Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Medical Services Unit within the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Baghdad. Under the overall supervision of the Chief Supply Chain Management and Service Delivery, the Staff Counsellor, P-3, will report to the Chief Medical Officer.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Staff Counselor at P-3 level will be responsible for the following duties:

• Performs individual assessments in the case of individual staff members experiencing difficulty coping and/or presenting mental health-related conditions.
• Advises the CMO and other UNAMI Medical Officers on individual cases where an identified problem is likely to have professional, vocational and/or counseling effect (e.g., work-related problem/s due to a psychological problem, conflict resolution, need-oriented medication, etc.).
• Advises the CMO and Chiefs of Section upon request, aiming at improving the working environment in their Section and addressing psychological workplace safety issues.
• Performs critical incident stress supportive therapy (e.g., individual and/or group) whenever and wherever there is a need for it.
• Works within the Medical Services Unit and in close cooperation with the Medical HIV Focal Points to provide a comprehensive approach and grant a continuum of services (referral, short-term supportive intervention) to individual staff members who have HIV/AIDS-related issues or to those staff members suffering from other mentally impacting medical conditions.
• In cooperation with the Medical Team, liaises with the members of the Staff Welfare Committee to develop programs designed to improve the quality of life of staff members within the Mission area.
• Provides training sessions on crisis and stress management and conflict resolution as needed.
• Monitors environmental factors that could lead to stress, with particular focus on stress related to critical incidents, including emergency and crisis situations, with respect to civilian staff members of the Mission.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive stress management program for such staff, in cooperation and with the support of the Medical Unit.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: Ability to think critically to conceptualize the client in theoretical terms. Sound capacity to listen on multiple levels. Ability to gain the trust of clients. Sound understanding of the need to be genuine and empathetic when communicating and listening. Show flexibility in world views and a strong understanding of multicultural issues in clinical practice. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Client orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Clinical Psychology, or Clinical social work, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience in the field may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Valid certification to practice at national level in clinical psychology or clinical social work is required.

Training and certification in related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, traumatic stress, cross-cultural communication and/or conflict resolution are desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressive experience in staff clinical counselling, clinical psychology, mental health, cross cultural communications, counselling, clinical social work, and related areas, is required. Qualifying years of experience are calculated as job-related work appointments after the receipt of an accredited advanced level degree issued by an Institution recognized by the United Nations.

Working experience in development of resilience, stress management psychotraumatology, war-affected victims and humanitarian aid workers is desirable.

International experience in Employees Assistance Programmes or Organizational Intervention is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2023. Actual filling of this position and actual duration of the assignment is subject to availability of funding. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, the selection may be administered as a temporary assignment.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.
• The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.