Position: Licensed Psychologist

Duty station: Gaziantep Office (with frequent trips and travels to projects locations)

Reports to: Project Manager

ABOUT PIN:

PIN has been working in Northern Syria since 2012, providing emergency relief and early recovery support to conflict-affected communities. Programmes for conflict-affected communities in Syria focus mainly on Emergency Food Assistance, WASH, and Education, in addition to Early Recovery and Livelihoods activities. PIN’s contribution to the Syria humanitarian response is amongst the largest, with an annual turnover of over $30 million, engaging over 350 full- time staff members across Northern Syria and cross-border response hubs in neighboring countries.

General Objective:

The recent disasters in south Turkey have has caused displacement and discomfort in the life of dwellers in those areas. This has resulted in the need to help to meet certain basic and urgent needs of the affected people. A distribution activity has therefore been set up in order to deliver aid to those in need or affected by the earthquake within the scope of the project.

The psychologist will work closely with the PSS Project Manager, PSS team and Distribution team to ensure that Project activities and outputs are implemented with the required quality and delivered in a timely, in accordance with the implementation plan, and ensuring to project objectives are met. This includes working with the project field team to conduct field assessments engage with local communities, verify the needs and prepare required field reports.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

1) Sharing of and access to information, and timely referrals to specialized services (service mapping, information sharing, referrals);

2) Psychological first aid – PFA (how to help a person if s/he is under stress (hysteria, tremor...);

3) Focused, individual PSS to affected populations, as well as mental health and well-being of frontline teams.

• Elaborating on the chosen approach: the response constantly and regularly maps the available services for PFA/MH/PSS, provide information to affected communities on services available and how to access these.
• Focused PSS sessions are provided to on an individual basis, by a dedicated team of professionals (psychologists/PSS specialist). The focused PSS consultations are provided, where feasible directly in the affected sites in a dedicated, suitable safe space identified and in cooperation with the local administration (alternatively in a separate tent, set-up for this purpose). However, considering the logistics constraints (e.g., travel time, lack of privacy, likely lack of suitable spaces to provide the face-to-face, individual PSS in an appropriate manner), the majority of the individual PSS/PFA A are expected to be provided through dedicated phone lines/online communication platforms, access to which is shared during the information dissemination visits.
• Besides PSS sessions, the specialists also develop information materials for distribution in the targeted communities (info on access to the PSS hotline/channels established under this response, as well as pathways to access other existing services), as well as to prepare specific material with basic tips on how to deal with the psychologic impact of the disaster (e.g., positive coping mechanisms).
• Works closely with distribution assistants, outreach workers
• PSS services, implementing partners make sure that protection concerns, risks and violations that cannot be addressed via the project (such as management of S-GBV, intimate partner violence, child protection cases etc.) are promptly and safely referred to relevant specialized actors operating in the areas with whom the team regularly coordinates.
• To ensure a detailed understanding of the protection issues present in the area of operation, team coordinates closely with the Protection working groups and other protection actors to gather relevant protection risks information, including mapping of protection actors and services operating in the targeted geographical areas.
• The PSS specialists also prepare printed psycho-education materials with tips and recommendations on dealing with the immediate stress/trauma, and suggestions of positive coping mechanisms, parenting in crisis and other relevant topics as , flexibly adjusted based on the main needs are identified during the visits to affected communities.
• 3  PSS specialists (psychologists) will be appointed under this action, to develop the needed PSS materials to be disseminated in the targeted communities, train the non-protection program team who are in direct contact with the affected population (through distributions) in minimum standards of sensitive communication with people exposed to traumatic events, as well as how to disseminate the info materials in an appropriate manner.
• PSS specialists/psychologists are able to provide PSS sessions throughout the project duration (These PSS sessions are mostly delivered remotely (via phone/online communications platforms), however, where feasible, PSS specialist directly visit the affected communities, and provide the sessions there, if suitable/safe space is identified in coordination with the local authorities.)
• Support project team to conduct community mobilization, sensitization, and selection/verification of project beneficiaries based on pre-set criteria.
• Work closely with the communities to ensure effective coordination and ensure the most vulnerable people are selected.
• Collaborate with Project Manager, assistants, and MEAL staff to design community mobilization strategy, and project implementation plans.
• Field visits and provision of supervision and support.
• Ensure alignment of project activities to project design and is consistent across project locations.
• Any other tasks assigned by the project manager.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Bachelor’s degree/master’s degree in Psychology is must

- 2 years of experience with NGOs

- Knowledge about the Humanitarian Sector status in Turkey.

-Language proficiency: Native Turkish is must and Arabic will be an asset

-MS Office proficiency

-Ability to transfer gained skills to other staff.

-Ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment with respect for diversity.

-Ability to work well under pressure.

-Adhering to organization’s vision, mission, goals and objectives; commitment to humanitarian principles and actions.

-Knowledge and familiarity with humanitarian sector and coordination mechanisms.

-Ability to prioritize tasks and synthesize.

-Maintains a friendly, respectful, and equitable team environment.

-Understand and adhere to the mission's National Staff Handbook, PIN Code of Conduct, PIN Key Policies, and relevant guidelines.

-Ability to work in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment with respect for diversity.

-Adhering to organization’s vision, mission, goals and objectives; commitment to humanitarian principles and actions.

-Applicants should be (Turkish Citizenship Only)

How to apply? Please follow the link above to fill the application form and attach your CV.

• Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Our recruitment process will begin as soon as we identify matching candidates, irrespective of the announcement period.
• Please note that we will only contact candidates who have been shortlisted.