MHPSS Coordinator Lesvos

BRF is looking for a coordinator to lead our Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programme on Lesvos. Do you have extensive experience in the field of MHPSS programme management and working with people on the move in a multicultural setting? Are you a natural leader, able to set boundaries and work independently in a challenging environment? Are you also innovative, flexible and available for nine months? Then read on!

*Important: this position can only be filled by someone who has the legal right to live and work in Greece (EU nationals or visa holders). You will be hired on a freelance contract with a compensation of 2.723,- gross per month, based on a full time 40-hour work week.

WHERE WILL YOU WORK?

Boat Refugee Foundation provides medical and psychosocial emergency and primary care and stands up for the rights of people seeking safety and refuge in Europe. We work in locations that receive little attention and resourcing and where basic services, including healthcare, are lacking. Since 2015, we have been working in various locations at the borders of Europe. On Lesvos, we run a daily medical clinic in refugee camp Mavrovouni and a MHPSS programming both inside and outside the facility.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

The MHPSS Coordinator coordinates the MHPSS activities, develops the programme, leads a small team of professional volunteers and maintains and builds upon existing relationships with partner organisations and local authorities. The MHPSS team on Lesvos consists of experienced psychologists and other mental health specialists who provide support to service users visiting our clinic in refugee camp Mavrovouni and follow-up consultations outside the camp. The focus of our MHPSS programme is on providing mental health and psychosocial support in the form of supportive conversations, education on stress management techniques and empowerment. We work in a trauma-sensitive manner and discuss cases as a team.

The BRF team on Lesvos consists of the Volunteer coordinator, Medical coordinator and MHPSS coordinator and a finance and logistics officer, line-managed by the Area Manager on site. Together with the Area Manager and the MHPSS advisor (remote), you assess and address the (changing) psychosocial needs of the service users, people residing in the refugee camp, in order to develop and improve the MHPSS programme. You will also work closely with the medical coordinator; the MHPSS technical advisor (remote); and connect with BRF staff in the Netherlands: the volunteer coordinator responsible for recruitment and selection of volunteer professionals, the programme manager, and operational support staff.

YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate all aspects of the MHPSS team and activities to ensure high quality psychological care;
• Provide leadership to the MHPSS volunteer professionals and support them in the implementation of activities;
• Expand existing projects and set up new ones in accordance with changing needs;
• Attend relevant meetings with external actors including government officials and other organisations;
• Build and maintain existing relationships and networks and continue to collaborate with other organisations and local authorities;
• Contribute to strong, multidisciplinary cooperation with the medical team and support the medical staff where necessary;
• Create and renew protocols, manuals, rules of conduct and external training material;
• In collaboration with the Area Manager, ensure programme quality and continuously work to improve processes and policies;
• Monitor and evaluate the activities of the programme and suggest proposals for improvement based on collected data and observations;
• Point of contact for substantive questions related to MHPSS.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Master’s degree in (clinical) psychology, psychiatry or equivalent studies with technical knowledge of project management;
• At least 2 years of work experience in a clinical setting and working with individuals on the move/.with a refugee background and/or with specific vulnerabilities such as SGBV survivors, victims of torture and violence, etc.;
• Experience working abroad and in a multicultural contexts is desirable;
• Affinity with working in a constantly changing context with adult education and empowerment-oriented activities;
• Fluent in English, both verbal and written. Knowledge of Greek, Farsi, Arabic and/or French is an advantage;
• Leadership/management experience;
• Strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills;
• Ability to work independently, in a solution-oriented manner;
• Open to (self) reflection and feedback discussions;
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation is an advantage;
• Eligible to live and work in an EU country;
• EU drivers licence B. This is a necessary requirement for the position.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

• A temporary full-time contract for nine months (extension after this period is possible);
• Your contract will be a freelance agreement/self employment contract. The monthly remuneration for this position is € 2.723,- gross per month (based on a 40-hour workweek);
• An allowance for cost of living;
• An allowance for your flight to and from Lesvos;
• (Shared) rental car + fuel.