Staff Counsellor

Staff Counsellor- Gaza- SSA 10

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

WFP Palestine is operating in areas where military armed actors and other stakeholders are present and influence our access to beneficiaries, and beneficiaries access to our services.  This has resulted in the unavoidable sharing of space between those entities and the humanitarian community – an intensely kinetic conflict environment, with heavy restrictions on humanitarian access, most acute in Gaza and increasingly across the West Bank (WB).  The current WFP operations in Gaza – and, to a lesser extent the WB – are scaling up throughout 2024, with a corresponding uplift also required in WFP’s Access capacity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The main role of the Staff Counsellor is to support the Palestine Counselling team in providing efficient and effective psychological support to WFP employees and their official dependents. The psychological impact and the effects of living in and through the ongoing crises, is continuously increasing and only beginning to be understood. With mental health services under strain, and at times inaccessible, employees and their families are increasingly looking to the Staff Counselling team for psychosocial support, as they seek to address and manage their mental health conditions. A large emphasis is placed on extensive engagement with staff and promotion of staff wellbeing in times of crisis.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Staff Counsellor will be based in Gaza and will be expected to travel for short missions where possible to support Staff and families. This position will report functionally and administratively to the Deputy Country Director for Palestine, based in Gaza and technically to the international Staff Counsellor. The following duties are included in this role:

1. Support the Staff Counsellor in identifying psychosocial hazards by assessing the needs, including ongoing and anticipated needs.
2. Provide culturally sensitive and trauma informed individual and/or group counselling for WFP employees and direct dependents.
3. Provide pre and post deployment briefings to staff deployed through briefings, counselling sessions and other activities to ensure proactive support is extended to staff.
4. Participate in crisis response, provide crisis counselling to individuals and/or groups during emergencies and after critical incidents, and ensure follow up support.
5. Provide active psychological support including during emergencies and/or after critical incidents to ensure continued staff well-being and that managers & staff are provided with the effective support to manage change.
6. Support and maintain the WFP Wellness Support Volunteer Network (WSV) through ongoing supervision and oversight. Work collaboratively with WSV’s to create events and initiatives designed to promote staff wellness.
7. Contribute to the design of guidelines, as well as information materials to increase awareness and promote staff wellness in times of crisis.
8. Contribute to building a mental health referral network of professionals to facilitate culturally appropriate psychosocial support for WFP employees.Refer to external mental health professionals and relevant services when needed.
9. Maintain at all times the highest ethical standards related to the provision of psychological services consistent with the Wellness Division Ethical Guidelines and Standards of
10. Complete administrative duties, such as maintaining statistics on implemented activities and completing reporting requirements as per requirements of the Wellness Division. Providing comprehensive report at end of assignment.
11. Other as required.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Advanced university degree (Doctorate, Masters or equivalent) in Psychology, Psychiatry or demonstrably equivalent studies from a recognized institution. The candidate must be licensed/registered or equivalent with a governing body as a mental health professional. Additional training or certification in a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, critical incident stress, cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, mediation, trauma etc. will be an advantage.

Experience:

Minimum Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional post graduate experience relevant to the field is required. Experience either working in a hardship location or providing counselling services to staff working under very difficult and insecure environments is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

Broad knowledge of all facets of the field of counselling and ability to provide an environment in which others can talk confidentially and act without fear or repercussions within a climate of established trust. Excellent communication skills (oral, written and presentations) including the ability to defend and explain difficult issues and positions to staff at all levels. Ability to identify clients' needs and suggest appropriate solutions. Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients. Very good working knowledge of technology tools such as PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Languages:

Proficiency (level C) in writing and verbal communication in English and fluency in Arabic is required.

** Note: All candidates are requested to fill out their application completely and correctly: to provide full and correct years of experience and obtained educational degree/s, in Workday platform; in the requested fields, in addition to attach the updated and correct CV. Any incomplete application will not be considered.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at [email protected] in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.