Stress Counsellor at the United Nations Development Programme

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Stress Counsellor

Job Identification: 12959
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Schedule: Full time
Grade: P3
Vacancy Type: Fixed Term
Practice Area: Health
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
Vacancy Timeline: 2 Weeks

Duties & Responsibilities

• The primary role of the UNDSS CISMU Stress Counsellor will be to develop and maintain a sustainable stress management system applicable to all UN Agencies operating in the country and to improve the critical incident stress management preparedness of the UN security system in case of emergencies.
• The global objective is to provide culturally sensitive counselling services for UN staff in Nigeria, actively participating in emergency response with key stakeholders in the country.

The stress counsellors will:

• Perform psychosocial needs assessment among UN staff and monitor the evolving determinants of stress. 
• The stress counsellors will manage all psychosocial support services for UN personnel in the country, in collaboration with the UN physician based in Abuja, under the administrative guidance /supervision of the UNDSS Chief Security Advisor (CSA) for Nigeria and the technical supervision of the UNDSS CISMU Regional Stress Counsellor, New York.
• The Stress Counselor will administer a wide range of stress management activities, actively increasing emergency preparedness in the country in collaboration with UNDSS and the UN Crisis Management as per the UNDSS CISMS standard operational procedures on critical incident stress.
• Advise UN management on short- and long-term stress mitigating strategies and measures.
• Provide systematic stress counselling services to UN personnel and families during and after the pandemic to prevent stress-related diseases including depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Provide psychoeducation and training to UN personnel and families in managing isolation, telecommuting stress and distressed family members.
• Apprise the DO/RC, the Chief Security Adviser and UNDSS CISMU Regional Stress Counsellor on psychosocial services provided.

Effective Communication & coordination of stress mitigation strategies and activities:

• Regularly visit the UN Offices/Sub Offices in the country to implement preventative stress management training activities and offer technical consultations when needed.
• Liaise with local experts and institutions in the country for referral purposes. Collaborate with UN managers, medical doctors, and local physicians on psychosocial issues with the objective of establishing a network of professionals ready to support and intervene in case of need.
• Liaise with local experts and institutions in the country for referral purposes. Collaborate with UN managers, medical doctors, and local physicians on psychosocial wellbeing issues with the objective of establishing a network of professionals ready to support and intervene in case of need.
• Advise UN management on stress mitigating strategies and activities.

Contribute to the planning for and establishment and promotion of holistic staff well-being programmes:

• Provide individual, group and critical incident counseling sessions to the staff and dependents as/when needed.
• Plan and facilitate preventative stress management training on a variety of stress related sues to UN staff in the country and circulate useful reading resources related to stress periodically.
• Assist in establishing the Critical Incident Stress Intervention Cells (CISICs) including selecting Peer Helpers and family focal points; facilitating peer helper training sessions (jointly with UNDSS CISMS); and coordinating and following up on all relevant activities.
• Promote welfare activities for UN staff in the country in collaboration with the existing Staff Association.
• Identify, address and follow up on critical incident stress cases among the UN staff and dependents in the country.

Organize a system of responding to all staff and eligible dependents to meet counselling needs for:

• Traumatic stress, work related stress, anxiety, grief, loss and other personal issues, either through provision of confidential counselling, group counselling or through provision of an appropriate referral.
• Perform ongoing assessments and monitor the determinants of stress in the UN staff to include activities such as data collection, analyses and related documentation.
• Provide regular feedback and monthly report to the Head of Unit on all activities.
• Monitor environmental factors that could lead to stress, with particular focus on stress related to critical incidents, with respect to civilian staff members of the mission; develop, organize and implement a stress management programme for such staff.
• In the absence of the Head of Unit, act as OIC as required and as appointed by the PSA.
• Technical input on staff well-being.

Expand the pool of mechanisms/resources available through inter alia:

• Capacity building of staff on needy topical relevant issues.
• Designing and implementing a counselling outreach programme.

Impact of results:

• The key results have an impact on the success of the development, maintenance of a stress management system applicable to all UN Agencies operating in the country and to improve the critical incident stress management preparedness of the UN security system in case of emergencies.
• Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: No

Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Clinical Psychology, or
• A First University Degree- (Medical Doctorate in Residency) in Psychiatry
• Additional training or experience in a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, critical incident stress and cross-cultural communication would be an asset.
• Certification or country specific licensure authorizing the incumbent to deliver mental health services in their own country is required.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in counselling, clinical psychology, psychiatry, or related field, with at least three years at the international level or at a national level with cross border experience is required. Qualifying years of experience are calculated after the receipt of an accredited advanced level degree recognized by the United Nations.
• Experience in crisis or emergency response is required.
• Experience in providing cross border stress counselling, clinical psychology or psychiatry is desirable.
• A minimum of two years’ experience in managing, planning, and organizing mental health programmes or projects is desirable.

Language requirements:

• Verbal and written fluency in English is required.

Competencies
Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have a lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, and develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results 
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate the complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 3: Appreciate the benefits of a diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Business Management– Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs.
• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
• Look for as to add Value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Development - Communication:

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.

Business Management - Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with others to achieve set goals, solicitsinputs by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise, and places team agenda before personal agenda.

Business Direction and Strategy - Effective Decision-Making:

• Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one􀂶s authority, area of expertise and resources.

HR – Duty of Care – Psychosocial support to personnel:

• Ability and certified qualification to provide psychological counselling services to teams and individual personnel.

HR – Duty of Care – Occupational safety, health and wellbeing:

• Knowledge of OSHW concepts and methods and ability to apply them in the development of the OSHW strategies, policies, management systems and quality standards that are consistent with the business strategy.
• Ability to identity OSHW risks and to develop mitigation strategies and monitoring systems; to create OSHW incident reporting and response systems; understanding of the key workplace stressors and ability to design effective response measures.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline 26th August, 2023; 04:59 AM.