Job Title: Gender and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer
Duty Station: Field-based with frequent travel to project locations (Pastoralist and Agropastoralist communities in Ethiopia)
Reports to: Program Manager/Protection Coordinator
Organization: PAPDA – Pastoralist Development & Advocacy Organization
Organizational Background
PAPDA is a humanitarian and development organization operating in pastoralist and agropastoralist communities across Ethiopia. The organization implements multi-sectoral interventions including WASH, Nutrition, Health, Protection, MHPSS, Natural Resource Management, Food Security, Income Generation, MPCT and Emergency Response. PAPDA works to enhance community resilience, improve access to essential services, and support sustainable development, with a strong commitment to gender equality, protection, and mental health support for crisis-affected populations.
The Gender and MHPSS Officer will lead and support the design, implementation, monitoring, and coordination of mental health and psychosocial support interventions with strong integration of gender and protection approaches. The role ensures that vulnerable groups, particularly women, girls, persons with disabilities, and survivors of crisis, receive quality, survivor-centered, and gender-responsive psychosocial support services. The officer also contributes to capacity building, case management, community awareness, and integration of MHPSS and gender mainstreaming across PAPDA programs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Implementation & Service Delivery
Lead MHPSS activities including psychological first aid (PFA), emotional support,
group counseling, follow-ups, and referral services.
Ensure gender mainstreaming and inclusion across all psychosocial and protection
activities.
Conduct individual and group MHPSS sessions, support groups, and community based psychosocial interventions.
Establish and support Women & Girls Friendly Safe Spaces (WGFS), youth safe
spaces, and community support structures.
Work closely with protection, health, GBV and WASH teams to ensure integrated
psychosocial support in project implementation.
Maintain confidential client files, ensure documentation and case management
according to safeguarding standards.
Capacity Building & Community Engagement
Train community workers, social workers, volunteers, HEWs, and local committees
on MHPSS, gender, PSEA, GBV risk mitigation, and child protection.
Strengthen community referral pathways, support community-based protection
structures, and facilitate awareness on mental health and gender equality.
Organize life-skills training, resilience-building group sessions, and
psychoeducation for different community groups.
Coordination & Partnership
Collaborate with government authorities, health facilities, women and child affairs
offices, CBOs and cluster partners.
Represent PAPDA in protection/MHPSS coordination meetings and cluster
platforms.
Ensure integrated case management and referral to specialized services when
required.
Monitoring, Reporting & Learning
Conduct assessments to identify psychosocial needs, gender risks, and service
gaps within target communities.
Prepare activity plans, weekly/monthly reports, narrative inputs for donors, and
document success stories and lessons learned.
Support MEAL team in monitoring progress, collecting data, and evaluating service
quality and impact.
Ensure accountability, safeguarding, and confidentiality principles are upheld.
Job Requirements
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Psychiatry, Social Work, Gender Studies, Public
Health or related field (Master’s preferred).
Minimum 3–4 years’ experience in MHPSS, gender, GBV prevention/response, or
protection programming in humanitarian/development settings.
Training in PFA, case management, psychological first aid, or MHPSS approaches
highly desirable.
Experience working in pastoralist or hard-to-reach communities is an asset.
Strong understanding of gender equality, protection principles, safeguarding, PSEA
and survivor-centered approaches.
Good communication
Core Competencies
Strong interpersonal and counseling skills
Gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate approach
Empathy, confidentiality, and professionalism
Report writing and documentation skills
Community facilitation and problem-solving ability
Team player with strong coordination skills
How To Apply
Interested and qualified applicants can apply through application Click Here
