Psychologist, CDCS Project /Tigray Adwa

For more than 30 years, Médecins du Monde (MDM), a campaigning medical organization committed to international solidarity, has been caring for the most vulnerable populations at home and abroad. It has continued to highlight obstacles that exist in accessing health care and has secured sustainable improvements in health-for-all policies. Those working for this independent organization do not solely dispense care and treatment but condemn violations of human dignity and rights and fight to improve matters for populations living in precarious situations. MdM currently works in 44 countries across all continents where it focuses on 4 priority areas: caring for the health of migrants and displaced persons, promoting sexual and reproductive health, harm reduction associated with drug use, emergencies, and crisis.

Médecins du Monde is operating in Ethiopia since 1986 in different types of health projects from long-term interventions to emergency response.

MdM France has concentrated its efforts on projects related to basic access to primary health care (projects centered on rural health facilities and isolated populations), reduction of maternal mortality through improved quality of obstetric care, promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights including protection against gender-based violence, provision of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and reduction of malnutrition.

After a period of uncertainty, the mission has recently significantly grown. Although the Covid-19 pandemic was a challenge for the teams and the programming, in 2020 and 2021 it has expanded with its current programming in Semera (Afar) and Chinaksen (Oromia) where MdM France leads a consortium with COOPI and MdM Germany, and solid prospects for intervention in connection with the conflict in some parts of the country. The mission has also reshaped after the handover of its project in Somali region to MdM Germany in May 2021. Towards the end of 2022, security situation in Tigray region improved following peace agreement and in 2023, MdM plans to intervene in Tigray, to provide integrated primary healthcare services.

Duty station: The Psychologist will be based in Adwa Tigray Region      

Employment Term: 10 months contract with possibility of extension

Basic Salary: 37,440.00 ETB

Reported to: He /She work under the direct supervision of Program manager with technical link with the mission MHPSS Coordinator

Required positions: 1 (One)

Job Summary

The psychologist will be based in Adwa – Tigray field office. The overall responsibility is to directly or indirectly carry out prevention, management and/or research activities in the area of mental health and psychosocial support. S/he will be under the direct supervision of Program manager with technical link with the mission MHPSS Coordinator.

 Essential duties and responsibilities.

• Under the supervision of the Program manager plus technical link with MHPSS Coordinator, the psychologist has the responsibility to:
• Assesses beneficiaries’ MHPSS needs, including GBV survivors, their personal situation and, strengths in order to develop plans to improve their well-being. 
• Delivers one-on-one (Individual) and group counselling sessions to identified beneficiaries according to the logical framework and create links with organizations working on MHPSS services.
• Supports the MHPSS Coordinator in developing, delivering, psychosocial and recreational materials and group activities in close collaboration with the community Mobilizers.
• Conducts group counselling sessions or support groups for special needs e.g., PLHIV, GBV survivors, caregivers of children with nutrition needs.
• Supports the MHPSS Coordinator in preparing training material and facilitating specific trainings on MHPSS for health care workers according to the needs.
• Obtains assistance for the beneficiaries referring them to community resources; arranging for appointments; establishing referral linkage with other agencies.
• Maintains records of cases by documenting all session notes and adhering to data protection regulations.
• Monitors planned actions through regular follow-up.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of beneficiaries’ personal information receiving MHPSS services
• Contributes to the team effort by accomplishing interrelated results as needed.
• Follows up with beneficiaries to ensure that their situations and wellbeing has progressed
• Participates in MHPSS working group coordination meetings at field level
• Reports on MHPSS activities in the monthly progress activities report
• Performs any other task assigned by the Program Manager

Educational Qualification and Professional Experience

• MSc /BSc Degree in Psychology/Clinical Psychology
• Training/certification in MH Gap is a plus
• At least 3 years of working experience as Psychologist in health care setting / Counsellor in a health facility in emergency situations
• Experience with other NGO is a plus.
• Demonstrable experience in reporting, supervising and training others in a team setting.

Skills and qualities required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good computer skills: MS Word and MS Excel
• Ability to assess people’s mental capacities.
• Identify the individual’s family and social environment and identify mental capacities and vulnerabilities
• Choose a psychological support method (including referral), suggest psychosocial support activities
• Know how to work in a multidisciplinary team
• Formalize and communicate professional know-how
• Lead an individual, group and family psychotherapy session, guide people during exercises (role playing, relaxation, etc.)
• Draft and format clinical notes, documents and/or reports relating to the specialist area

Languages

• Fluent in English and Tigrigna language (speaking, writing and listening)