UNICEF Staff Counselor, P-3, Nairobi Regional Office, Kenya

Purpose:

Due to the nature and location of their work, UNICEF staff members are frequently exposed to high levels of day to day, cumulative stress, including those stressors related to their workload as well as the demands related to living and working in multicultural, often unstable and insecure environments. Under the overall supervision of the Senior Staff Counselor (P-4), the Staff Counselor (P-3) is expected to provide expertise to the organization, its management and the staff to support the well-being of UNICEF staff and their families as well as of teams in UNICEF offices around the world. The Staff Counsellor (P-3) will contribute towards a corporate framework for Staff Wellbeing as well as promote its implementation on Regional and Country level. The frame work will identify activities aiming at: raising awareness about healthy work practices; to improve the work-life balance of UNICEF staff; to facilitate the provision of assistance to staff/family experiencing work-related and/or personal problems; to facilitate the provision of immediate support following a traumatic incident; etc. The Staff Counselor will work in coordination with the network of UN counselors globally. Frequent field missions and close collaboration with Regional- and Country Offices are required.

Qualification:

Advanced University degree in counselling, clinical psychology or related mental health profession. Additional training or certification in occupational health, staff support and traumatic / critical incident stress as well as a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, family counselling, training, stress management.

Minimum of five years of national and international work experience in staff support, mental health, cross cultural communications, counselling, and related areas, preferably gained within the UN system or international development/humanitarian aide sector.

Fluency in English (oral and written) is required. Knowledge of French is highly desirable. Knowledge of another UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Russian) is an asset.

Key Expected Results:

1. Under the supervision of the Senior Staff Counsellor and in collaboration with Global HR Colleagues, facilitate the development, implementation and coordination of a corporate framework aiming at improved Staff Wellbeing globally: a) Assists in developing the framework b) Develops strategies for, and advices Regional and Country Offices on implementation of the framework c) Monitors the impact of the framework on regional and country levels, lobbies and provides input for improvement
2. Facilitating effective psycho-social support for offices, managers and individual staff, aimed at mitigating chronic, work-related stress and booster protective factors a) Providing support and advice to managers on healthy work practices and how to effectively support staff b) Providing staff with individual and/or group counseling (i.e. assessment, short-term intervention, referral), following self-referral or referral by the supervisor or another professional. c) Facilitating the treatment of psychiatric disorders primarily through referrals, including to the medical services division, and through guidance to supervisors and senior management, where appropriate. d) Contribute to identifying creative ways of building a network of external mental health providers available to provide services to staff around the world
   e) Coordinating the global network of peer helpers, including the training and technical supervision of the peer helpers.
   1. The Staff Counselor will provide emergency psychosocial support to offices and individual staff who have been involved in critical incidents by: a) Contacting the affected staff member(s) in person, by e-mail or phone, offering information about typical stress reactions, support- and referral information b) Facilitating appropriate traumatic stress interventions, following traumatic events. c) Recommending and arranging for individual and/or group follow-up support to staff and their dependents. d) Liaise with and recommend suitable staff support strategies to managers during emergencies and following evacuations, and carry out staff support missions to affected countries. e) Coordinate with UNDSS and agency counselors and peer helpers, to ensure the provision of adequate psychosocial support during emergencies.
   2. Training and awareness rising on Staff Wellbeing related topics
      a) Explore and develop new modalities such as e-learning and webinars that can make awareness raising material available and attractive to all staff. b) Cooperate with Regional and Country offices to integrating subjects such as; healthy work practices, managing stress and trauma, building resiliency etc into their learning strategies.
3. Any other duties, as assigned by the supervisor.

Competencies:

Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.

Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.

Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.

Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.

Analyzes and integrates potentially conflicting numerical, verbal and other data from a number of sources.

Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities.

Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.

Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.

Contributes and tries out innovative approaches and insights.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation. If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children’s rights organization, would like to hear from you.

Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2013-000362. Applications must be received by 22 March 2013.

Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.

In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply:

Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2013-000362. Applications must be received by 22 March 2013.