Psychosocial Specialist and Capacity Building Team Leader

"About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

General Position Summary

The Psychosocial Specialist and Capacity Building Team Leader supports the Senior Project Manager to provide strategic direction and oversight to Mercy Corps Jordan’s flagship “Inclusive Security and Resilient Youth Project – ISRY'' project. ISRY is a community-based development program supporting at-risk youth in Jordan that provides psychosocial support interventions with the aim of promoting learning, increasing stability through co-existence and inclusive security, and building the psychosocial resiliency of youth and their families.

The Team Leader ensures Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Protection are fully integrated into programming that addresses the needs of youth, caregivers, and the community at large. With MHPSS research, established training curricula, and training plans, s/he will have overall responsibility for leading the development, implementation, and quality assurance of group and community-oriented awareness campaigns, initiatives, and mental health related activities. The Team Leader is expected to spend a significant amount of time in the field supporting field teams and working closely with the Community Action Hubs (CAHs) and associated Community Based Oorganziations (CBOs).

MHPSS and Protection Functions are key to supporting vulnerable youth who are enduring high levels of stress as well as their parents and communities.

Essential Job Responsibilities

TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT


Lead the development and implementation of the project’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Capacity Building activities. This includes establishing specialized capacity building plans and training development processes for the project’s participants and Project Team.
Provide capacity building and knowledge sharing to the project team members and CBO community personnel to ensure the delivery of MHPSS and protection activities in communities/CBOs that fully adhere to the project’s overall goals.
Lead the implementation of MHPSS training activities targeting governmental entities and civil-society organizations implementing Youth and Family Support Programming.
Support the Senior Project Manager in all operations related to the project implementation with special focus on streamlining the PSA framework and in the management of day-to-day implementation stages of the projects activities.
Support research and assessments that are conducted during the project’s lifetime and take part in the ideation, design and implementation.
Ensure Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding Protocols, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy, Gender Policy and Community Accountability Response Mechanism (CARM) guidelines are robustly applied to all programming activities.
Support youth workers to further develop behavior strategies and attunement skills that enable youth and their caregivers to develop their own positive stress coping strategies.
Coordinate and collaborate with the M&E teams on the tools used to measure the impact of the project and its key frameworks through documentation of project data, lessons learnt and best practices for internal and external sharing. Ensure project implementation is based on evidence that guides field work.
Lead in capacity building for the project and enhance referral mechanisms and protection procedures.
Provide guidance to MC field staff, CBO teams, and community personnel on a regular basis. This includes the developments of weekly and monthly progress reports that highlight challenges and required actions to ensure successful implementation of the training work plan and associated activities.



Provide technical support throughout all the project cycle (inception, implementation, and exist phases) when dealing with MHPSS and protection functions
Support the relevant advocacy activities related to MHPSS and Protection.
Promote and contribute to community-based MHPSS initiatives specific to the needs of youth, caregivers, and the community at large.
Ensure the referral mechanisms at the CAHs level are monitored and coordinated properly based on the needs of each location and with an eye toward sustainability.
Monitor CBO community personnel engaged in MHPSS activities, including sampling cases and checking cases are managed as per relevant psychosocial service provision protocols.
Provide training and coordination with other organizations to promote referral network development and to better address the needs of youth and their families.


TOOLS & MANUAL DEVELOPMENT


Ensure the capacity building training content is developed using the widely established neuroscience lens.
Ensure that the Caregiver Manual and Caregiver Trainers' Training is neuroscience-based and has the prerequisite guidance and support to be implemented by community personnel.
Continuously validate the manuals and training guides, informed by neuroscience, to ensure impact is measured and adapted according to implementation outcomes.
Revise/Update the facilitator handbook and manual to be consistent with the latest research on Social and Emotional Learning and Positive Youth Development frameworks.
Develop and/or adapt a comprehensive participatory community psychosocial strengthening MHPSS and Protection model.


TEAM MANAGEMENT


Recruit and supervise team members to implement high-quality programming.
Ensure teams fully adhere to international, technical and organizational minimum standards, including adopting gender, conflict sensitive, and participatory approaches to ensure that Do No Harm and other principles of Mercy Corps programming are fully respected.
Supervise and mentor project staff to effectively manage projects, including workplan monitoring, budget forecasting and monitoring, accurate and timely reporting, and efficient use of resources.
Communicate clear expectations, set performance objectives, provide regular and timely performance feedback, and conduct annual performance reviews.
Ensure staff compliance with financial and operational policies, procedures, and systems to deliver in accordance with Mercy Corps and donor requirements.
Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the ISRY Capacity Building and MHPSS team and routinely provide training, mentoring and capacity building.
Manage MHPSS activities and team, ensure there is adequate coverage during periods of absence, training needs are met and performance evaluated.
Conduct a thorough analysis with his/her team on available research on themes for S\GBV intervention models and develop an operationalized model aligned with programmatic objectives.
Conduct regular monthly and quarterly meetings with all staff to go through MHPSS and Protection activities’ progress. Identify key challenges and address accordingly.


REPRESENTATION AND COORDINATION


Represent Mercy Corps in relevant coordination platforms and working groups. 
Participate in innovation activities hosted within Mercy Corps and other INGOs and Governmental institutions, as agreed with MC Jordan office.
Cultivate strategic partnerships and maintain effective working relationships with key Government, INGO, and civil society.
Liaise with key stakeholders to coordinate responses and identify strategies to facilitate programmatic links.
Coordinate with Technical Support Unit (TSU) to strengthen programming and to promote Mercy Corps’ thought leadership.


ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING 

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility: Psychologist (external consultant), Senior Training Coordinator, Senior MHPSS Officer, Nature Club Team Leader, and Hosted temporary Interns.

Accountability:

            Reports directly to:  Senior Project Manager 

Works directly with:  Component 2 & 3 Leads, Project Coordinators, Project Officers, Partner Organizations, M&E Coordinator, and Sub-grantees

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills


MA/S or equivalent in mental health, youth work and/or psychology or related field.



Minimum of 7 years of experience working in youth projects with a child protection background.
Experience in parent/caregiver engagement and strong understanding of national referral pathways.
Extensive experience in providing trainings on child protection related issues in a dynamic and active learning style approach.
Demonstrated familiarity with the Profound Stress & Attunement framework.
Strong writing and oral communication skills that can be demonstrated in presentations, reports, best practices documents, case studies, etc.
Demonstrated experience leading diverse teams towards a common and unified vision.
Strong organizational and management skills - previous experience managing staff and teams required.
Proven track record in staff and stakeholder training and capacity building, as well as mentoring and training.
Ability to work and apply Community Development frameworks with high level stakeholders and community agents.
Ability to work independently with limited supervision, as well as part of a team.
Strong strategic thinker with demonstrable capacity to translate concepts into action.
Ability to build and/or develop strong systems and practices that enable timely and quality program delivery.
Demonstrated ability to implement programs with rigorous deliverables and timelines in accordance with timeframes and donor regulations.
Strong partnership management skills, especially with local partners.
Positive, respectful attitude and collaborative approach to problem solving.


Competencies:

The Team Lead will have proven experience working with a cross-cultural team and possess strong capacity building and mentoring skills that promote a strong culture of learning and respect. They will demonstrate a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability and make effective communication a priority in all situations. A sense of humor, team mentality and positive nature is highly desirable. Flexibility about work assignments and processes is necessary in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment, coupled with the ability to respond to many new and unpredictable challenges in a demanding program. The ability to multitask and prioritize work efficiently, with a close attention to details and ability to follow agency and donor procedures while meeting deadlines is highly desirable. The position requires a person who is adaptable and able to work under difficult and stressful conditions. Competencies will include:  Adaptability/Change Management; Developing Others; Collaboration/Teamwork; Strategic Thinking and Planning and Prioritization Skills

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions 

The position is based in Amman, Jordan, with extensive travel to field sites.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Recruitment Scams & Fraud Warning

Mercy Corps has become aware of scams involving false job offers. Please be advised:

Recruiters will never ask for a fee during any stage of the recruitment process.

All active jobs are advertised directly on Akhtaboot.

Official Mercy Corps emails will always arrive from a @mercycorps.org email address.

Please report any suspicious communications to ((integrityhotline@mercycorps.org))

 
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