Senior Project Associate – Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) - G6 Monrovia, Liberia

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) is one of the core areas of IOM expertise, and a field in which the organization has over 40 years of experience. IOM USA works with the US Department of State to provide eligible beneficiaries, both in the United States and in third countries, with their access to assisted voluntary return to their countries of origin or of legal status in a safe and dignified manner. In addition to travel arrangements, IOM’s assistance may include counselling of voluntary returnees, acquisition of travel documents, provision of medical or other escorts, departure, transit and arrival assistance.

The PRM funded-Global Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Program aims to provide migrants with irregular status in the United States and in third countries (as in the case of Liberia) access to assisted voluntary return to their countries of origin or legal status in a safe and dignified manner.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) of CO w/ Coord Function and the direct supervisor of the MHPSS Programme Officer and in close cooperation with relevant departments at Headquarters (HQs) and Regional Office (RO), the Senior Project Associate – Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) will be responsible and accountable for assisting the supervisor in the implementation of MHPSS activites in IOM Liberia. The incumbent will contribute to promoting psychosocial well-being through structured activities, awareness campaigns, recreational activities, information sharing sessions, and other community activities.

Responsibilities

1. Coordinate the delivery of multilayered psychosocial support services for vulnerable migrants in IOM Monrovia, from early identification of individuals experiencing psychological distress or severe mental health conditions through monitored referral pathways and follow-up with specialized service to secure timely access to appropriate mental health care and continuity of support.

2. Serve as the focal point for psychosocial support interventions, overseeing case identification, referrals and follow-up for vulnerable migrants and providing guidance to staff and partners on referral mechanisms and compliance with established case management procedures to strengthen the consistency and quality of case handling.

3. Act as the focal point for administrative coordination of project implementation, involving extensive liaison with diverse organizational units and external parties to initiate requests, obtain necessary clearances, follow-up on administrative actions, etc.

4. Identify strategies to promote mental health and psychosocial support and develop operational plans based on the analysis of rapid MHPSS assessment findings to widen the access of vulnerable migrants to integrated psychosocial  services.

5. Organise psychoeducational activities focusing on stress management, well-being, coping strategies and social cohesion, adapting content to participant needs and context to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable migrants.

6. Contribute inputs for the development of training materials and tools for IOM staff and Implementing Partners (IP) by adapting IOM MHPSS, Protection, AVR, and Reintegration resources to the local context and equip users with consistent and practical guidance.

7. Deliver training and provide guidance to MHPSS focal points, IOM staff (including translators, drivers and security personnel), national  stakeholders and local service providers on Psychological First Aid (PFA) to strengthen the quality of assistance provided to migrants during arrival, post-arrival and reception processes.

8. Monitor compliance with confidentiality, data protection and safeguarding standards across MHPSS activities, provide guidance to staff and partners on the appropriate handling of sensitive information and recommend corrective measures where gaps are identified to protect the safety of beneficiaries.

9. Facilitate and organise bilateral consultations, and/or Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with vulnerable migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), tailoring to context, needs and practicalities, and consolidating the findings to inform programme design.

10. Promote the integration of cross-cutting issues including protection, gender, child protection, anti-trafficking and non-discrimination principles, across MHPSS activites and provide technical support to programme teams and IPs to embed these principles in daily practice.

11. Set-up and maintain quality-controlled activity records, beneficiaries databases and service tracking tools, while analysing service delivery trends and consolidating the findings to inform programme monitoring and decision-making.

12. Support in the development of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools with feedback mechanisms, generating evidence to adapt and continually improve MHPSS programming.

13. Prepare structured and ad hoc reports on all activities undertaken, presenting findings, analysis and recommendations clearly and concisely for management and donor reporting requirements.

14. Perform such other relevant duties as maybe assigned.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Clinical Psychology, Psychology, Social works, Counselling or a related field from an accredited academic institution with four years of relevant professional experience; or,

• High School diploma with six years of relevant professional experience.

• Professional accreditation from a recognized medical, psychological or counselling association-society.

EXPERIENCE

• Experience in assessing and analyzing MHPSS needs in complex emergency and post-conflict contexts;

• Experience in providing multi-layered MHPSS services in AVR programs and Migration Reception Centers;

• Experienced in developing MHPSS case plans, conducting Triage for specialized cases, regular check-ins, and case follow ups; 

• Experience in working with psychosocial focal points, translators;

• Experience working with migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV); and,

• Prior work experience with international humanitarian organizations, non-government or government institutions/organization in a multi-cultural setting.

SKILLS

• Previous participation to IOM corporate programme in “Psychosocial Interventions in Emergency and Displacement” will be considered an asset;

• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with persons of diverse cultural and national backgrounds;

• Proven interpersonal and teamwork skills;

• Excellent communication and report-writing skills;

• Knowledge of, and application of IASC MHPSS principles and IOM policies and procedures is an advantage; and,

• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

SECTION 5

Languages
IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish. 

REQUIRED

For this position, fluency in English is required （oral and written）.

DESIRABLE

Working knowledge of French and Spanish.