Psycho-social Support Specialist At People in Need

About the mission

PIN has been working in Turkey & Northwest Syria since 2012, providing emergency relief and early recovery support to conflict-affected communities and IDPs. PIN’s contribution to the overall Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over $55 million. The major donors are: ECHO, BHA, ENI and SDC. In NW Syria the annual turnover is $40 million with offices in Gaziantep and 3 offices inside Syria and over 560 staff.

Aftermath the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria on 6 February 2023, PIN has initiated immediate response to the crisis in Türkiye and northwest Syria. The programme includes provision of hot food, shelter and hygiene support to families who were left without safe shelter and personal possessions. In addition to in-kind services, PIN launches psychosocial support programme focusing on Türkiye and northwest Syria. As it is a new programme for PIN in the region, PIN is looking for a PSS Specialist who will support the launch and implementation of the programme.

General position summary

Country Programme: Turkey & Northwest Syria
Base: Turkey, Gaziantep with travel inside North-West Syria
Line management: Area Programmes Director
Starting date: March/April 2023 – ASAP

Duration: 6-12 months with possible extension

PIN is looking for PSS Specialist who will help the team launch psychosocial support programme for the survivors of the earthquake in Turkey and northwest Syria, ensure its quality and smooth implementation.

The PSS Specialist would ideally spend initial 1-3 months in Turkey, but then could also work remotely on quality control, providing backstopping and strategic direction to the programme team.

Responsibilities

As the Psychosocial Support (PSS) Specialist for the Turkey and North-west Syria (NWS) programmatic areas of PIN, the primary responsibilities include identifying priority needs for PSS, assessing current PSS efforts, supporting the team in analyzing mental health data, and developing high-quality PSS programs.

To accomplish these duties, the recruitment of psychologists and PSS program staff will be led, and the team will be trained in community-based protection and psychosocial support approaches and interventions such as psychosocial first aid (PFA)s. Field visits will also be conducted to monitor and support PSS activities and interventions. Additionally, guidance and support will be provided to field programs in Turkey and NWS, the PSS program strategy will be designed based on the context, and tools will be developed to support the monitoring and supervision of PSS staff and psychologists.

The PSS Specialist will collaborate with the relevant Advisors of PIN HQ’s Knowledge and Learning Department. Furthermore, quality control measures will be developed for community-based PSS activities, and referral pathways will be established to strengthen links in available services for PSS. Finally, team building, performance reviews, and professional development of staff will also be addressed.

This role as the PSS Specialist plays a critical part in ensuring that the organization provides the highest quality of PSS to the communities served in Turkey and NWS.

Qualifications

• Psychiatrist or psychologist with a minimum of 5 years of experience working on MHPSS programs in humanitarian settings.
• Expert knowledge of the IASC MHPSS guidelines in emergency settings.
• Capacity building/curriculum development experience in community-based PSS programming.
• Experience in setting up MHPSS programs in rapid onset disaster/natural disaster settings. Experience in post-earthquake contexts is an advantage.
• Excellent English. Fluency in Turkish and/or Arabic is an advantage.
• Training, and supervision experience required.
• Strong organizational and supervisory skills and interpersonal skills with the ability to work within different cultural environment.
• Ability to work within a team. Flexible and can cope in stressful environments with limited resources.

PIN Offers

• Working environment in a well-established and growing humanitarian organization;
• Salary and benefits according to PIN salary scale and HR policies, expected salary 3,750 EUR – 3,950 EUR (supergross, before taxation, per diems included);
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work,
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Accommodation in PIN’s guesthouse on PIN’s expenses
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online; travel health insurance.

How to apply

Are you interested in this position? Send us your CV (no longer than 4 pages) and short cover letter via our application form. Please note only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be conducted on rolling basis and the vacancy will be closed when filled.

People in Need staff are expected to perform job duties and responsibilities in accordance with People in Need Code of conduct and key policies (available at: https://www.peopleinneed.net/key-policies-4142gp).