MHPSS Specialist

The MHPSS Specialist provides strategic and technical leadership for all psychosocial components of the project, ensuring alignment with international standards and local realities across Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. The position plays a dual role: (1) providing technical oversight and quality assurance for MHPSS programming implemented through grants, and (2) leading the design and implementation of staff care systems for partner organizations and project teams. This is a non-managerial, technical role focused on system strengthening, capacity building and quality assurance, not on direct clinical service provision. The MHPSS Specialist reports directly to the Project Director and works closely with the Grant Managers, M&E, and Civil Society teams based in the coverage areas of the project.

 

Key Responsibilities:

1. Technical Leadership & Quality Assurance of PSS programming

• Provide strategic and technical guidance on MHPSS across all project components, ensuring adherence to IASC and WHO standards.
• Support CSOs and media partners in integrating MHPSS and trauma-informed approaches within their activities.
• Review technical documents (concept notes, work plans and reports) to ensure they meet quality standards.
• Develop and adapt tools, guidelines and templates to support CSO partners in the implementation of MHPSS programming
• Ensure that all MHPSS activities respect ethical principles, confidentiality, and do-no-harm standards.
• Monitor the quality and impact of MHPSS interventions implemented by partner CSOs through regular field and remote visits.

2. Capacity Building & Staff Care:

• Lead the implementation of the four-tiered staff care model across all partner CSO (organisational policy, peer support, counselling and referral).
• Facilitate Psychological First Aid (PFA) training and establish a functioning buddy systems within partner CSOs.
• Train staff care focal points on leading reflection sessions, team debriefings and supervision spaces that promote resilience and prevent burnout.
• Develop training materials and coach partners on trauma-informed and culturally sensitive practices.
• Support partner CSOs in integrating staff care policies into HR systems and organisational culture to promote sustainability. If a need arise (as for instance a gap in service providers), train and establish a system for lay counselling
• Establish a network of mental health service providers and a functioning referral pathways for CSO partners in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

3. Coordination & Partnerships:

• Represent Expertise France in the MHPSS Technical Working Groups in Gaza and the West Bank.
• Maintain active collaboration with organisations such as UNRWA, GCMHP, PCC
• Map and regularly update the network of PSS stakeholders and referral pathways, ensuring partners have access to the latest MHPSS TWG mapping.
• Facilitate regular reflection and learning sessions with partners to assess progress and co-develop improvement plans.
• Ensure systematic documentation of lessons learned, good practices, and case studies to inform project learning and donor reporting
• Foster synergies with other technical domains (protection, gender and social cohesion) to ensure an integrated approach.

4. Monitoring, Learning & Reporting:

• Lead the monitoring and evaluation of staff care systems and MHPSS programming using predefined indicators.
• Collect and analyse data on implementation progress, staff well-being and the quality of MHPSS grant.