Background
This position will be located within UNDSS office under the SMT local-cost-shared-budget. The incumbent develops, organizes, and implements a comprehensive stress management program for UN personnel in Papua New Guinea (PNG) that includes but is not limited to:
individual and group crisis interventions during emergencies and psychological assessments and evidence-based interventions in the case of individual staff members experiencing difficulty coping and/or presenting mental health-related symptoms or syndromes; advice to the UN AFP personnel upon request, with the aim of improving work life balance and resolving work-related conflicts that adversely affect job performance and productivity; and training on mental health and wellbeing topics.The Stress Counsellor will work under the technical guidance of the Critical Incident Stress Management Section in UNHQ and the overall administrative supervision of the UNDSS Security Advisor, PNG. UNDSS PNG supports all UN entities in country through the provision of security advice and guidance to enable
all entities to conduct their operations in the safest way possible. UNDSS has its headquarters in New York and has operations in more than one hundred countries.
Stress Counsellors affiliated to UNDSS are primarily responsible for preparedness, response and recovery of UN personnel pre-, during and post- emergencies; in accordance with the Management of Stress and Critical Incident Stress (MSCIS) Framework of the UN outlined in the relevant policy (2015). Preparedness includes stress identification, stress management and resilience building activities among others. Response and recovery activities include the provision of professional mental health services following critical incidents including mass casualty and non-casualty incidents. Stress Counsellors monitor stressors that affect UN personnel, identify needs and trends, and tailor psychosocial support services to address and promote holistic staff psychosocial wellbeing approaches in collaboration with UN medical service and accredited local service providers, the Security Advisor, UN HR Officers, UN Counsellors from other UN agencies, funds and programs, as well as providing guidance and advice to heads of agencies and the Designated Official.
The Stress Counsellor will be based in PNG and provide psychosocial support services for staff and eligible dependents located across the country. The current security context is highly volatile and as a result, the psychosocial well-being of staff is impacted severely. The unpredictability of civil unrest, lack of access to medical facilities, and the ever-present threat of crime have made UN personnel highly vulnerable to high cumulative stress and critical incident stress resulting in physical and psychological trauma and illness. Moreover, recent years’ experience has demonstrated the prevalence and significant direct impact of family and sexual violence (FSV) on UN personnel in PNG which necessitates specialized and relevant support to affected personnel and to guide managers and first responders appropriately.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Stress Counsellor will work under the technical guidance of the Critical Incident Stress Management Section in UNHQ and the overall administrative supervision of the UNDSS Security Advisor, PNG
The primary role of the UNDSS PNG Stress Counsellor will be to develop an efficient and sustainable stress management system across the UNSMS community in PNG with a focus on critical incident stress management preparedness, response and recovery of UN personnel and programs in response to a range of emergencies with an individual or organizational impact.
Within delegated authority, overall supervision of the Security Advisor and the technical guidance of CISMS Regional Stress Counsellor for Asia Pacific, the Stress Counsellor will be responsible for the following main duties in accordance with the UN policy on the Management of Stress and Critical Incident Stress (MSCIS -2015).
He/she will administer a wide range of stress management activities, actively participating in emergency preparedness in the country in collaboration with UNDSS and the UN emergency coordination group; Develop and implement a stress management plan that includes a wide range of stress identification, mitigation, prevention activities; Plan and facilitate stress management training on a variety of mental health and wellbeing topics to UN personnel in the country and the circulation of useful reading resources applicable to the cultural context; Identify, address, and follow up on personnel affected by critical incident stress among the UN personnel and dependents in the country; Provide individual and group counselling sessions related to critical incidents; Provide referral advice to UN staff when in need of specialized mental health services outside of the UN; Liaise with local experts and institutions in the country for referral, as well as with UN line managers, heads of agency, medical doctors, and local physicians in order to build a network of professionals ready to support and intervene in case of need; Provide technical advice to UN senior management on stress mitigating strategies and activities during crises; Perform psychosocial needs assessments to monitor the determinants of stress in UN personnel according to the highest industry standards using appropriate data collection tools and statistical and qualitative analysis; Provide monthly activity reports to the Security Advisor and CISMS Regional Stress Counsellor with due client confidentiality observed. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.Competencies
Core Competencies
Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: Level 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: Level 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: Level 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: Level 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: Level 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Level 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discriminationCross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business Management
Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels. Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns. Management: different parts of corporate operations, simultaneously and in an integrated way, in order to convert the organization's assets into the bestBusiness Direction & Strategy
Strategic Thinking: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organizationDigital
Design thinking: Solving problems by putting people at the center, visualizing ideas and making them tangible in order to improve them through and iterativeGeneral (across the functions)
Event planning and execution: Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communicationsRequired Skills and Experience
Education:
An advance degree (Master’s degree) in Psychology (Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology (Master’s degree should have been obtained after a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Counselling or Social Work), or Doctor of Medicine, Degree in Psychiatry (MD) after a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine. A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional four years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degreeExperience:
Minimum of two (2) years (with master’s degree) or fours (4) years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in psychological counselling and or psychotherapy essential. Prior experience with the United Nations, international NGO or cross border is desirable Microsoft Office, Windows-based applications, integrated web-based management systems, spreadsheets and databases Experience in Psychosocial programming Experience in Cross cultural counselling Experience in Crisis management in clinical settings Experience in Substance abuse management Experience in family and sexual violence, domestic abuse, and/or intimate partner violence vulnerability assessments and interventions Experience in Suicide prevention assessments Well-developed communication, leadership and team-building skills. Experience in dealing with international and national staff and agencies would be desirable Knowledge of and experience in gender mainstreaming Demonstrated knowledge and experience in addressing cultural sensitivity issues, including the ability to navigate and manage diverse cultural contexts with respect and understanding. Experience in conducting workshops, seminars, or group therapy sessions.Required Languages:
Fluency in English and Tok Pisin is required.Professional Certificates:
A license to practice as a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist or a Counselling Psychologist by a certified body in country (i.e. psychological council or medical council or equivalent). Additional certification, training and/or experience in a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, psychosomatic disease, behavioral problems, psychosocialEqual opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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