Job Description

Psychologist

About SDF:

The Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) is a non-governmental, voluntary, independent organization established in March 2015, officially registered at the Ministry of Social Affairs as per license (99). As SDF has been present in Yemen since 2015, it has experience implementing emergency child protection and education responses, including women and youth empowerment. SDF has experience in handling large grants from international donors, such as UNDP, UNHCR, WFP, OCHA, WHO, SCI and ZOA. The Foundation has excellent national-level relations and has experience in coordinating with both national and international NGOs. It has offices, staff and community-based committees in Hajjah, Sana'a, Marib, Ibb, Hudidah, Dhamar, Almahweet, Al-Bayda’a, a6nd Hadramout as well as solid experiences engaging with local communities from whom it gained acceptance and with whom it has collaborated in the past. In addition to that, SDF creates livelihood opportunities and community-based protection.

Posted vacancy: Psychologist

Location: Main Office

Employer: Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) – Yemen.

Doner: UNHCR

Position Type: Full-time contract.

Position reporting to: Case Management Officer.

Starting Date: ASAP.

Postdate: Mar 04th, 2024

Closing date: Mar 13th, 2024

Number of Positions: 1

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Carrying out evaluation of mental health needs of beneficiaries and establishing a diagnosis and a plan of treatment. 
• Referring beneficiaries to other health professionals whenever necessary, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment and improve the beneficiaries 's condition. 
• Implementing Persons at heightened risk protocol, identifying possible persons at heightened risk and referring them to the medical team so that they receive the necessary treatment. Providing psychological support and psychotherapy sessions (individual, family, group).
• Assisting and training staff members and resourceful people whenever necessary in order to enhance the scope of MHPSS activities. 
• Working in close collaboration with translators in order to ensure appropriate terminology and behavior during sessions 
• Collecting statistical and monitoring data about mental health activities. 
• Informing the supervisor and the medical team about any issues or problems that may arise related to beneficiaries’ treatment in order to provide the best possible solution from a medical perspective Ensuring that all beneficiaries information is kept confidential.
• Participate in psychosocial activities in the different departments of the hospital, according with the needs of the department.
• Provide psychoeducation to the case and his/her caretakers about the mental health condition, the role of the care giver during the psychological and pharmacological treatment to follow whit integral MHPSS support.
• Identify and report beneficiaries defaulting to psychological sessions in order to be traced. Identify social needs in mental health beneficiaries and refer to social support.
• Systematically offer individual consultation with new beneficiaries - and with the beneficiaries consent, in order to make an initial contact and identify the main demands and needs.
• Following the assessment - and for beneficiaries needing further support - develop an individual treatment plan based on the psychosocial evaluation and with the active participation and engagement of the beneficiary. Make needed adjustments according to the impact and feedback of the beneficiary.
• Contribute to SDF internal capacity building, trainings, workshops that might SDF arrange for other stakeholders or staff , according to the specific skills of the psychologist.
• Refer beneficiaries displaying severe symptoms of mental disorder to advanced services (both secondary health care and other services) when appropriate and in consultation and with the validation of the MHPSS PM and with the consent of the beneficiary and head of household.
• Refer beneficiaries displaying severe symptoms of mental disorder to advanced services (both secondary health care and other services) when appropriate and in consultation and with the validation of the MHPSS and with the consent of the beneficiary and head of household.
• Provide regular reports on the supervision and training activities for SDF staff when relevant
• Participate in collecting the beneficiaries data and liaise with data entry officer for the accurate recording of the activities and according to the internal guidelines
• Contribute to the PSS statistic reports and donor reports, with the support and guidance of the MHPSS
• Provide feedback on security issues or any important information you might have involving security of the teams and/or the beneficiaries to your direct line manager.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Degree in psychology. Advanced degree in clinical psychology will be an added advantage;
• Knowledge or experience of MHPSS guidelines; 
• Technical skills in psychological assessment and testing, counselling, psychotherapy. Knowledge or experience in trauma, severe mental health conditions, Persons at heightened risk, child development, care practices;
• Training and supervision skills for health workers and community members. Skills in data collection, monitoring and evaluation;
• Training certificate on Safeguarding and Code of Conduct;
• Minimum 1 year of professional experience related to MHPSS, Protection and/or Care Practices; 
• Experience in humanitarian context, with vulnerable population, IDPs, refugees, in host-communities, camps, PHCs;
• Experience in psychological assessment, counselling and follow-up; Experience in case management and referral. Experience in training and supervision.
• Excellent communication, listening and observation skills; Empathy, tolerance and flexibility.
• Sensitivity towards protection and confidentiality issues.
• Fluent in English will be an added advantage.

Professional Standards: The SDF workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in SDF Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equity. In accordance with these values, the SDF operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation, and Combating Trafficking in Persons.