MSF AMMAN

 

Staff Health Psychologist

 

Job description

 

Workplace: Position based in Amman, with regular and frequent field visits to Arabic-speaking countries (Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, S.Sudan, Tchad, etc.) with possibility to be deployed in any other missions according to the needs identified.

Starting date: ASAP

Duration: 1 year

Mobility: expected 50% of the time in the field

Reports hierarchically to: Psycho-Social Unit (PSU) Coordinator

Functional reporting line to: OCG Staff Health Unit (SHU) PSY

Internal relationships:  Other MESO and Amman team members, OCG Staff Health Unit, PSU colleagues, Cells RMP and HROp, missions HoMs/MedCos and HRCos, missions and Amman staff

External relationships: psychologists’ network

Level: 10 IRFFG (2,234 JOD)

 

Context

OCG presence in Amman Hub:

OCG has been developing its presence in Amman with a delocalized structure created to support the quality of our operations in the region and beyond. Its includes: 

•The Operational Cell 5 directly managed by a Head of Desk, which current portfolio includes Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. The team is composed by the Head of Desk, Deputy Head of Desk, Medical Program Responsible, HR Advisor, Fin Advisor, Log Advisor, Strategic Communication Advisor, Supply Referent and Desk Assistant

•The MESO (Middle East Support Office) directly managed by the Head of MESO, that includes advisory, implementers and support positions providing technical and operational support to the field missions. The team is composed by Medical Network Team Leader, MH Advisor, Lab Advisor, MHPSS Implementer, Specialized SRH Activity Manager, Project Medical Referent, Humanitarian Affairs Advisor, Project Officer, Legal Advisor, Staff Mobility Coordinator, Regional Technical Referent Energy and HVAC

•Delocalized positions Pool and Career Manager

•Hosted positions

•An intersectional Support Office for Finance/HR/Admin/Log/IT that supports both OCG and OCA teams in Amman. The Support Office is managed by the Head of Resources and it’s under the direct management of OCA

 

The Middle East Support Office (MESO) is the HQ office of OCG in Amman, Jordan. Its purpose is to support MSF programs in the face of the growing complexity of intervention contexts and new challenges in the Middle East and beyond. MESO joins other MSF structures already present in the region, including OCBA, OCP and OCA in Jordan. Together, we aim to generate a strong dynamic in the Middle East, to better understand its challenges and problems, and gain a clearer picture of the medical and humanitarian issues that MSF needs to address.

Amman Hub will contribute to OCG Strategic Plan (SP) 2020-2025 focusing on 3 main pillars:

•Promote relevant humanitarian-medical-operational analysis, negotiation and advocacy initiatives in the region and beyond

•Provide direct technical and operational support and ensure continuity of operations

•Contribute to the development and well-being of MSF Global workforce

 

OCG Staff Health Unit

The Staff Health Unit (SHU) is the focal point, within MSF Switzerland, for advising MSF staff on all work-related health issues. The SHU provides technical support to the field in the development, implementation and regular update of health policies created to safeguard the health of all MSF employees.

The SHU aims at providing a holistic approach to the health and wellbeing of individuals, along their career with MSF. The SHU is currently composed by a psychologist, 2 medical doctors and a manager.

The unit collaborates closely with external health providers, partners and networks, with other MSF operational centers, MSF partner sections and other MSF entities in the field.

The unit commits to high standards of quality, medical ethics and professional integrity.

 

Amman Psycho-Social Unit

The Amman Psycho-Social Unit (PSU) is an intersectional unit aiming at supporting MSF Arabic speaking staff in the MENA region and beyond, currently covering around 26 projects in the region.

The Unit is mainly focusing on dedicated support to MSF Locally Hired Staff (LHS) while refers to the various OCs Health Units regarding International Mobile Staff (IMS).

The PSU team support missions on work related, critical incident, health related issues, remotly and during field visits with a 24/7 helpline that staff can contact anytime for consultations and referrals.

Scope of responsibilities – objectives of the position

The Staff Health Psychologist is responsible for providing psychological and psycho-social support to MSF teams and their dependents (on a case by case basis), mainly targeting Locally Hired Staff – LHS - and exceptionally Internationally Mobile Staff – IMS - if required by Staff Health Unit, according to MSF principles, standards and procedures in order to improve the staff mental health and wellbeing.

In particular, the Staff Health PSY will be an essential resource to support our staff during emergency response, missions’ closures, critical incidents as well as for regular missions.

The Staff Health PSY will be part of the Amman Psycho-Social Unit team and will technically report to the OCG SHU psychologist.

The position is based in Amman with frequent travels to the field, supporting Arabic-speaking countries in the MENA region (with possibility to be deployed elsewhere according to the needs).

In case the person is not requested to travel to any OCG mission, it can be deployed also with other OCs according to the priorities.

 

 

Scope of responsibilities – objectives of the position

 

The Staff Health Psychologist is responsible for providing psychological and psycho-social support to MSF teams and their dependents (on a case by case basis), mainly targeting Locally Hired Staff – LHS - and exceptionally Internationally Mobile Staff – IMS - if required by Staff Health Unit, according to MSF principles, standards and procedures in order to improve the staff mental health and wellbeing.

In particular, the Staff Health PSY will be an essential resource to support our staff during emergency response, missions’ closures, critical incidents as well as for regular missions.

The Staff Health PSY will be part of the Amman Psycho-Social Unit team and will technically report to the OCG SHU psychologist.

The position is based in Amman with frequent travels to the field, supporting Arabic-speaking countries in the MENA region (with possibility to be deployed elsewhere according to the needs).

In case the person is not requested to travel to any OCG mission, it can be deployed also with other OCs according to the priorities.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Direct support

• In collaboration with the OCG SHU and Amman PSU participates in the definition of a strategy to provide adequate response to the needs of MSF missions within a global perspective from the duty of care areas; duty of information, prevention, monitoring and intervention.

•In collaboration with the Cells and the Missions support in identifying the priority needs in terms of psychological and psycho-social support for our staff as well as identify adequate response strategies

•Ensure the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing support for staff during field visits and remotely (if necessary)

•Support Cells and Missions in identifying a network of psychologists and psychiatrists to support MSF staff

•Support in implementing the Missions Staff Health policy in terms of psychosocial support for MSF staff

•Promote and support the practical implementation of a preventive strategy for psychosocial risks, provide psychoeducation to staff (workshops or individual sessions) on stress management, burnout trauma   among other relevant topics.

•Provide individual or group consultations on demand – based on short-term intervention and focused on symptom reduction and promoting coping strategies.

•Provide referrals to external psychologists and psychiatrists for medium -long term follow up

•Provide active psychological support, during and after critical incidents to ensure the continued well-being of staff

•Organize workshops on specific themes if necessary (PFA, loss and mourning, how to break bad news, haemorrhagic fever psychosocial aspects etc.)

•Organize group discussions/workshops with the different teams, including managers and coordinators,  to identify sources of stress and possible actions to take to reduce them

•Help and support managers to develop their psychosocial skills in order to ensure the duty of care.

•Ensuring that all patients’ information is kept confidential

•Assisting and training staff members and resourceful people whenever necessary in order to promote the services and contribute to fighting against MH stigma

•Report to the direct supervisor and medical coordinator any problem related to the work environment ensuring that the confidentiality is guaranteed

 

Reporting:

•The psychologist must provide monthly reports to the PSU coordinator/OCG SHU psychologist containing:

-Number of individual sessions

-Number of group sessions carried out

-Report all support activities performed during a critical incident

-Presentations of all training and workshops provided

-Feedback on recurring problems generating stress in the team

 

•Write a field visit report including:

-analysis of psychosocial risk factors identified in the mission

-the description of the different activities carried out, support provided and arrangements proposed

-the identification of complementary needs and the proposal of clear and culturally adapted solutions to stress management in the different teams in a medium-term perspective with identification of tasks & responsibilities.Job requirements

Education

•Qualified Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist with strong knowledge of mental health (Licensed only)

Experience

•Minimum 5 years of clinical experience 

•Desirable previous experience with MSF or other INGO’s

 

Technical competencies

•Ability to provide psychologic and psycho-social support to colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds (cultural sensitivity)

•Capacity to work in an emergency

•Knowledge of trauma and stress management

•Empathy, patience, flexibility

•Good communication and collaboration skills

•Ability to work independently and within a multidisciplinary team

•Ability to provide training

•Planning and organizational skills

•Good stress management skills

•Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel, Outlook)

 

Personal competencies

•Commitment to MSF Principles

•Results and Quality Orientation

•Teamwork and Cooperation

•Strict confidentiality

•Commitment to MSF values and ethics.

 

Language

•Arabic and English written and oral essential

•French desirable

 

 

If you recognize yourself in this profile, we welcome you to send your resume (CV, 2 pages max) and a cover letter (1-page max) in English to:

https://msfamman.recruitee.com/o/staff-health-psychologist-1

The closing date for applications is Tuesday, July 29, 2025. The applications will be treated confidentially. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Notice:

No monetary transactions, neither demands of favors in kind, nor will other types of favoritism be tolerated in the recruitment process. MSF reserves the right to refuse the hiring of a candidate having

benefited from such acts. All illicit demands of these types may be pursued through the judicial system.