MHPSS Lead - Hurricane Helene Recovery

Position Title: MHPSS Lead

Department: Technical Unit

Location: North Carolina – Remote in Asheville, NC. Relocation support available

Key Relationships:

Reports to: Director, US Emergency Response

Direct Reports: 3 MHPSS Officers

Assignment Type: Full time – time-limited for 1 year.

Compensation: $78,400 to $89,100 annually

Benefits: Click here to learn more about our benefits!

Application Requirements: Resume, completed application questions

About Americares:

Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, Americares reaches 85 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies, and emergency aid. Americares is one of the world’s leading nonprofit providers of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.

Americares Values:

We create global community, treating people as they want to be treated.

We respond effectively and responsibly, putting plans into practice.

We embed ethics and equity in our work and workplace.

We are better together; partnership is at our core.

We ask and listen, to create sustainable solutions for a healthier tomorrow.

We commit to quality, growing and improving to ensure individuals and communities thrive.

About the position:

This role will lead our post-disaster MHPSS work in the region hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. Overseeing 3 MHPSS specialists and working with HQ staff, this person will be instrumental in organizing crisis intervention and capacity-building programming for healthcare workers, first responders, and social service workers as they recover from the hurricane and prepare for the next disaster.

Key Outcomes:

In the first 90 days, the MHPSS Lead will:

• Learn and live the Americares values
• Complete all required new hire onboarding trainings
• Understand Americares MHPSS offerings
• Meet with pre-identified partners in the area and begin MHPSS interventions
• Supervise the MHPSS team
• Work with HQ lead and MERL to determine data metrics and tracking methods
• Identify gaps and potential for additional training/resource development

In the first 6 months, the MHPSS Officer will:

• Work closely with local partners and the MHPSS team to facilitate individual and group sessions, trainings, and train-the-trainer programs
• Develop new MHPSS material to meet needs and/or modify existing material
• Identify and work with new partners beyond the ones pre-identified
• Work within the larger recovery framework to the benefit of survivors and residents of NC, SC, and TN
• Support remote interventions with partners in Georgia and Florida who were also affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

In the first year, the MHPSS Officer will:

• Have met or exceeded the pre-identified targets for the project
• Work with partners to support continuity of work and develop and implement a smooth exit plan to ensure local partners are able to continue to grow with the information and resources that have been shared
• work with the recovery team to determine if any next steps are needed

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Actively model and contribute to Americares values, work culture and mission.
• Engage in and contribute to team spaces with openness, global competencies, and a growth mindset
• People manage staff, ensuring a balance of relationships and results, as well as their professional growth

Operational Support:

• Collaborate with the MHPSS HQ Specialist to identify and support operational objectives and supervise local MHPSS officers and contractual staff.
• Manage daily and weekly schedules for the MHPSS team on the ground in Asheville with potential to also oversee staff hired to support partners in Georgia and Florida’.
• Coordinate the scheduling and facilitation of technical assistance, capacity building, and staff care support provided by the MHPSS officers.
• People manage MHPSS staff, ensuring their success in meeting objectives to build strategic partnerships with local health partners while also supporting their professional growth
• Conduct due diligence and ensure timely and accurate submission of expenses and timekeeping.
• Assess behavioral health needs with clinic partners, develop recommended interventions, and supervise the creation of supporting materials.
• Supervise outreach to health facilities and coordinate training logistics for in-person or virtual interventions.
• Support the creation and adaptation of training materials and supervise the collection of data metrics in collaboration with the MHPSS HQ Specialist and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning Technical Specialist.
• Provide training and technical assistance to MHPSS team to ensure the quality and cultural competence of Americares MHPSS programming with partners.
• Oversee and manage MHPSS grants with respective partners by conducting monthly meetings, reviewing partner reports, and ensuring alignment with approved proposals and the implementation of activities as outlined.
• Implement and ensure data management by capturing and tracking MHPSS interventions and themes aligned with organizational standards, collaborating with the MERL team to maintain data integrity, and supporting evidence-based decision-making and reporting.
• Work in coordination with researchers to facilitate longitudinal research study on program effectiveness.
• Input all MHPSS interventions into Americares Project Data Tracking MERL tool and MHPSS Excel Tracker monthly.
• Represent Americares in meetings, partner outreach activities, and strategic discussions.

MHPSS Direct Service Provision:

• Oversee and help facilitate individual and group debriefing sessions for healthcare workers, responders, and volunteers to address burnout, emotional exhaustion, and vicarious trauma.
• Oversee and lead emotional decompression activities to support the mental health of responders and healthcare workers engaged in disaster recovery.
• Oversee and help conduct psychoeducation sessions and training for healthcare staff and community members, with a focus on resilience-building, stress management, and coping strategies. This could include Psychological First Aid, Coping Methods, or other pre-existing or newly developed material.
• Oversee and lead Training of Trainers (TOT) programs to ensure long-term sustainability of MHPSS services and build local capacity for mental health support.
• Assess programming needs and design new material as identified.

MHPSS Outreach:

• Strengthen existing MHPSS services by collaborating with local organizations, healthcare workers, responders, and community leaders.
• Provide support in community settings such as clinics, schools, and other relevant locations.
• Coordinate referrals to external mental health and psychosocial services as needed.

Degrees and/or experience required for the role:

• Master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, or related and licensure (LCMHC, LMFT, LCSW, Licensed Psychologist)
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in MHPSS programming, with significant experience in disaster or crisis settings

These competencies are required for the role:

• Proven experience in conducting training and providing psychological and psychosocial assistance in MHPSS contexts
• Demonstrated experience managing teams remotely and in-person
• Experience in program design and development
• Experience coordinating MHPSS activities, including cross-functional collaboration between field and HQ
• Ability to work and travel in remote areas in relevant regions
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team in fluid and high stress environments
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed care and intervention techniques
• High level of cultural competency, particularly in working with diverse and underserved populations

US work authorization and a valid license is required for this role.

These competencies would be great to have, but are not required:

• Fluency in Spanish

Additionally, our core competencies as an organization are:

• Ownership and results
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Equity and inclusion
• Teamwork and conflict resolution
• Leadership
• Prioritization
• Management
• Strategy and planning
• Decision making

We know not all applicants will demonstrate all the competencies we’re looking for, and that women and underrepresented groups tend to not apply unless they meet all the requirements. We encourage you to apply even if you do not check all the boxes above, and we look forward to reviewing your application holistically.

What you can expect, if you move forward in the recruitment process:

1. Interview with People and Talent (1 hour)
2. Competency exercise
3. Video interview with team (approximately 2 hours)
4. Reference check
5. Offer!
6. Background check and onboarding

Americares is currently authorized to support remote work employees in the following locations: CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MA, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, Puerto Rico, TN, TX, VA, and WA. Please note that we do not provide relocation assistance at this time. #LI-REMOTE

Americares is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americares is committed to ensuring safe and accountable workplaces and programs. Our code of conduct, organizational values, and policies and procedures help to safeguard the welfare of everyone working for and participating in Americares programs. Americares is committed to the prevention of all types of abuse, discrimination, harassment, and exploitation. Employment with Americares will be subject to appropriate screening, reference, credentials, and background checks. By applying to our organization, job applicants confirm their understanding of and consent to our procedures during recruitment, and to adhering to our values and commitment to safe and accountable workplaces and programs as an employee.

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of Americares. At any point in the recruitment process, we may request additional information to confirm qualifications. Any misrepresentation of qualifications in any stage of the process will prevent the applicant from moving forward in the process.

To request a disability accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at talentcenter@americares.org.