Chargé(e) du Soutien Psychosocial (sc8), Beni, RD Congo

Organizational Context

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives and building a pathway to peace and prosperity. WFP operates in challenging environments, and the well-being of its staff is paramount to achieving its mission. This role is crucial in supporting staff in the Eastern DRC, a region facing persistent security fragility.

Job Purpose

The Psychosocial Support Officer will provide essential counseling and support services to WFP staff and their dependents in Beni, DRC, addressing the psychological impacts of working in demanding and potentially hazardous environments. This role involves delivering individual and group counseling, conducting pre- and post-deployment briefings, and developing and facilitating training programs on topics such as resilience, team building, and intercultural sensitivity. The officer will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, HR, and security to identify and mitigate psychological risks, support staff well-being, and foster a positive work environment. Responsibilities also include maintaining ethical standards, managing cases, referring staff to external resources when necessary, and contributing to the development of policies and materials to enhance staff welfare and organizational resilience.

Responsibilities

The Psychosocial Support Officer will provide counseling and support services to WFP staff and their dependents, considering cultural differences. This includes case management and referrals when necessary. The role involves offering pre- and post-deployment briefings for staff in emergency or difficult duty stations. Based on trend data and requests, the officer will develop and propose training programs on topics like teamwork, resilience, harassment, and intercultural sensitivity to enhance morale and team dynamics. Collaborating within a multidisciplinary team, the officer will address psychological risks at individual, team, and organizational levels. They will also work with supervisors to improve workplace climate and ambiance within their units. In emergencies, the officer will provide rapid, sensitive psychosocial support and follow-up after critical incidents. They will support and maintain the Wellness Support Volunteer network through training and supervision, and identify local mental health resources for referrals. The role also involves contributing to policy development, creating awareness materials, compiling activity statistics, and maintaining high ethical standards in psychological service delivery. Frequent travel to country offices, sometimes on short notice and to remote locations, is a key requirement.

Work Experience

Requires at least three years of postgraduate professional experience in counseling, with increasing levels of responsibility. Experience in difficult duty stations or providing counseling in challenging, unsafe environments is an asset. Strong knowledge of counseling principles, excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation), client needs assessment, partnership building, and strategic contribution to staff well-being are essential. Proficiency in technology tools like PowerPoint, Excel, and Word, along with the ability to work effectively across organizational and cultural boundaries, is necessary. Fluency in French and knowledge of English are mandatory.

Skills

Psychological counseling, Case management, Referral services, Deployment briefings, Team building training, Resilience training, Harassment prevention training, Intercultural sensitivity training, Crisis intervention, Wellness Support Volunteer network support, Mental health resource identification, Policy development, Report writing, Partnership building, Cross-cultural communication, Conflict resolution, Mediation, Trauma support, Language proficiency (French, English, Swahili, Lingala)

Explore related opportunities