Advises the Director of Relief and Social Services, other directors, and managers on staff care, mental health and wellbeing areas; supports the development and implementation of divisional strategies, policies and plans, ensuring alignment with departmental, UNRWA and wider UN strategies, policies, and processes to support staff care and wellbeing in meeting the mandate of UNRWA; coordinates and cooperates closely with other sections within and outside of the Human Resources Department (HRD), raising awareness and advocating for staff welfare and psychosocial issues at the highest levels; works towards gaining support for psychosocial wellbeing projects; develops and verifies psychosocial wellbeing related policies or HR policies affecting staff mental health and wellbeing; oversees the integration of staff care in all relevant policies to ensure an organizational approach to staff mental health and wellbeing. Leads the Staff Care Division; regularly collaborates with other units to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to service delivery; develops existing staff care protocols (especially crisis intervention protocol) in coordination with relevant parties; develops and continuously evaluates the strategy of psychosocial support to UNRWA personnel (all contracts) and their families; intervenes in crises and other situations with appropriate psychosocial interventions for UNRWA employees and their families; develops guidelines to ensure that the provision of services meets professional standards and maintains the highest ethical standards. Ensures that the work of staff counsellors/staff care specialists is well integrated in regional and field-based plans; coordinates the work of all staff counsellors, staff care specialists/consultants, ensuring resources are used efficiently and that staff welfare programmes are reasonably consistent across field offices; endorses staff counsellors’ workplans at headquarters and in the field offices; ensures quality standards are consistently realized through clinical and technical support, supervision, coaching, obtaining feedback and continuous education; oversees the development and maintenance of the online platforms designed to support staff in collaboration with relevant wellbeing stakeholders. Takes part and/or initiates various working groups, focusing on the well-being of staff, oriented towards finding alternatives and better solutions through policy changes or defining best practices; takes responsibility for the development and delivery of a range of trainings and programmes, including but not limited to team building, resilience, harassment, and cross-cultural sensitivity to improve morale, health, and team dynamics. Produces comprehensive reports that summarize the activities of staff counsellors and staff care initiatives; oversees the development of written and visual materials that increase awareness of important themes and topics related to staff care and wellbeing. Maintains close collaboration with staff counsellors in other UN agencies with similar programmes, sharing experiences and resources to the extent possible, to align service delivery with the staff care, mental health and wellbeing strategies and agency priorities (to the extent possible). Represents UNRWA on the advisory committee of the United Nations Staff and Stress Counsellors Group, interagency committees and working groups including but not limited to the UN Mental Health Strategy and UN Duty of Care Working Group.

Requirements: 

Education

Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or a related discipline.

Job – Specific Qualification

Active licensure / registration as a mental health professional with a recognized governing association; must be a member of that organization in good standing is required.

Work Experience

A least ten years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience relevant to mental health and wellbeing is required. At least five years of relevant work experience in a humanitarian organization is required. Unless already serving as an international staff member in the UN Common System, at least two continuous years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA, and outside the country(s) of which the candidate is a national or holds citizenship, a passport or a national identity number is required. Experience working in a hardship location or providing counselling services to staff working in very difficult and insecure environments is required. Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) from an accredited educational institution in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, or a related discipline is required. Sound knowledge of Arabic is required.

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English is required. Sound knowledge of Arabic is required.