Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support (DOS) was established to provide end-to-end operational support, advisory services, and other solutions to operating entities across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peacekeeping operations and regional commissions.

The Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH) provides expert healthcare management and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) services to all UN Secretariat entities (Field missions, Offices Away from Headquarters and Economic Commissions), the New York based agencies funds and programs, as well as providing strategic leadership of whole-of-system medical issues through the UN Medical Directors Network.

The Staff Counsellors Office (SCO) is responsible for providing psychosocial support to staff members and managers, supporting DHMOSH teams in managing mental health cases and offering education for healthcare professionals to better provide psychoeducation and wellness activities for New York based Secretariat staff. This position is located in the Staff Counsellors Office (SCO). The Staff Counsellor will report directly to the Senior Staff Counsellor.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the technical supervision of a senior counsellor, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Protect/Prevention: Research, prepare, and deliver informational sessions and awareness training on emerging mental health issues including psycho-social risk at work, substance abuse, and resilience building.

2. Mental Health Supportive Services: Provide confidential counselling services to UNS staff in line with the confidentiality guidelines of the UN Staff/Stress Counsellors Group (UNSSCG); Advice the Medical Director and DOS on ways to support staff with mental health and substance abuse issues from protection, prevention and support including on absenteeism. This may include supporting staff before/after field missions or with other psycho-social or mental health related issues; Support the DHMOSH Medical Teams as needed with assessments, consultations, collaborative training, etc. to support the needs of UN Staff across the Secretariat, including departments, offices away from headquarters, peacekeeping and political operations, and regional commissions. Provide psychological assistance to staff members in the aftermath of acute situation and referred to the appropriate Staff/Stress Counsellors locally or external mental health professional as needed.

3. Prevention: In line with the WHO’s Mental Health at Work and the UN Mental Health Strategy, incumbent works with the SCO team and relevant partners on preventive measures in the workplace: policy development, activities to decrease stigma, coordinating mental health awareness campaigns, assisting with psycho-social risk assessments, mitigation planning, and providing education about psycho-social hazards.

4. Additional duties under the role of the Staff Counsellors based on the professional and ethical standards of the UNSSCG.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge of the links between workplace psychosocial hazards and mental health risks. Has a strong foundation of mental health assessments and interventions with a knowledge of the NY mental healthcare system. Takes pride in the work for the organization and understands the impact that can be brought into the organization by allowing data-driven and evidence-based decisions. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• 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 Mental Health Counselling, Clinical Psychology or Psychiatry (nursing or medical), Clinical Social Work or related field. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job – Specific Qualification

Certification in topics related to mental health promotion (e.g. alcohol/substance abuse, occupational psychology, conflict resolution, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Art/Music Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, etc) in the workplace is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience in the delivery of mental health counselling in a multi-cultural, international setting, including crisis intervention is required.

Experience in training development and delivery of training in psycho-educational topics is required.

Experience in assessment and mitigation of workplace psycho-social risks is desirable.

Languages

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

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Please note that the functions of this post is pending reclassification approval.

• This position is temporarily available as of 1 July 2023 for 364 days with possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a assignment.

• While this 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 job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This 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 need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current 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 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.

• At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities.

• 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.

• Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to 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.