JOB TITLE: Psychologist

LOCATION: Şanlıurfa

 ABOUT MAYA FOUNDATION:

 Maya Vakfı is a non-profit organization that offers mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) to refugee and host community children who have experienced traumatic life events, including challenging socio-economic conditions, domestic abuse, immigration due to war, and/or losing loved ones to violence. Maya Vakfı provides trauma rehabilitation activities for children in the Balat Field Office through creative workshops which give opportunities for these children to express themselves through art, music, dance, and movement activities to help them cope with their trauma and aid with their recovery. In addition, Maya also places great importance on integrating Psychosocial Support techniques into the education system through its Trauma-Informed Schools (TIS) Program. Strengthening the knowledge and know-how of civil servants and the civil society sector is enhanced through Capacity Building Initiatives and through its Volunteer Program Maya Vakfı provides training, support, and mentoring to volunteers on Psychosocial Support, trauma rehabilitation, and child protection.

Maya Vakfi’s Trauma-Informed Schools (TIS) program aims to provide a holistic approach by providing training, support, and follow-up to school teachers and counselors, psycho-social sessions to children, positive parenting seminars to parents, and activities to prevent bullying in schools. In cooperation with the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), Maya Vakfi has authorization to implement the TIS program in seven provinces across Turkey.

Maya Foundation is committed to protect and improve the welfare of the individuals who are worked with and provided service, to create safe spaces for them and it waits from all employees and volunteers to fulfill this commitment. Maya Foundation adopts a zero-tolerance policy on behaviours incompatible with the foundation’s targets and principles especially sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. Additionally, Maya Foundation adopts Child Safe Standards and Principles of Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and mainstreams these principles in foundation studies. All of the selected candidates are expected to adapt these standards and principles, for this reason all candidates will complete stages of reference and background check. Background check will include academic background and employment history verification. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information within the scope of background check.

 ROLE PURPOSE:

• SCOPE OF ROLE: 
• Reports to: Project Manager
• Staff directly reporting to this post: N/A
• Collaboration: Senior Psychologist/Head Therapist / Project Managers/Programme Coordinators and other relevant teams within Maya foundation and partners

Key Areas of Accountability:

The psychologist will work within a team of psychologists, which is led by a senior psychologist. The psychologist team is the main actor of implementation of the program in schools. Therefore, establishing and maintaining good relations with the stakeholders with teachers and school administration is a key asset. Psychologists are also taking active role in content development. In parallel, it is expected from the staff to be hired for this position to be pro-active, creative, and willing to invest time in research and development for the betterments of clinical interventions. The position also holds great responsibility in data collection, regular reporting as well as monitoring and evaluation.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Providing psychosocial support through group sessions and psycho-education to school teachers, school counsellors, parents/caregivers and children between 5-18 in need.
• Being a part of psychosocial support team by using creative art therapy methodology with children.
• Carrying out the assessment during the psychosocial activities with children; scheduling the sessions/activities; evaluating the impact of the group interventions; referring necessary cases to the clinical team at Balat Child Centre.
• Cooperation with other organizations: as being a member of the TIS team, when assigned, e.g. making a presentation to represent Maya Vakfı regarding TIS Programme
• Working collaboratively to improve new modules, content, and activity development for the TIS Program under the supervision of the management team.
• Participating in defining effective and culturally appropriate approaches and interventions on the community and/or school level.
• Monitoring TIS activities’ progress levels.
• Reporting to give an update to the Senior Psychologist and Project Manager regarding all Psychosocial Support activities, training running in the field.
• Completing M&E forms or any other relevant information about the project activities and achievements and updating the internal database.
• Partake in other related activities led by sister programs in Maya Foundation.

Qualifications and Experience:

The Candidate should preferably have experience in working in a local NGO and/or INGO. Having knowledge of organizational effectiveness, and operations management including implementing best practices with excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative management approach are required.

Essential:

• Undergraduate Degree in Psychology
• Having a Master’s Degree in Psychology is an asset.
• At least 3 years of experience as a psychologist.
• An experience in a similar role in humanitarian assistance/with other Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) / school setting is an asset
• Experience in working with children and/or families in the context of trauma, loss, refugees, and/or other vulnerable groups of people
• Capability in providing trainings, organizing group counseling
• Experience in group work as well as individual therapy/counseling
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment
• No restrictions with in-country travel ( e.g. Şanlıurfa)
• Ability to be flexible, work in a fluid context and adaptation for unexpected situations
• Capacity to work both independently and collaboratively work as part of a team
• Languages: Excellent comment in Turkish. Good command in English is desirable. 
• Computing: Proficient in Microsoft Office including, excel, word, outlook, etc.
• Communication skills: negotiating, facilitating, and presenting as well as strong verbal and written communication skills
• Time management, organization, and work prioritization
• Being analytical with strong attention to detail
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Work overtime when required Collaborative and cooperative with other related departments e.g. supply chain, finance & grants, HR …etc