PSS Officer

Under the direct supervision of the PSS Program Manager, the PSS Officer will oversee screening, identifying and following up on psychosocial support (PSS) interventions in all schools/centers. S/he will promote and ensure safe learning environments for all involved stakeholders. S/he will support teachers on site to deal with children and issues that will interfere with teaching and learning and will risk the wellbeing of the child and other stakeholders. S/he will promote and ensure protection, safeguarding and PSS principles are understood, maintained and enforced. S/he will identify families and learners’ problems and difficulties and support them.  S/he will design, follow-up, document, evaluate and report the psychosocial and emotional intervention plan with the concerned families/ learners and other stakeholders.

Duties and responsibilities

The PSS Officer will perform frequent field visits to schools/ centers.

The tasks and responsibilities can evolve depending on the project’s needs.

► Identification of the most vulnerable stakeholders in need

• Support field teams during field visits in order to identify PSS needs, understand the environment and apply follow up.
• Ensure PSS needs assessment including environmental, social, emotional, and behavioral factors as well as resources and strengths that impact mainly the child well- being but all stakeholders as well.
• Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.

► Assessment and follow-up of stakeholders, mainly the learners, to ensure social and emotional support

• Assess the needs of the stakeholders, mainly the learners, and their families giving particular attention to protection and psycho social concerns
• Listen with respect and attention to the stakeholders.
• Establish a PSS folder for each family to note the family situation, plan of intervention, follow up and updates.
• Promote the development and empowerment of teachers by providing psychosocial support to facilitate integration and adaptation.
• Monitor and follow up the outcome of the assistance provided.
• Plan at the level of the community any needed intervention to sustain the improvement plan
• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of beneficiaries, and accordingly reports concerns/incidents

►  Reporting

• To actively participate in preparing and writing the PSS reports as needed.
• Provide weekly and monthly activity reports to the PSS Program Manager.
• Provide support to the PSS implementing weekly PSS Activities through:  the planning of structured PSS activities, special events, basic literacy classes.
• Ensure that any case of PSS need or CP and all specialized support cases are immediately reported to the PSS Program Manager and following the internl referral mechanism.
• Cultivate and facilitate contact with local organizations related to the position, in close collaboration with the PSS Program Manager.
• Design an action plan resulting from needs assessments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychologist/Social Sciences or equivalent
• Fluent in Arabic and very good command of English (speaking, reading, writing).
• Minimum of 2-3 years’ experience of implementing Psychosocial Support programs including, child protection, social work or case management, in humanitarian or development settings.
• Knowledge and experience in using and updating databases.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and conducting children’s PSS activities.
• Experience in working with refugees is a plus.

• Ability to communicate and to listen
• Good analytical skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Good organizational and reporting skills
• Respect of professional confidentiality
• Patience and willing to make a change