Psychiatrist (Mental Health and Psychosocial Specialist)

Reports to (role)

MHPSS Program Coordinator

Our Work

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and, at the same time, promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.

Purpose

As part of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Specialist (Psychiatrist) is the ICRC technical reference point for psychiatry.

In coordination with program coordinator, the psychiatrist is responsible for developing and deploying technical guidelines and governance related to MHPSS and in particular specialized mental health care.

However, as a key member of the MHPSS Coordination team, the Psychiatrist should have a holistic and integrative view of MHPSS and be able to contribute more broadly to MHPSS programs across contexts. The Psychiatrist provides guidance and technical support to ICRC departments and field teams in developing, implementing, and monitoring MHPSS programs which respond to the needs of different groups affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. These groups include people affected by emergencies; victims of violence, including sexual violence and children; families of missing persons; helpers (people in frontline humanitarian positions); people who are hospitalized with weapon-wounds and/or physical disabilities; and people deprived of their liberty or who have been released from detention.

Accountabilities & Functional responsibilities

• Under the guidance of the MHPSS Program Coordinator, in collaboration with the MHPSS Regional Specialists and relevant colleagues at the Health Unit and more broadly in protection, Detention, Essential Services Operational Partners (ESSOP) assist in aligning field operations with ICRC strategic directions;
• Provide technical support to the MHPSS field programs to strengthen ICRC’s capacities to respond to MHPSS needs, especially in specialized mental health care, in collaboration with the MHPSS Regional Specialists;
• Support and mentor MHPSS Regional Specialists and field teams in the implementation of high-quality technical programs including assessments of needs, development of strategies, plan of action and monitoring;
• Act as a focal point for medical aspects of MHPSS activities, specifically those relating to primary health care and hospital care, care of persons wounded by weapons, physical rehabilitation, and psychopharmacological matters;
• Manage the MHPSS aspects of health care in detention including care inside places of detention and post¬-release care for people deprived of their liberty;
• Develop guidelines and other key documents material;
• Reinforce mainstreaming and integration of MHPSS activities in the other five health capabilities (First Aid and Prehospital Emergency Care, Primary Health Care, Hospital Services, Physical Rehabilitation and Health Care in Detention);
• Advocate and promote MHPSS activities with the ICRC and with other stakeholders, including the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
• Contribute to the development of the pool of MHPSS specialists, particularly the pool of psychiatrists;
• Contribute to the development and field implementation of monitoring tools, including digital tools.

People management responsibilities

No

Relationships

Internally, interacts with staff from the different programs within the Health Unit and with other relevant units/divisions (e.g., Protection, the Sexual Violence Advisory team).

Externally, represents the ICRC with international organizations, professional associations, academic institutions and relevant authorities when necessary.

Certifications / Education required

• University degree in Psychiatry with a valid license to practice is required;
• Training in MHPSS in humanitarian context is required;
• Training in public health is an asset;
• Fluent command of English and French. Spanish, Arabic and/or Russian are assets;
• Familiar with results-based management / logical framework tools.

Professional Experience required

• Humanitarian field experience implementing MHPSS programs in low-income countries and especially in crisis and armed conflict settings is required (5 years);
• Strong clinical experience (3 to 5 years);
• Exposure to psychiatry in places of detention/prison an asset;
• ICRC field experience an asset;
• Red Cross/Red Crescent experience an asset;
• Understanding of community public health psychiatry with multidisciplinary teams an asset.

Additional information

• Length of assignment: 4 years
• Type of contract: Open-ended
• Working rate: 100%
• Starting date: ASAP with 1st of November latest ideally.
• Location: HQ - Geneva
• Hardship : H0
• Job level: C2
• Hiring Manager: Omar S. Rasheed
• Application deadline: 07.10.2024

Our Values

At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this