Job Title: Psychosocial Support Officer
Organisation: Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS)
Duty Station: Uganda
Reports to: Director DRM
About US:
Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) is the leading national humanitarian organization in Uganda and a member of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. The ICRC is an International humanitarian institution which has a mandate to protect victims of international and armed conflicts i.e. the wounded, refugees, civilians, prisoners and other non-combatants.
Job Summary: The Psychosocial Support Officer will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategy of the psychosocial support interventions for URCS beneficiaries, staff and volunteers. He will provide day-to-day support and coaching to URCS beneficiaries, staff and volunteers to promote their emotional and social wellbeing. S/He will provide technical support through training, coaching and mentoring to URCS beneficiaries, staff and volunteers to ensure that activities are implemented in accordance with the URCS program/Project Plans and Strategy 2020. He/she coordinates planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of PSS activities within the URCS workplace and emergency contexts. He/she will provide technical guidance to and builds the capacity of the program/project teams to improve quality of service delivery as per URCS standards.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Formulate a strategy, priorities and a detailed work plan for Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and workplace PSS components within the URCS.
- Identify community Psychosocial Support needs arising from substance abuse, and design appropriate strategy for URCS interventions.
- Implement Psychosocial Support in emergency (PSSiE) situations and workplace PSS components activities.
- Develop tools for monitoring and evaluation of PSS interventions and train URCS beneficiaries, staff and volunteers on their utilization
- Tasked with training all URCS staff (national and refugee) on how to talk with distressed refugees and identifying refugees with PSS problems that are in need of referral.
- Acting as the liaison with other psychosocial support services partners.
- Planning regular meetings with partners and stakeholders.
- Representing URCS in Psychosocial Support Working Group meetings and sharing the key outcomes with other departments.
- Ensuring effective communication among partners, organizations and the community and beneficiaries.
- Supporting capacity development of psychosocial counsellors.
- Identifying training needs of psychosocial volunteers, counsellors, and conducting training based on training plan and module validated by HR & Admin Coordinator, and other technical advisers.
- Providing continuous mentorship and coaching for refugee psychosocial counsellors.
- Adapt materials on psychosocial support, including PSSiE materials, staff and volunteers’ training/guidance materials, to suit local contexts and priorities
- Prepare program/project reports and reports on training outcomes, with recommendations.
- Provide requisite psychological first aid (PFA) services to affected URCS beneficiaries, staff and volunteers (precise programming depending on identified needs, existing services and capacities and actions of other agencies)
- Train selected staff and volunteers in key aspects of community psychosocial support skills/psychological first aid and relevant aspects of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines
- Design and establish PSS standard operational procedures (SoPs) and criteria when setting up the PSSiE and URCS workplace PSS components; in line with in IASC Guidelines
- Conduct community outreaches and awareness-raising as part of psychosocial support in emergency (PSSiE) interventions
- Support the integration of Psychosocial support intervention in all URCS programs and projects.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidate for the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) Psychosocial Support Officer job opportunity should preferably hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Mental Health, Counselling, or Social work but with Post Graduate qualifications in Counselling or Psychology from a reputable institution.
- Postgraduate qualification in Psychology, Mental Health, Counselling, or Social work but with Post Graduate qualifications in Counselling or Psychology will be an added advantage.
- Three years of experience providing psychological support with vulnerable children, families and communities
- Familiarity with international Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Child Protection and Gender based violence standards and guidelines.
- Experience working in INGOs/NGOs an added advantage
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of emergency response, familiarity of the Sphere Project’s Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response.
- High levels of integrity
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
- Positive, respectful attitude and collaborative approach to diversity.
- Demonstrated attention to detail; ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently as well as cooperatively with team members
- Team player, self-motivated and proactive on own initiative to set and achieve goals
- Highly motivated, self-starter able to lead a process, engage others and create ownership.
How to Apply:
All candidates who desire to join the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement should send their filled application forms, download here and E-mail to: vacancies@redcrossug.org or mail via post to: The Secretary General, Uganda Red Cross Society, Plot 551/555 Rubaga Road, P.O. Box 494, Kampala, Uganda.
Deadline: 28th May 2018 by 5:00pm
: List of Current Job Vacancies / Opportunities in Uganda