Purpose of consultancy:           

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives.

In the past months, the increased escalations of violent attacks, airstrikes, and bombings in Lebanon have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, missing persons, displacement and a lot of sadness, grief, pain, and anxiety in people living in Lebanon. Health systems have been responding at full capacity, yet resources are limited, and the needs are immense. The National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), together with its partners and the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC), has developed a National Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Emergency Response Plan and has been coordinating, implementing, and monitoring these activities across sectors and levels of care.

UNFPA plays a key role in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) as it is integrated into Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services, especially in humanitarian contexts. UNFPA support in MHPSS is particularly geared towards vulnerable women and adolescent girls with tailored mental health and psychosocial support services including for strengthening community-based support networks. Moreover, UNFPA in Lebanon is closely working with the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) to enhance Lebanon’s response capacity including for development of MHPSS materials ultimately contributing to both immediate support and long-term resilience.

The MHPSS officer will support the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) by managing the implementation of activities related to the intersectoral mental health emergency response developed in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF. He/she will support optimal alignment of UNFPA mental health interventions implemented within the GBV and SRH emergency response with the national emergency plan. The MHPSS officer will ensure coordination with various partners to ensure complementarity of mental health/PSS interventions. 

Scope of work: (Description of services, activities, or outputs)             

• Develop and periodically update a detailed action plan for various MHPSS activities, ensuring alignment with the intersectoral mental health emergency response action plan, including for the maternal mental health and MHPSS intervention under GBV.
• Maintain traceability of actions taken and adjust plans when relevant.
• Support UNFPA partners in developing and implementing MHPSS activities while ensuring alignment of MHPSS interventions with the National MHPSS Emergency Response Plan and UNFPA’s mandate.
• Ensure monitoring of the MHPSS interventions implemented by different actors
• Support in the identification of needs and gaps in MHPSS
• Ensure alignment of MHPSS recommendations by the GBV WG with the national MHPSS emergency response plan
• Create and revise templates, and other documents required for activity implementation. Compile and submit progress reports on completed actions.
• Act as the primary focal point for UNFPA’s MHPSS activities in Lebanon.
• Support coordination of the MoPH–NMHP Emergency response interventions
• Engage and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders involved with the ER through regular meetings and follow-ups.
• Facilitate operational and bilateral meetings, ensuring agendas are set, presentations prepared, and minutes documented and shared with team members as needed.
• Attend meetings of relevant sectors, working groups, taskforce i.e MHPSS TF, GBV WG and RH SWG and work closely with sector leads (e.g., protection, health, gender-based violence, child protection) to promote integration of mental health within broader humanitarian and development strategies.
• Strengthen quality mental health services through promotion of partnerships between key stakeholders and by extending technical support and guidance to stakeholders and mental health providers
• Develop and support dissemination of information education material on mental health and psychosocial support with focus on emergency context, GBV and SRH
• Support development of monitoring mechanism for tracking and evaluation of MHPSS activities while ensuring needed support for successful implementation of activities through regular monitoring visits and through review of reports.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to leverage advocacy efforts and promote resource mobilisation
• Identify and evaluate potential risks and issues related to MHPSS activities, proposing and implementing solutions as necessary.
• Perform various administrative tasks related to the job as needed to ensure smooth and efficient operations.

Duration working schedule:
The consultancy will run for 4 months from 15th of November 2024 – 15th of March 2025

Place where services are to be delivered:     
The consultant will be working part time at UNFPA office and part time at NMHP office.

Expected outputs/deliverables:

The final deliverables shall be submitted by the end of the contract (15^th of March 2025)

Supervisory arrangements:   
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the SRH/GBV Integration Coordinator at UNFPA Lebanon under the overall guidance of the GBV specialist and the SRH specialist.

The consultant needs to have:

Education:

·       Master’s degree in mental health/psychology

Experience:

·       More than 3 years of experience in project management/coordination.

·       2- 3 experience in the field of MHPSS/ psychology/ mental health

·       Experience related to GBV and/or SRH is an asset

·       Qualifications in Project Management.

Skills:

·       Strong management, communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.

·       Excellent conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities.

·       Effective time management skills.

Computer Skills:

·       Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Languages:

·       Proficiency in Arabic and English, both written and spoken.

Application process and deadline

Interested candidates may apply online by providing: 

• Most updated CV
• Updated P11  
• Cover letter mentioning the relevance of past/current experience with the requirements of the consultancy
• Mention in the email subject the post title and number

The above documents must be sent to bids_lbn@unfpa.org  by no later than 10 November 2024 Candidates who fail to submit the required documents above will not be considered for review. UNFPA Lebanon will only be responsible for responding to those applicants submitting the required documents above and in which there is further interest. ONLY individual consultants, not companies, are eligible to apply.

Candidates assessed by the panel and considered to be eligible for the appointment but who are not selected for this vacant post may be offered an assignment to another position at the same/lower grade provided that they meet the minimum qualifications required.