UNDP has been in Nigeria since the country became independent in 1960 providing capacity building and policy development support to the Federal Government of Nigeria in areas of Governance & Peace Building, Inclusive growth and Sustainable Development. UNDP continues to support, the government in the preparation of the second National Implementation Plan of the National Vision 20:2020. UNDP works in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, development partners, UN agencies, civil society and local communities to help identify local solutions to meet national development challenges through a range of interventions that combine UNDP’s expertise and comparative advantage in the areas of Governance & Peace Building, Inclusive growth and Sustainable Development.
Job Title: Stress Counsellor
Job ID: 30205
Practice Area - Job Family: Management - STRESS
Grade: SB4
Vacancy Type: Service Contract (SC)
Posting Type: Common System
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension
Background
The stress counsellor is being sought to support the psychosocial and organisational behaviour of UN staff in Nigeria:
To develop and maintain a sustainable stress management system applicable to all UN Agencies operating in Nigeria and to improve the critical incident stress management preparedness of the UN security system in case of emergencies.
To provide efficient and effective psychological counselling to staff requiring support related to work-place difficulties or personal issues. A large emphasis is placed on extensive engagement with staff and promotion of staff well-being
The challenges of working in difficult conditions to bring the much-needed support to our recipients while inherently rewarding, can place a great deal of pressure and stress on UN staff particularly those working in challenging environments.
The key purpose is to identify and address psychological risk factors in the workplace through the provision of counselling services to staff members and whenever necessary, their dependents.
The UN Common System in Nigeria under the Operations Management Team is looking for a highly qualified Staff Counsellor to join the UN Nigeria based in Abuja with coverage to all field-based offices.
Under the administrative supervision of the UN Health Manager and the technical guidance of the CISMU Regional Stress Counsellor, the field stress counsellor will administrate a wide range of stress management activities, actively participating in emergency preparedness in the country in collaboration with UNDSS and the UN emergency coordination group as per the UNDSS CISMU standard operational procedures on the Management of Stress and Critical Incident Stress (MSCIS).
A key requirement of the position will be the ability to summarize data and trends to develop programs and policies that are designed to support staff.
Frequent travel is required from the Staff Counsellor to support the field offices, at times on short notice based on operational needs, and also at times to remote and difficult locations to provide support to staff based in the deep field.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the administrative supervision of the UN Health Manager and the technical guidance of the CISMU Regional Stress Counsellor, the field stress counsellor will administrate a wide range of stress management activities, actively participating in emergency preparedness in the country in collaboration with UNDSS and the UN emergency coordination group as per the UNDSS CISMU standard operational procedures on the Management of Stress and Critical Incident Stress (MSCIS);
Provide culturally sensitive psychosocial support to individuals, groups of staff and/or their immediate family members, to ensure staff members are assisted in difficult situations and that comprehensive assessments and treatment plans are prepared.
Provide active psychosocial support during emergencies and/or after critical incidents to ensure continued staff well-being.
Actively engage with management and staff to establish relationships based on trust and respect.
Contribute to the staff readiness for undertaking challenging assignments in deep field duty stations through briefings, counselling sessions and other activities to ensure proactive support is extended to staff.
Deliver workshops, trainings, and information sessions on a wide range of topics (e.g. stress management, team-building, problem-solving, conflict resolution, etc) to ensure that staff regularly receive relevant information and are aware of sources where to find information or assistance.
Contribute to the design of corporate policies and guidelines, design information booklets/materials to increase awareness of important themes and promote staff welfare.
Lead the establishment of Peer Helpers (PH) network and manage capacity building of this group.
Prepare comprehensive reports, plan budget for missions, trainings and plan and implement other staff counselling activities to ensure the provision of cohesive counselling services.
Hold accountability for maintenance of professional confidentiality at all times, practice ethics, actively engage with staff, listen to their concerns, and stay approachable.
Contribute to the development of policies and guidelines, as well as written and visual materials to increase awareness regarding important themes and topics related to Staff Wellness
