PSS Specialist Full-Time

IsraAID is looking for a PSS Specialist for in the Psycho-social support program in Mozambique to be based in Beira, Sofala Province with frequent travel to the affected districts and to Maputo. This position is an exciting opportunity to get hands-on experience in a non-profit project consultancy and lead innovative grass-roots activities in the field. The ideal candidate will combine experience in humanitarian aid with experience in training national staff in core PSS principals and a background in working in education.

Context

IsraAID is a non-profit, non-governmental and apolitical humanitarian aid agency dedicated to supporting populations in crisis around the world, Founded in 2001. As of 2017, the organization has responded to crises in 42 countries and has operations span across 17 countries and a wide number of different sectors of expertise from both the humanitarian aid and international development arenas. With some 1.85 million people directly affected by Cyclone Idai’s destructive path, International Organizations are calling this “massive disaster” the worst weather-related crisis to have ever hit the southern hemisphere. The cyclone ravaged Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, beginning on 14th March 2019. At least 750 are dead across the region, although the number is feared to be higher. IsraAID’s Emergency Response Team arrived on March 23rd and began conducting a needs assessment in partnership with the Government of Mozambique, International NGOs, and local partners. At least 130,000 were living in shelters across 136 sites; schools were repurposed as shelters, with many children unable to attend classes. Today, hundreds of thousands of people are still suffering due to a paralyzing loss of crops and livestock, overwhelming damage to buildings and key infrastructure, and thousands of vulnerable communities are in need for physical as well as psychological support.

General Responsibilities

The PSS Specialist will lead assessments, training sessions, and supervise the technical aspects of the program in Mozambique.

The PSS Specialist will manage, lead, develop content and continue to shape a vision for IsraAID in Mozambique, in line with the organization’s established policies, principles and operating practices.

The PSS Specialist works under the supervision of the Country Director and IsraAID management, and is responsible for:

1. Training and supervising national staff and partners in PSS principals;
2. Develop and use MEAL tools;
3. Supervise professionally;
4. Adherence to implementation timeline for program activities;
5. Coordinate with HOM/PM in mitigating challenges that arise during the training and supervision of PSS activities;
6. Developing content for the training program.

Specific Responsibilities

Program Management

• Follow the projects objectives and deliver a concrete, realistic and impact-oriented implementation of the activities;
• Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures are followed for each program for the effective and ethical implementation of programs;
• Ensure proper risk assessment and mitigation strategy is developed for each program, project and activity and constantly monitored;
• Use TOT and supervision tools to assist in the process of training and capacity building of IsraAID staff.

Human Resource Management

• Maintain regular communication with HoM and PM for cohesive and strategic implementation;
• Support program team members during training and supervision activities Security and Risk Management;
• Be fully accountable at country level for emergency and risk management, keeping abreast of all relevant developments in the country, and maintain regular communication with national and international security institutions.

Essential skills, knowledge, and competencies

• Significant experience in an equivalent position in a development or humanitarian context;
• MA in Social work, Expressive art therapy or Psychology with at least 5 years of experience;
• Able to work in a high stress environment.

Flexibility and cultural sensitivity.

• Proven training experience;
• Proven therapeutic experience with child trauma;
• Proven supervision experience and education;
• Worked in an educational environment- Advantage;
• Past experience in group therapy.

LANGUAGES Required: Professionally fluent or native speaker in English and Portuguese.

Conditions

1. Based in Beira, Mozambique;
2. Paid Consulting 3-month with possible extension;
3. Position is unaccompanied.