AVoHC Rapid Responder - Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Experts (AfCDC) at African Union(AU)

Purpose of Job

• Africa CDC's African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC) has proved to be an important component of the continent’s capacity to respond to outbreaks and other public health emergencies using regional personnel to rapidly respond to public health emergencies across countries as needs arise.
• AVoHC was conceived of following the West Africa Ebola Virus Disease outbreak and launched in 2015, being managed under the Emergency Operations Centre of Africa CDC. To date deployments have included experts in epidemiology, laboratory sciences, communications, logistics, data management, social science, and clinicians.
• During an East Africa regional meeting of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) leads in Nairobi in November 2022, Africa CDC identified an important gap in deployment capacity in mental health experts.
• To facilitate integration of MHPSS as a component of AVoHC response capacity, so that AVoHC can include MHPSS as part of future public health emergency response, we aim, with this call to recruit deployable MHPSS experts under AVoHC during public health emergencies in AU member states.

Main Functions

• Deployment will usually take place as part of a wider team coordinated by AVoHC in conjunction with the Member State government (Ministry of Health/EPR mechanisms). Ongoing coordination of priority activities and reporting will be through this mechanism.
• The overarching support and coordination between deployments will be under the AVoHC team at Africa CDC. Support for MHPSS activities and personnel capacity will be provided by the mental health experts within Africa CDC.
• The incumbent will ideally be part of the bigger umbrella of the AVoHC at Africa CDC. Being AVoHC member, the incumbent should be willing to be deployed for public health emergency response to any Member State as part of the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC) Rapid Response Teams (RRTs).

Specific Responsibilities
The main duties and responsibilities upon deployment will include:
Enhance MHPSS Coordination:

• Ensure a national emergency preparedness and response plan is in place to use as a guide for activities. If not in place, arrange stakeholder ;
• consultation and development of a plan;
• Encourage the establishment of MHPSS TWG as part of public health emergency response pillar at national level;
• Support the organization regular National MHPSS TWG coordination meeting, insure all members participation, write and disseminate the minutes to relevant response stakeholders including Africa CDC Division of Disease Control and Prevention as well as the EPR;
• Implement the adequate coordination mechanisms with the regional Sub-Working Groups ;
• Advocate on behalf of TWG members for quality MHPSS programming with authorities and donors ;
• Enhance the coordination with the health cluster that just started, and with other clusters as relevant ;
• Support and follow up of MHPSS task-force responsibilities including capacity building, substance Abuse, suicide prevention, school mental health).

Sharing Information:

• Work with EPR Division’s AVoHC unit Team to build a library of best practices and lessons learned from AVoHC operations.
• Encourage the TWG members to update the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) 4Ws (who is where, when, doing what) in MHPSS;
• Request Regional Coordination Centres to share their planned MHPSS activities;
• Share relevant documents with TWG members (assessments, researches…) .

Ensure the Provision of Quality MHPSS Services:

• Support the MHPSS working group to define and operationalize the referral path network and pathway;
• Support the rolling out of supervision and ongoing quality control;
• Ensure use of evidence-based resources (like Minimum Service Package for MHPSS) and practices (M&E) according to international standards.
• Conduct regular assessment of deployed AVoHC mental health status and ensure appropriate measures are taken as needed.
• Ensure appropriate mental health support is provided to those affected by the public health emergency including the community members, frontline
• healthcare workers as well as AVoHC members;
• Collectively coordinate multisectoral assessments and sectoral needs assessments when necessary.

Developing Capacities:

• Train AVoHC deployable team on Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, Minimum Service Package, PFA, mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide and other key resources;
• Strengthen the capacity of local healthcare workers involved in emergency response on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.

Support other collaborative efforts of the AVoHC and Africa CDC and perform any other duties as may be assigned by the AVoHC Program Manager.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A Master's or Bachelor's Degree with qualifications in Clinical or Community Mental Health, Psychiatry, Psychology, Public Health, Social Science, or a related field from an accredited academic institution.

Desirable:

• A Postgraduate training in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.

Experience:

• A Master's Degree with 2 years of experience or a Bachelor's Degree with 5 years of working experience in Emergency and Mental Health, in similar roles, such as mental health coordinator, mental health project manager.
• Experience working in public health programs related to Emergency Preparedness activities;
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of operations of the Africa CDC and Regional Coordination Centres;
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of operations of the African Volunteers Health Corps is a valuable asset;
•  Understanding of the African Union’s way of working and managing associated relationships with Member States and partners is a valuable asset.
•  Experience with engagement and interaction with senior-level officials and other key stakeholders in both public and private-sector organizations;
• Strong data analytical capacities and ability to prepare appropriate reports. Basic understanding of epidemiology;
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and personal qualities of integrity and credibility;
• Have work experience/ is familiar with (mental) health systems in Africa.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of IASC guidelines and recommendations and IASC Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings guidelines and associated products.
• Expertise and experience in the implementation of WHO MHPSS technical packages and guidelines (such as mhGAP, PM+, SH+, Doing What Matters in Times of Stress).
• Knowledge of the mental health system in Africa.
• Familiarity with the Africa CDC partner organizations and other stakeholders in MHPSS;
• Work experience in public health and public health strengthening in Africa during emergency response or migration agency, or regional public health body;
• Experience working in humanitarian settings, public health emergency preparedness and response, infectious disease response.

Required Skills:

• Personal Skills;
• Be a team player
• Ability to deliver assigned tasks, stay on track and meet deadlines;
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities;
• Proven ability to produce precise and intelligible reports and office briefs in line with the requirements of the African Union;
• Able to operate in a multicultural, multilingual environmen;
• High level of autonomy at work, yet with profound team-spirit;
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible;
• Pro-active and solutions oriente;
• Knowledge of results-based managemen;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;
• Solid skills in coordination and writing skill;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging ;environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.), email/internet, and office technology equipment.

Language Requirements:

• Proficiency in one of the African Union working languages (Arabic, English, French, Swahili, Spanish and Portuguese) is required.
• Must be fluent speaking and high writing standard;
• Knowledge of one or several other working languages would be an added advantage.