South Sudan: Psychosocial Support Manager

Organization: Medair
Country: South Sudan
Closing date: 24 Apr 2017

Role & Responsibilities
Develop, lead, monitor and evaluate the assigned Psychosocial Support (PSS) projects. This involves effectively managing and reporting on the projects in line with the objectives, timeframe and budget. Other important aspects of the role include managing and training local staff, encouraging beneficiary participation, liaising with other stakeholders, and anticipating, planning, and contributing to the development of new project proposals and reports.

Project Overview
Medair’s goal in Leer County is to reduce morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations through the provision of emergency nutrition and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services and to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of affect populations. Medair provides nutrition and WASH services in Leer County and is aiming to develop psychosocial support programming to meet the needs of this highly conflict affected population. Medair’s team in Leer consists of a team of 9 relocatable staff and 30 local staff.

Take a look at Medair’s Health & Nutrition work.

Medair
Medair is a humanitarian organisation inspired and motivated by Christian faith to relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most remote and devastated places. We bring relief and recovery to people in crisis, regardless of race, creed or nationality. As signatories of the Red Cross Code of Conduct, we believe that aid should be given to everyone who is in need, regardless of political, social or religious viewpoint. We save lives in emergencies and then stay to help people recover from crisis with dignity—working side by side with communities to leave a lasting impact. We provide a range of emergency relief and recovery services: health care and nutrition; safe water, sanitation, and hygiene; shelter and infrastructure. Internationally recruited field and headquarters staff lead the organisation, supported by nationally recruited staff to implement programmes locally.

Workplace
Field based position in Leer, South Sudan. Take a look at Medair’s work in South Sudan.

Starting Date
As soon as possible

Initial Contract Details
Full time, 12 months

Key Activity Areas
Psychosocial Support Project Management
• Manage the assigned PSS project in order to meet the project objectives within budget and within the allotted time frame and report promptly any operational concerns to line manager and country advisor.
• Provide strong leadership of the assigned project, working to ensure both short and long-term positive impacts and outcomes for the beneficiaries, local authorities and local staff.
• Contribute to development and implementation of an appropriate and effective strategy including proactive planning for responsible exit.
• Set clear objectives and indicators for PSS activities in collaboration with the country advisor, project co-ordinator, field managers and, where appropriate, with the local communities.
• Continuously monitor and supervise PSS activities, evaluating progress through outputs and impacts using both quantitative and qualitative data, and involving the PSS team in analysis and taking appropriate action as needed to ensure continued progress.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of all PSS activities according to Medair, donor and other applicable timeframes and formats.
• Support in the development of new proposals, linked to the assessed needs and gaps and the Medair country strategy, in conjunction with the relevant field managers and the country advisor.

Staff Management
• Line-manage the PSS Officer and local staff assistants within the assigned projects, including day-to-day management, development, training, and appraisals.
• Facilitate regular meetings to assist information sharing between project staff, to ensure all staff members are aware of project objectives and to provide the opportunity for feedback.
• Provide coaching and technical supervision to staff in order to develop ownership for PSS activities.

Financial Management
• Manage the PSS budget for the assigned projects and ensure all expenses are according to budget and meet the Medair standards with regard to financial management, accountability and good governance.

Communication & Coordination
• Develop and maintain appropriate, regular, transparent and supportive communication structures with the assigned PSS team, Medair in-country, HQ advisors and other relevant stakeholders (e.g. beneficiaries, community leaders, local and national government officials, UN agencies and other NGOs), with the objective of ensuring good cooperation and partnerships.
• Participate in protection coordination meetings, Medair internal trainings, and other working groups or meetings, representing Medair and feeding back to the PSS staff and field managers on relevant issues.

Logistics
• Liaise, as necessary, with the logistics and finance staff to ensure items are procured, transported, stored, managed and accounted for correctly.

Quality Management
• Promote and use the Medair intranet and other operating procedures.
• Ensure PSS projects are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in accordance with Medair, donor, country and international standards i.e. Sphere and HAP standards.

Field – Team Spiritual Life
• Reflect the vision and values of Medair with team members, local staff, beneficiaries, and external contacts.
• Fully contribute to the rich spiritual life of your team, including team devotions, prayers, and words of encouragement.
• Live, work and pray together in our Christian faith-based team settings.
• Instigate and contribute to prayer times within internationally recruited staff and HQ teams.
• Encouraged to join and contribute to Medair’s international programmes and HQ prayer network.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organisational needs.

Qualifications
• Mental health, psychosocial or social work studies.
• Counselling qualification.

Languages
• Strong working knowledge of English (spoken and written)

Experience / Competencies
• 2 years’ post-qualification professional experience.
• At least 1 year management experience. At least 1 years work experience in developing country.
• Ability and willingness to manage project implementation.
• Able to prioritise clearly and oversee multiple tasks.
• Able to set clear objectives for staff and to delegate.
• Committed to consultative and servant minded leadership.
• Experience in training / mentoring / coaching staff.
• Team-player with good inter-personal skills.
• Creative, open-minded, flexible, self-learner.

Profiles sought for Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS) roles in the field
Relief experience
• Professionals with 12 months or more relevant relief or development experience (Experienced Relief Workers).
• Professionals with less than 12 months relevant relief or development experience (New Relief Workers).
Professional
• Experienced professionals in a relevant Medair sector of expertise.
• Overseas intercultural experience.
Values
• Fully committed to the Medair values; to reflect the vision and values of Medair with team members, local staff, and external contacts.
Personal qualities
• Able to live and work in a multicultural team under difficult conditions.
• Strong character traits, including emotional stability, adaptability, ability to handle stress, cultural and gender sensitivity, honesty, and physically fit.
Availability
• Single or married (with no children under 18). If married, your spouse must also apply.
Final selection
• All potential candidates for field positions must successfully complete the Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC). Information, dates and related costs can be found via this link.

Benefits Package provided to all Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS)
• Comprehensive briefing at our Swiss Headquarters, as well as an in-country briefing.
• Security training for those going to insecure environments.
• Accommodation, food, and transportation in-country.
• Return flights to and from the country programme (one return flight for every year of service).
• Rest and recuperation (R&R) leave (including travel, accommodation, and food).
• Annual leave.
• Comprehensive medical and emergency rescue insurance, with up to 60 days post-assignment coverage, including debriefing.
• Disability insurance.

Specific benefits for Experienced Relief Workers (IRS)
(Applicants with 12 months or more relevant relief or development experience)
• A salary based upon the grade of the position and experience of the position-holder, starting from USD 1,700 per month.
• Contribution matching programme for retirement savings.
• Additional contract benefit allowance for those who commit to longer contracts.
• Highly subsidised contribution to Medair ROC travel and accommodation costs.

Specific benefits for New Relief Workers (IRS)
(Applicants with less than 12 months relevant relief or development experience)
• USD 300 per month.
• As soon as 12 months relief work or its equivalent has been completed, a salary based upon the grade of the position, starting from USD 1,700 per month, and other experienced relief worker benefits.

Working Conditions
• This is a field-based position with very basic working and living conditions (living in tents or tukuls).
• There might be times when the project area is not accessible due to insecurity and programming would have to be done through remote management of local Medair staff from the capital base in Juba with occasional short trips to project locations.

How to apply:

Application Process
Before you apply, please ensure you are fully aware of the:
a) Medair organisational values.
b) Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) (which forms part of the recruitment selection process for field positions).

Then to apply, go to http://relief.medair.org/en/jobs/positions/psychosocial-sup . . . then:
c) apply for this vacancy (or another position that matches your profile), or
d) apply for a Medair ROC (where we can try and match your competencies to our vacancy needs).

Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed. Medair does not set closing / deadline dates for applications; recruitment is on-going until the position is filled.

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