support groups in collaboration with focal points based on established models and provides continuous guidance to the group coordinators on further capacity building initiatives. 9- Performs other duties as may be assigned by the technical supervisor.

Qualifications/special skills: Education: 1- An advanced university degree (Masters' or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in Counselling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Clinical/ Psychiatric, Social Work or other Mental Health related profession. 2- Additional training or certification in traumatic / critical incident stress as well as a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, family counselling, training, stress management is strongly desired. 3- Certification or country specific licensure authorizing the incumbent to deliver mental health services is strongly desired. Experience: 1- At least five years of relevant experience providing professional counselling services. 2- Experience in management and/or coordination of mental health and psychosocial support programmes and activities, as well as experience in preparing and conducting relevant training in humanitarian settings, in a large governmental or international organization is an asset. 3- Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required. 4- Background on or familiarity with emergency or hardship duty station. Competencies: UN Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for Diversity and Inclusion, and Core Competencies of Communication, Commitment, Working with People and Drive for Results apply by default. - Functional: 1- Persuading and Influencing 2- Applying Technical Expertise 3- Deciding and Initiating Action 4- Adapting and Responding to Change 5- Coping with Pressure and Setbacks - Leadership: 1- Delivering Results 2- Managing Complexity and Change Other Competencies not listed under Functional and Leadership: 1- Ability to develop clear goals consistent with agreed strategies, capability to develop, monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary. 2- Ability to present data and information in a clear and constructive way. 3- Well-developed leadership, and team building skills. Desirable qualification: 1- Familiarity with the historical and geopolitical context of the region and specifically UNRWA mandate 2- Experience in social work and case work interventions. 3- Training experience in a broad range of related fields, such as but not limited to stress management, critical incident stress and cross-cultural communication.

Languages: Excellent command of written and spoken English. Knowledge of working Arabic is desirable

Additional Information: Not available.

No Fee: