Staff Counselors - UNRWA
CONSULTANCY - TERMS OF REFERENCE
Consultancy- Staff Counselors, Gaza
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In the UNRWA operational context, staff care is essential to healthy organizational functioning and is necessary to strengthen group relationships and to create safe spaces for reflection and peer support. In order to expand upon the sustainable staff care approach at UNRWA that helps personnel cope in difficult working conditions and emotionally demanding environments, staff care support needs to be rolled out amongst all levels of staff and further access to counseling for staff in need is required. In addition, staff care support and counseling is needed in the current response to the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that staff have the needed mental health and psycho-social resources. In view of these staff counseling needs, UNRWA seeks the services of two counselors for a five month period to support staff in the Gaza Field Office (GFO). These counselors will be an integral part of providing staff care services at UNRWA and responding to staff needs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide confidential, time-limited counseling sessions to staff as requested;
- Maintain strict professional standards, including standards of confidentiality while providing services; and
- Support the Agency in its efforts to ensure staff care building an Agency-wide approach to staff care.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- An advanced university degree from an accredited educational institution in clinical psychology;
- At least eight years of relevant and clinically supervised work experience providing professional counseling services; and
- Excellent command of written and spoken English and Arabic.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Experience with the work of UN agencies or NGOs;
- Knowledge and understanding of the Palestine refugee situation in the political context of the Middle East; and
- Experience in working remotely.
COMPETENCIES
- Providing professional psychological assessments, support and interventions;
- Understanding and experience of applying professional standards and ethical practice in counselling;
- Excellent organizational skills, independent and disciplined with initiative to prioritize effectively and to maintain accountability and confidentiality;
- Demonstrates safeguarding ethics and integrity;
- Facilitating and encouraging communication and communicating effectively; and
- Familiarity with human rights and social issues.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
- The duration of the consultancy is 5 months;
- The monthly fees for this role are set at grade 18;
- Remuneration will be depending on the qualifications and experience of the consultant and based on expected working hours per day and no other benefits except for travel related expenses as applicable;
- One and a half day annual leave days per month; and
- The consultant will be based in the West Bank and work remotely providing service to Gaza Field Office staff.
APPLICATION PROCESS
consultancy@unrwa.org