Staff Counsellor

Job Description

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move. IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration Project Context and Scope On 15 May 2026, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo declared the country's 17th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak. IOM is on the front lines with staff completing health screenings, engaging with local communities, capacity building, etc. Staff are exposed daily to high levels of stress and fatigue while working long hours under difficult conditions. The staff counsellor for DRC will support IOM personnel through a variety of interventions including providing counselling services to staff in the field. Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, technical guidance of the Regional Staff Welfare Officer in Regional Office (RO) Nairobi, Kenya, the Head of the Staff Welfare Unit(HQ), Switzerland, and the administrative supervision of the Head of Sub-Office (HoSO). Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing Staff Health and Welfare Responsibilities Tasks to be performed under this contract - Provide psychological and counselling support to staff members in the Ebola response - Conduct psychosocial risk assessments in the workplace, as appropriate, to address highlighted issues. - Provide recommendations to the CoM and relevant stakeholders on improvements for the effective implementation of the UN Mental Health Strategy and IOM People Strategy in Country Offices in relation to the Ebola emergency response. - Develop a psychosocial emergency response plan for the mission. - Participate in and, when required, coordinate Staff Welfare responses to emergencies and critical incidents; liaise with the Head of the Staff Welfare Unit in case of complex emergencies requiring a coordinated response; ensure that Country Office’s security plans include provisions to provide for the psychosocial needs of staff during emergencies and following critical incidents. - Develop and provide training to all staff on relevant topics including managing stress during Ebola, emotional processing, dealing with critical incidents, wellbeing; provide targeted training to Managers/ Heads of Units to increase their knowledge and skills to create a supportive working environment and increase awareness on mental health issues. - Provide pre-deployment preparation, support throughout time in mission, and post-deployment check-ins for staff. - Produce psycho-educational material for dissemination. - Offer consultations to the Managers/Heads of Units to address specific needs on request and/or to explore avenues for enhancing humanitarian staff wellbeing and mental health in accordance with the UN Mental Health Strategy. - Collaborate with colleagues in UN/ international non-governmental organization (INGO) staff in relevant units (e.g. UNDSS, Staff Welfare, Human Resources etc.) - Identify and liaise with local and regional mental health resources that can be used for referrals ; refer staff members, who are in crisis, and require emergency psychological and/psychiatric support to appropriate external providers. - Ensure that reports and other administrative duties are carried out to a professional standard; develop tools for data collection, analysis, monitoring and reporting mechanisms at Country Office level while maintaining records and producing regular reports; keep the Senior Staff Welfare Officer updated on numbers and statistics of services provided in Country Office. - Participate in Staff Welfare team meetings and activities (monthly group supervision, team coordination meetings, team retreats, etc.) Participate to the relevant UN Working Group and other relevant technical fora, and liaise with UN counterparts on matters related to the staff welfare. - Ensure the adherence to the professional standards of the United Nations Stress and Staff Counsellors Group (UNSSCG) as well as the Code of Ethics for UN Staff Counsellors. - Perform such other duties as may be assigned. Performance indicators for the evaluation of results - Timely provision of confidential counselling and psychosocial support to staff involved in the Ebola response. - Psychosocial risk assessments conducted and practical recommendations provided to management and relevant stakeholders. - Psychosocial emergency response plan developed and aligned with the mission’s Ebola response needs. - Staff welfare interventions, including pre-deployment support, in-mission support, and post-deployment check-ins, delivered effectively. - Relevant trainings and awareness sessions on stress management, wellbeing, critical incidents, and mental health delivered to staff and managers. - Psycho-educational materials developed and disseminated to support staff wellbeing. - Timely referral of staff requiring specialized psychological or psychiatric support to appropriate service providers. - Regular reports, statistics, and updates on staff welfare activities submitted to the Senior Staff Welfare Officer and relevant s