Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Program Manager

DEPARTMENT:      MHPSS

DIVISION:                MHPSS

HIRING MANAGER: HR COORDINATOR

SUPERVISOR:          PROGRAM DIRECTOR

START DATE:          15TH NOVEMBER 2022

END DATE:             14TH SEPTEMBER 2023 (Renewable contract subject to availability of funds and performance)

GRADE:                     9

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks a Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Program Manager to provide leadership and support for the implementation of quality community based MHPSS programmed for refugees and host communities in Kenya. The MHPSS Program Manager will be expected to provide technical oversight and supervision to MHPSS staff to ensure all activities are designed and conducted in accordance with HIAS Standard Operating Procedures and within MHPSS global guidelines. This position involves close coordination and working with the senior management team, Gender based violence, economic inclusion, and legal protection manager, and regional and headquarters technical teams. The MHPSS program manager will report to the program director. The MHPSS Program Manager will also serve as a focal point for HIAS Kenya and implementing partners on technical matters related to MHPSS service provision for urban refugees.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Program Development and Management

• Leads HIAS Kenya MHPSS program through provision of technical expertise on program design, and development
• Facilitate and contribute to the development of HIAS’ MHPSS country strategy, support assessment, research, documentation of lessons, and strengthening of evidence based and scalable MHPSS interventions in Kenya tailored to the identified MHPSS needs and in compliance with the HIAS' MHPSS intervention theory of change and existing best practices and global standards.
• Responsible for MHPSS planning, development of programs and implementation plans and ensuring timely efficient and effective implementation of the psychosocial activities
• Facilitate regular supportive counselling/ supervision, coaching sessions and support for all field officers to manage stress, burnout and vicarious trauma
• Accountable for upholding and ensuring adherence to HIAS policies, procedures, ethics professional standards and best practices for operational efficiencies
• Work collaboratively with HIAS Programs such as Gender Based Violence Program, Economic Inclusion, Resettlement and Legal Protection Program to support identified mental and psychosocial needs of clients

1. Provision of MHPSS service 

• Plan and oversee the establishment of community based mental health and psychosocial support and ensure the provision of evidence based and quality services to HIAS clients
• Monitor and provide participatory leadership in the provision of MHPSS services in line with national and international standards and guiding principles in reference to HIAS SOPs, UNHCR, IASC, SPHERE project and WHO guidelines, capacity build and onboard staff to ensure knowledge and adherence to these standards and periodically review and ensure efficiency of systems to these standards
• Support MHPSS team to provide  psychoeducation to refugees using culturally appropriate coping strategies and development of appropriate IEC materials
• Oversee the implementation of HIAS case management system as per HIAS polices and relevant regulations

1. Resource Utilization
1. Take lead in project planning and oversee budget expenditures to ensure effective use of resources against planned activities and outputs related to HIAS MHPSS work.
2. Prepare and recommend psychosocial program budget with written justification, monitor the allocation of expenditures for consistency with approved budgets, and recommend revisions as needed
3. Inform and ensure all field offices have the required human resource: verify appropriate staffing, ensuring proportionate workload sharing among field officers, identify human resources gaps and deploy relief on an ongoing basis
4. Participate in and contribute to the identification, preparation and solicitation of donor funding for psychosocial services
2. Capacity Building
1. Develop staff evaluation plans and performance measures and ensure performance appraisal for all staff, provide mentoring and on the job training to MHPSS staff.
2. Ensure that continual capacity building on MHPSS guidelines and standards, PSS, PFA, safeguarding, protection principles, Do No Harm approaches, and Core Humanitarian Standards training is offered for HIAS staff, the staff of implementing partners, and key members of the community.
3. Coordination, partnership and Networking
1. Coordinate with partners and local organizations to create linkages for refugees for promotion of quality referral pathways, strengthening MHPSS services and ensuring their integration of MHPSS concerns to different sectors
2. Contribute the perspective and inputs of MHPSS in joint interagency assessments, planning, and reporting that are carried out by MHPSS technical working groups and relevant interagency initiatives.
3. Develop a database for partnerships and foster a memorandum of understanding
4. Actively participate and lead MHPSS specific coordination platform, interagency thematic work groups on donor briefings, including the Urban MHPSS WG in Nairobi.
4. Reporting
1. Develop program and staff evaluation plans and performance measures for all staff, data collection methods and reporting procedures consistent with HIAS strategic plan and agency funding requirements to determine program and operation effectiveness.
2. Review and disseminate in a timely manner, quarterly and annual MHPSS departmental reports highlighting for donor and board reports and track progress against key performance indicators(KPI) and project budget.
3. Develop standardized and periodically review primary data collection tools and ensure consistent and timely statistical data gathering from the field.
4. Accountable for the maintenance of updated and comprehensive database on mental health and psychosocial cases.  

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• A Minimum of master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, Social Work or related field
• 7 - 9 years working in a management position with at least 3 years in Project Management with a specific focus on MHPSS programming.
• Experience in community based MHPSS, GBV, Child Protection and related sectors program implementation approaches to refuges and host communities in a humanitarian context
• Demonstrated ability and experience to supervise and oversee technical work in MHPSS in a humanitarian setting. Preference for candidates who have previous experience with direct service provision to vulnerable refugee and migrant populations.
• Trained in counselling/clinical supervision and active registration with a professional association (Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association/Kenya Psychological Association/Kenya National Association of Social Workers)
• Demonstrated experience with operationalizing MHPSS Global standards and principles, including knowledge of international humanitarian standards for MHPSS programming.
• Strong training and capacity building experience, particularly using participatory techniques for training related to different components of MHPSS programming.
• Self-starter with an ability to work with minimal supervision, in a culturally diverse team
• Excellent Analytical, Communication and Report writing skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations with local staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders
• Ability to maintain one’s composure while under pressure 
• Knowledge in Accountability to Affected Populations 
• Knowledge in PSEA 

Method of Application

Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV to: MHPSS Manager HIAS Kenya - Careers At HIAS Inc. (hrmdirect.com) using the position as subject of email.Interested and qualified? Go to HIAS on hias.hrmdirect.com to apply