Psychosocial Support Officer at Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)

Introduction

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), is faith-based Catholic International Organization working across 56 countries whose mission is to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and IDPs in conflict zones, detention centers, camp and urban settings, and on remote borders. JRS provides psychosocial support programmes in detention centres and refugee camps, provides humanitarian relief in emergency displacement situations, Education and livelihoods programmes, provides skill development and opportunities for integration into host communities.

Job Summary
Under the guidance and general supervision of the Head of Programme and the Project Director, the Psychosocial Officer will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality psychosocial services (e.g. oversee staff capacity building in psychosocial trauma and provide psychosocial group facilitation) to target beneficiaries whom JRS Nigeria works with.

Role/Mission

• Lead all implementation of psychosocial activities including Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience (STAR) training to target beneficiaries along with providing basic level emotional regulation exercises to release trauma stress patterns.
• Ensure that JRS’s psychosocial support models are delivered effectively.
• Ensure the team’s provision of high-quality support to beneficiaries is in line with JRS Nigeria’s Psychosocial Models, including adherence to Psychosocial Assessment.
• Provide psychosocial support education and supervision to staff members and case managers.
• Attend Psychosocial Review Meetings and provide support to beneficiaries involved.
• Ensure that case managers are making referrals for psychosocial critical incidents, such as child safety concerns, risk of suicide or self-harm to Search identified clinical actors.
• Write a monthly summary report highlighting training conducted, lessons learnt, challenges, and recommendations including success highlights, feedback from participants, and recommendations for the next stages of JRS’s program (sent to line supervisor).
• Attend coordination meetings with other INGOs/ NGOs, sector working groups to help link JRS Nigeria with other organizations doing similar work.
• Work with government partners and other relevant stakeholders to develop, implement and monitor referral pathways for those in need of mental health and psychosocial support.
• Lead and participate in psychosocial support capacity building for government partners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strengthen community capacity to identify, address and support residents in need of psychosocial support and resources.
• The Psychosocial Specialist will also support and debrief staff on psychosocial recommendations from noted issues that arise during his/her work, identify and address professional development needs.

Required Profile

Have a university degree and preferably a master's degree in one of the following fields: psychosocial peacebuilding, psychology, psychiatry, social work or relevant fields.

Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience working in a humanitarian organization or with displacement affected populations.
• Have facilitated/ co-facilitated psychosocial support trainings to key stakeholders that include refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), security, local and community leaders with excellent command of trainees in relevant fields.
• Experience in capacity building of staff and or case managers in mental health and psychosocial support.
• Basic understanding of trauma and how to help participants manage the effects of trauma that often arise during workshops due to their personal experience of societal violence.
• Demonstrate leadership skills, active listening skills, initiative and personal discipline, etc.
• Have good computer skills and mastery of MS Office tools.

Qualities

• Adhere to JRS values and abide by the code of conduct and other policies.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Mastery of English (fluency in spoken and written languages).
• Have a knowledge of a local language preferably Hausa.