Iraq: Mental Health Technical Coordinator - Iraq

Organizational Background:

Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the global arm of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI’s offices in nearly a dozen countries implement programs on a range of global human rights issues, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries. HAI has significant expertise in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for survivors of rights abuses. It is also an industry leader in access to high-quality and stigma-free health care. Across all of its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protections and gender equality.

HAI has been working in Iraq since 2004, helping victims of human rights abuses heal and access justice, and providing training and resources to help Iraqi human rights activists build capacity and strengthen local organizations. HAI is active in torture prevention and treatment, gender-based violence and suicide prevention, addressing the impacts of human trafficking, juvenile justice reform, LGBTI rights, mental health, refugee protection, and religious and ethnic minority rights. HAI’s team in Iraq is based in Iraqi Kurdistan, but is active throughout Iraq.

Overview

This Mental Health Technical Coordinator will support the continued growth of a culture and practice of high-quality Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programming for HAI’s Iraq office. Primary responsibilities include designing, developing, and overseeing MHPSS systems and events; building the capacity of HAI staff in MHPSS; and promoting programmatic MHPSS learning processes both internally and externally. The position will ensure that MHPSS systems and capacity building are established and implemented to advance and embody HAI’s mission and human rights principles. The Mental Health Technical Coordinator will be responsible for providing timely, regular, high-quality MHPSS technical support to the Iraq office with both new and ongoing programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Guides the implementation of MHPSS programming and the methods of follow-up, with a focus on technical aspects and quality assurance through close monitoring and supervision
• Ensures that MHPSS program components are implemented according to approved work plan to achieve program deliverables. Through strong planning and monitoring, identify potential obstacles to programmatic success in a timely fashion, and implement corrective actions as needed
• Ensures technical oversight and field-monitoring of the program staff in close coordination with project managers, notably to ensure quality control and adequate implementation of the planned tools and frameworks
• Provides capacity building training and supervision to national MHPSS staff
• As needed, in collaboration with HQ MHPSS Technical Advisor contributes to the development of case studies of successes and lessons learned, and other publications to highlight HAI’s niche areas of expertise and value added
• Provides regular comprehensive program updates to supervisor as to program status, current and emerging issues;
• Drafts narrative reports and contributes to the development of financial reports through regular budgetary follow up;
• Oversees the recruitment of MHPSS field staff as well as personnel and documentation follow-up;
• As possible attends relevant coordination groups
• Develops scopes of work, project deliverables and monitoring and evaluation indicators and targets together with the Program Development team and HQ MHPSS Technical Advisor for grant and service delivery partners as required.
• Contribute to and support the country team in developing concept notes and project proposals. As needed, supports HQ MHPSS TA with developing guidance, tools, case studies, models, and other materials related to mental health programming to promote learning across country offices.
• As possible, represents HAI and its projects in professional and public settings, and makes presentations at professional meetings and conferences.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

• Master’s degree in clinical social work or counseling or a PsyD or PhD in psychology, counseling or social work with a minimum of 5 years post-licensure experience

Technical Skills:

• At least two years of experience implementing MHPSS programming in development and/or humanitarian settings, preferably in the Middle East

• Experience with MHPSS needs of vulnerable and minority populations in Iraq / the Middle East, such as refugees, internally displaced persons / returnees, unaccompanied and separated children, and survivors of human rights abuses

• Knowledge of child protection guidelines and best practices

• Knowledge of child and adolescent MHPSS

• Program design and development experience preferred, including proposal writing

• Demonstrated ability to train staff and implementing partners on MHPSS

• Experience in development of output and outcome level performance measurement indicators and targets related to MHPSS

Other Competencies:

• Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision.

• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness

• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data

• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively;

• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events

• Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written English language communication skills required

• Proficiency in oral and written Arabic and/or Kurdish preferred

• Demonstrated competency in public speaking preferred

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
• High proficiency in Excel, SPSS, or another statistical analysis software
• Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• The employee may be required to remain on Organization premises during breaks and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives.

• The employee is required to travel regularly to often insecure and limited-resource environments.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at +1 (312) 660-1431.

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