Mission Mental Health Activity Manager at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Main Objective and Responsibility of the Position

• Defining, coordinating and monitoring all mental health related activities in the project area including management of staff, ensuring the quality of care and analyzing statistics and reports, according to MSF protocols in order to provide the most appropriate support for patients.

Accountabilities:

• 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 psycho social 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.
• 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 thru referral to an appropriate resource.

MSF Section / Context Specific Accountabilities:

• MSF OCA currently operates projects in Sokoto, Benue and Zamfara states in Nigeria. All these projects have components of MHPSS albeit varying degrees.
• The mission flying MHAM is therefore critical not only in supporting the existing & new projects in the Nigeria mission but also in driving the mission MHPSS activities. The MHAM may be required to detach to other missions or sections on short term basis if operationally needed.

Program Activities:

• Responsible for the MH component in the mission supporting the existing projects (Sokoto project, Zamfara Secondary Health Care Project, Benue project and Gummi emergency nutrition response) plus any new projects encompassing MH component. This requires proper planning, training, implementation and monitoring of MH activities.
• Assess the need for MH related activities in supported clinics and hospitals or other new MH situations as maybe requested.
• Participates in assessments and explorations to identify MH needs.
• Supports the projects in identifying additional MH needs.
• Supports the projects in translating those additional MH needs into appropriate actions, in accordance with MSF policies.
• Supports the projects in the implementation and monitoring progress of those MH activities through identification of program indicators, routine review of these indicators to monitor the progress of mental health activities and propose changes to the MH strategy as needed.
• Provides new and follow-up trainings in projects (outreach, HP and SGBV teams, externals - MoH) – counselling, psychosocial first aid and other trainings as needed and supportive supervision to MH team.
• Ensures proper projects’ data collection, entry into the DHIS and storage with emphasis on data protection on sensitive patient details.
• Participates in individual project actor mapping and liaison with other related actors.

Human Resources Management:

• Participate in MH staff recruitment and coaching of project MH staffs.
• Plans and, together with the MTL/PC, timely requests for MH human resources, where needed.
• In collaboration with the mental health supervisor, conduct regular supervisory meeting with the MH staff.
• Support the MH team in ensuring smooth communication with relevant supervisors /coordinators/Advisors in sharing problematic situations and cases to help with decision-making and problem resolution.
• Steer the planning and implementation process of the new job performance evaluation formats by ensuring planning interview, mid-term and eventual end-of-mission evaluations of staff at the project level.

Reporting:

• Provide monthly (or as required) report to Deputy MedCo/MedCo/PCs/MH adviser.
• Ensure that the MH program data are up to date including proper patient registration, data collection; analysis and reporting.

Requirements (Qualifications / Experience / Knowledge)
To apply for this role applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Education:

• Master's in Clinical Psychology or MD Degree with specialization in Psychiatry.

Experience:

• Essential working experience of at least two years as a clinical psychologist or Psychiatrist at a supervisor or manager level. Desirable working experience with MSF or other NGOs in developing countries.

Languages:

• English essential, Hausa is desirable.

Knowledge:

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

Competencies:

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