ALIMA’S SPIRIT: ALIMA’s purpose is to save lives and provide care for the most vulnerable populations, without any discrimination based on identity, religion, or politics, through actions based on proximity, innovation, and the alliance of organizations and individuals. We act with humanity and impartiality in accordance with universal medical ethics. To gain access to patients, we undertake to act in a neutral and independent manner.

Our CHARTER defines the VALUES and PRINCIPLES of our action:

1. Putting the Patient First

2. Revolutionizing humanitarian medicine

3. Responsibility and freedom

4. Improve the quality of our actions

5. Placing trust

6. Collective intelligence

7. Environmental responsibility

ALIMA promotes and defends the principles of fundamental human rights. ALIMA has a zero-tolerance approach towards those guilty of acts of gender and sexual violence as well as towards inaction in the face of alleged or proven acts of violence. The protection of those benefiting from and impacted by our intervention is our top priority in everything we do. Everyone collaborating with ALIMA is committed to:

• Respect the charter, the code of conduct, the institutional policies including the policy of protection against abuse of power and sexist and sexual violence, the policy of prevention of corruption and fraud;

• Report any violation of the policies, framework documents, and procedures to a superior, to a referent

CARING - INNOVATING - TOGETHER:

SSince its creation in 2009, ALIMA has treated more than 13 million patients and today deploys its operations in 14 countries. In 2023, ALIMA cared for 2.8 million patients, including over a million children under the age of 5, received 157,393 people for mental health consultations, assisted 67,617 births, carried out 64 projects in 14 countries. Whenever possible, we work in partnership with local NGOs to ensure that our patients benefit from the best and most relevant expertise wherever it is, whether within their own country or in the rest of the world. In addition, to improve the humanitarian response, we are carrying out operational and clinical research projects, particularly in the field of the fight against malnutrition and viral hemorrhagic fevers.

 ALIMA’S TEAM: more than 2000 people are currently working for ALIMA. The field teams, closest to the patients, receive their support from coordination teams generally based in the countries’ capitals. These receive support from the 4 desk teams and the emergency and opening team based at the operational headquarters in Dakar, Senegal. The Paris and New York teams are actively working to raise funds and represent ALIMA. The rest of the ALIMA Galaxy includes individuals and partner teams working on behalf of other organisations such as medical NGOs BEFEN, ALERT Health, SOS Doctors / KEOGO, AMCP, research organisations PACCI, and INSERM, Bordeaux or Copenhagen Universities, the INGO Solidarités International, and many others.

COUNTRIES WHERE WE WORK: Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Guinea, Sudan, Mauritania, Haiti.

THE WORK WE DO covers: Malnutrition, Maternal Health, Primary Health, Pediatrics, Malaria, Epidemics (Ebola, Cholera, Measles, Dengue, Lassa Fever, Mpox,...), Hospitalisation, Emergencies, Gender-Based Violence, Opening / Closing.

 ALIMA IN ETHIOPIA

ALIMA, registered in Ethiopia in December 2022, has been working in the Somali region, which has been severely impacted by droughts, desert locusts, and consecutive flooding in 2023 and 2024. These crises have displaced over 746,000 people, damaged infrastructure, and worsened the region’s water and food shortage. Over 118,000 people are facing critical water shortages, and 59% of the population suffers from acute malnutrition. Aid disruptions, particularly the suspension of funding for water services, have exacerbated the situation.

ALIMA has been implementing a Health and Nutrition project in three woredas in Afder zone from May 2023 to October 2024, addressing urgent health needs in the region.

Currently, ALIMA is launching an integrated Health, WASH, and Protection project in Tigray's Enderta and Dega Temben woredas. Plans also include resuming operations in Hargele and Elkare woredas, affected by La Nina-related delays in the Gu rains, and expanding to the North Western zone of Tigray, covering Tathay Kararo and Asgede woredas. This expansion aims to establish ALIMA’s presence in these regions, with teams based in Hargele and Shire to ensure smooth project implementation and operations.

 The main activities to come will consist of :

 In the short term: prepare and launch in collaboration with the Ministry of Health a project contributing to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of communities affected by the drought.

 In the mid-to-long term: ensure the follow-up of the first project, develop partnerships with key stakeholders (MoH, civil society, research institutes…), conduct new assessments in areas with acute humanitarian needs and launch new activities. 

LOCATION OF POSITION:  Tigray region, Shire  with frequent visits of project areas to Tathay Kararo and Asgede woredas

 FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINKS

• He/she reports to the Medical Activity Manager (line manager), and to the Mental Health Coordinator at Coordination level (technical manager , if available).

• He/she manages the mental health team

• He/she works in close collaboration with the project coordination team 

PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Level 3: As part of his/her duties, the incumbent will visit programs and come into contact with children and/or vulnerable adults. Therefore, a criminal record check or a certificate of good character will be required. In situations where a criminal record check or character reference is not possible, a declaration on honour will be requested.

Duties & Responsibilities:

 The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Supervisor  (MHPSS) participates in the planning, supervision and coordination of mental health / pycho-social related services in the programme in accordance with ALIMA  standards in order to provide the most appropriate mental health support for patients and communities

• Participate in the planning, organization and coordination of Mental Health activities, in close collaboration with the Mental Health activity manager and other medical team members, in order to ensure an efficient and effective implementation of the resources needed while maintaining high levels of quality in Mental Health and Community activities of  ALIMA programs and activities.

• Coordinates activities of counseling services with other relevant actors and liaises with the local counterparts (like MoH, WHO, IOM,...) on mental health matters, including referral services.

• Supervise the daily mental health activities and patient support according to ALIMA and  protocols and standards in order to provide the most appropriate support for clients with psycho social needs

• Liaise with the other ALIMA  team members of the project to conduct community awareness on diverse topics and health issues

• Supervise, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required

• Oversee the administrative processes associated with psychosocial functioning.

• When needed, give psychological support to patients according to ALIMA and standard protocols to improve mental health conditions of patients and enhance their functionality.

• Compile the data and statistic linked with MH activities and report to the Medical or Mental activity manager

• Offer clinical counselling supervision to mental health counsellors in collaboration with the Medical or Mental Health Activity Manager.

• Ensure the patient’s related information is kept confidential

• Organizes debriefing sessions / He/she supports the teams in case of critical incident

• Ensures the implementation and follow-up of the psychological support of the teams on the different projects

• Evaluates and validates mental health referral structures with the MHPSS Coordinator or the MAM

• Participate in training and awareness sessions on PSEA

• Apply standards for abuse prevention

• Ensure that team members attend trainings and awareness sessions and follow abuse prevention rules

• Contribute to creating and maintaining a nurturing and protective environment

Contract term: 10 months (renewable, based on funding availability and performance)

Contract Position to be filled: ASAP

Salary:  as per the organization scale

NB: this offer is contingent upon the securing of pending donor fund

Job Requirements

Training/ Education : 

• Professional Master's degree in clinical and/or health psychology or equivalent 

 Experiences : 

• Previous experience in humanitarian work at least 3 years in the field of mental health and psychosocial support

Skills : 

• An ability to problematize and summarize the main psychological issues and be able to set priorities

• Good teamwork and delegation skills

• A good deal of autonomy and the ability to create one's own position in line with the association's objectives and resources

• Good writing skills

• A good knowledge of psycho-trauma 

• Good resistance to stress and good understanding of risky environments

• English Speaking, reading and writing, mandatory. 

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel, internet)

• Strong interpersonal skills, team work

 Languages spoken by the candidate

•   Oral and written fluency in English and Tigrigna is essential

• Knowledge of other local language is an asset

How to Apply

To apply, If you are interested, please send your application composed of a none-returnable CV and cover letter (merged in one file) with cover letter subject line mentioning   Shire-Mental Health and Psychosocial support Supervisor - M/F - through THIS LINK. 

Applications are processed in the order of arrival. ALIMA reserves the right to close the offer before the term initially indicated if an application term is accepted. Only complete applications will be considered.

 Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be communicated, and the selection process includes a technical test and an interview.