Mental Health Activities Manager at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid in more than 60 countries to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters or exclusion from healthcare.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Mental Health Activities Manager

Location: Pulka, Gwoza LGA, Borno
Report to: (Hierarchical): Project Medical Referent
Report to (functional): Project Medical Referent
Working Hours: 48 Hours per Week
Contract Duration: 06 (six) Months Renewable
Level: 10

Main Purpose

• Define, implement, coordinate and monitor all mental health related activities in the project area including management of staff involved in mental health related activities;
• Ensuring the quality of care and analysing statistics and reports, according to MSF protocols in order to provide the most appropriate support for patients.

Accountabilities
General:

• Defend the humanitarian and operational principles of MSF and make the organization known to others.
• Mapping and regularly updating the existing Mental Health services, including other INGO’s, local NGO’s, community groups and governmental health services, etc. and maintaining good and regular communication and collaboration with other components of the project according to objectives and context.
• Identifying possible advocacy issues and informing MC and PC before taking any action. Note: Advocacy is not under Mental Health Activities Manager accountabilities.
• Ensuring in close collaboration with medical department, that MH department participates in counselling as well as Prevention Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VTC) activities when needed.
• Participating in monthly reports according to guidelines (SitRep, statistical report, etc.), and reporting problematic situations and cases with the Medical Coordinator to help with decision-making and problem resolution.
• Ensuring that psychiatric patients coming to MSF facilities receive proper treatment including psychotropic medication and psychosocial support, either within an MSF program or through referral to an appropriate resource.
• In close collaboration with other medical team members, identifying the needs of MH support in the target population and participating in the definition, planning, organization and update of the appropriate MSF strategy and the Mental Health (MH) activities and its budget.  Monitoring and evaluating MH support activities.
• Reviewing and developing the technical materials, tools, guidelines and documents, and coordinating and ensuring the implementation of all Mental Health standard protocols and procedures set by MSF in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for patients.
• Planning and supervising, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, potential detection, development and internal communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required.
• Coordinating and ensuring that Mental Health activities (in and outside health facilities), with the clients are performed with regular follow-up in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for clients with psychosocial problems. Ensuring Mental Health team is calm and neutral during sessions regardless of personal feelings and/or beliefs and that the translators are trained about terminology and appropriate behaviour during sessions.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities
Mental Health Activities:

• Ensure the implementation of all Mental Health standard protocols and methodologies set by MSF, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for patients:
  • Checking application of the MH Protocol
  • Correcting and giving the proper direction to the team
  • The use of patient’s documentation

• Technical Supervision of Mental Health team while on the field and the implementation of Mental Health protocols within the MSF health facility in Pulka:
  • Showing the proper way of case management
  • Explaining well
  • The process during sessions
  • On Job training with MH staff
  • Case discussion in order to improve the case management.
• Ensures training and supervision of local psychologist and counsellors in the projects based a plan in agreement with the field human resources team with post-training evaluation based on the need in the project:
  • To set a training plan for at least 3 months based on the needs
  • To have a discussion with the team on the topic to prioritise
  • To review the plan when necessary
• Supervise the rational use (appropriate) of psychotropic and their consumption in collaboration with the MH supervisor.
• Review and develop the technical material, tools, guidelines and documents elaborated for the mental health activities in order to develop appropriate support for patients:
  • To make sure that all materials are available
  • Making the order if necessary
  • Checking regularly the availability of basic materials for the activity
• Ensure that psychiatric patients coming to MSF facilities receive proper treatment including psychotropic medication and psychosocial support either within MSF program or through referral to an appropriate resource:
  • Make sure with the supervisor the availability of drugs and all basic tools
  • Ensure a proper follow up
  • Ensure proper documentation of each patient
• Identify the new MH need and the MH supports in the population within the scope of the project and participate to the setting up of MSF strategy accordingly defined in the mission (or to be defined if not any).
• Detect, with the other members of the MH team, the new MH needs or gaps and refer them to the Project Medical Referent.
• Ensures that counselling in prevention parent to child transmission (PPTCT) and voluntary counselling and testing (VTC) activities is well done and according to existing protocols in force at any time.

Reporting:

• Guaranteed collection of statistical data from the weekly, monthly and semestrial report of the MH activities in collaboration with the supervisor NS within the project.
• Participate in data analyses; identify the problems if any, propose and implement solutions.
• Checking the report which is done with the rest of the MH team before sharing to the PMR.
• Monitor and evaluate mental health support activities (define indicators and follow up tools, collect and analyse data, report regularly about mental health activities, etc.)  in order to have reliable information about activities and adapt them accordingly. Participates in monthly reports according to guidelines (SitRep, statistical report, etc.)

Human Resources:

• Supports the development and updating of job descriptions of local staff with the MH supervisors.
• Supporting the supervisor to realize the different works plan.
• Plan and supervise, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required.

Requirements
Education:

• Degree/master in clinical psychology or social work or MD degree with specialization in psychiatry.
• Essential working experience of at least two years as psychologist or other similar profession.

Experience:

• Desirable working experience with MSF or other NGOs.
• Desirable working experience in developing countries. 

Languages:

• Essential English and Hausa. Desirable Mandara/Glavda

Knowledge:

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet).

Competencies:

• People Management and Development L2, Commitment to MSF Principles L2, Behavioral Flexibility L3, Results and Quality Orientation L3, Teamwork and Cooperation L3.

Salary
According to OCBA salary grid scale (National contract)

How To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV, Motivation letter and Copies of Credentials (only PDF or Word) to: [email protected] using the "Job Title" as the subject of the email.
Or
Submit in person at:
MSF SPAIN Office,
Pulka, Gwoza LGA,
Borno State.

Application Deadline 3rd February, 2021.

Note

• Only short-listed applicants will be contacted
• Applications are non-returnable. Do not submit original certificates or credentials.
• MSF Encourages Women and People with Disability Status to Apply.