The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today work in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home. Following the April 15 crisis in Sudan that led to mass displacements of IDPs from hot spot areas in Khartoum and the Darfur regions to several states in Sudan including Al Jazira state, the IRC has since initiated operations in Medani to respond to the escalating humanitarian situations. Currently the IRC is supporting lifesaving service delivery in five health facilities and planning to expand to additional five health facilities by August 2023.

Main Purpose of Job: 

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer will work under the direction and support of the Health Manager in the Medani and a Psychiatrist who is primarily responsible for technical oversight of overall country wide MHPSS programming. The Mental Health Officer’s primary responsibilities include but not limited to providing oversight of the planning, coordination and implementation of both community level and facility based mental health and psychosocial support activities integrated into the general health and nutrition programming. This includes the direct provision of non-pharmacological or counselling services in the health facilities that are run by IRC in Al Jazeera state. This position will be based in Damazine and will need to undertake frequent visits to the field sites localities to support the IRC implementation of emergency health and nutrition services.

• lead the process of integration of mental health and psychosocial support into general health care in the PHC facilities. 
• Provide psychosocial support and counselling services linked to general health care clinics.
• Review MHPSS cases seen by the clinicians and other complicated cases as may be required.
• Support and collaborate with psychiatrist in facilitation of the mhGAP training and supervision of the primary health care staff.
• Select, provide training and supervision for community volunteer
• Develop culturally appropriate psychosocial activities, including social support activities targeting the community.  These include but are not limited to training in psychological first aid, designing holistic recreational, and social activities; development of material for awareness campaigns.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between IRC and local partners involved in mental health and psychosocial activities.
• Provide culturally appropriate counselling services to the target population with mental illness or experiencing psychosocial challenges in accordance with professional ethics and best practices.
• Strengthen community-facility referral system for target population with psychosocial needs.
• Work in keeping with IASC guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support and promote guidelines where appropriate.
• Provide oversight, direct and supervise activities of IRC supported psychosocial team.
• Coordinate/ensure activities with relevant Government Authorities, International and National Organizations, including standardized reporting practices.
• Organize and lead workshop about mental health for the patients with psychiatric problems, their families, care givers and community members in general to promote mental health. 
• Work closely with other mental health and psychosocial staff to ensure coordinated activities. 
• Develop and provide culturally appropriate community based mental health care services
• Develop and organize consultation workshop with the indigenous healers, religious leaders, and refugee representatives
• Collaborate with informal service providers such as natural healers to facilitate information sharing and referral of mental health cases
• Collaborate with community and existing institutional structures to ensure protection of those suffering mental illness
• Compile information and prepare written reports as necessary
• Organize public awareness and de-stigmatization campaigns around mental health issues on a periodic base involving community volunteers and implementing partners
• Liaise with the data officer responsible for the health management information system (HMIS) and M&E colleagues to ensure proper collection and analysis of MHPSS data
• Identify clinic trends and develop mitigation measures to address programmatic gaps and improve overall quality of care
• Participate in surveys and health assessment to identify MHPSS risk factors in the affected communities and tailor the project to address such gaps
• Work collaboratively with other agencies, local and international and with relevant government bodies
• Implement other activities as per the direction of the health manager.

• Master’s degree in Psychiatry or Clinical Psychology with at least 3 years of counselling and social work experience
• At least 2 years of mental health and psychosocial programming experience
• In depth knowledge and experience of mental health and psychosocial programming in the humanitarian context essential.
• Experience in managing and training mental health workers
• Experience in the clinical supervision of others and treating trauma related problems
• Familiarity with IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support In Emergency Settings
• Proven counselling skills
• Strong organizational and supervisory skills.
• Strong writing and reporting skills.
•  Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within different cultural environments.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required
• Sudanese national

Standard of Professional Conduct

IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. Following these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others. 

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols, and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. 

Ensuring the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever relating to the practices and business of IRC acquired in the course of duty, to any other person or organization without authority, except in the normal execution of duty.