MHT Health Personnel / Psychologist (3 Positions)

Organizational Context

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Agency for Migration, is a leading intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration. Working with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners, IOM saves lives, protects people on the move, and provides essential services and advice to governments and migrants. The organization fosters an inclusive and supportive work environment to maximize migration's potential and strengthen support for those displaced.

Job Purpose

This role serves as a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Personnel, specifically a Psychologist, within the Mobile Psychosocial Team. The primary purpose is to provide crucial psychological support to individuals and communities affected by emergencies, such as earthquakes. This involves delivering individual, family, and group counseling, applying psychological first aid, identifying mental health conditions, and facilitating community-based psychosocial activities. The role contributes to the early recovery and resilience of affected populations by ensuring timely access to mental health services, promoting emotional well-being, and coordinating with social workers and protection teams to address complex needs and vulnerabilities. The Psychologist plays a vital part in the OIM's emergency response efforts, aiming to mitigate the psychological impact of crises and support the overall recovery process.

Responsibilities

Provide individual, family, and group psychological support according to established protocols and OIM guidelines. Administer Psychological First Aid (PFA) and other evidence-based interventions for emergency-affected individuals. Identify signs of common mental disorders, acute stress reactions, anxiety, depression, and grief, ensuring timely referral for specialized care. Participate in rapid mental health and psychosocial needs assessments in affected communities and various settings. Implement community-based psychosocial support activities focused on emotional well-being, resilience, and early recovery. Design and facilitate group sessions, psychoeducational activities, and emotional support spaces tailored to diverse populations. Collaborate closely with Social Workers within the Mobile Psychosocial Team for comprehensive case management and person-centered care plans. Engage in interdisciplinary case analysis, joint planning, and follow-up meetings. Coordinate referral and counter-referral processes for individuals requiring specialized mental health, protection, or social services. Identify protection risks, including gender-based violence and child protection issues, and activate appropriate institutional pathways. Support the mapping of available MHPSS and protection services. Contribute to community awareness activities on emotional well-being and healthy coping mechanisms. Assist in training and orienting community promoters and local staff on PFA and psychosocial needs identification. Maintain timely and confidential records of activities and client information using OIM's defined tools. Participate in coordination, planning, monitoring, and learning meetings. Contribute to periodic reports on activities, identified needs, observed trends, and achieved results. Promote self-care and healthy stress management among beneficiaries and affected communities. Uphold OIM's humanitarian principles, including do no harm, confidentiality, protection, and professional ethics.

Work Experience

Mandatory prior experience in MHPSS approaches, community work, and team coordination. Experience in emergency response, community health, and mobile health teams integrating protection in urban and/or rural areas is considered a strong asset.

Skills

Knowledge of humanitarian action principles and architecture, inter-institutional coordination, and emergency response. Familiarity with international humanitarian standards (e.g., Sphere Handbook). Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite and digital data collection/monitoring tools (e.g., Kobo Toolbox). Ability to apply person-centered, community-based, and human rights approaches in service delivery. Fluency in Spanish (oral and written) is required; working knowledge of English is desirable.

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