Employee Counsellor Consultant

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The FAO Health Services (CSLH), which is a part of the Logistics Services Division (CSL), provides preventative medical, counselling and occupational health services to FAO employees and their dependents, and advice on all health-related matters to the Organization.

Under the general supervision of the Chief and directly under the supervision of FAO Employee Counsellor, the Employee Counsellor Consultant will be responsible for the implementation of the mental health support plan for employees and eligible dependents in the FAO Near East Region (RNE) and related field offices.

The Employee Counsellor Consultant works on the basis of the professional code of ethics, within which professional integrity and confidentiality are amongst the highest requirements.

The consultant will provide counselling for the FAO RNE offices in Cairo, Egypt and the incumbent is required to work remotely.

Reporting Lines

The Employee Counsellor Consultant will report directly to the Chief Medical Officer in FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy and day-to-day basis, she/he reports to the Senior Administrative Officer, RNE.

Technical Focus

Prevention, identification and resolution of work and personal psychosocial problems at the individual/strategy/policy levels.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Facilitate the provision of effective psychosocial support to managers, office representatives and individual employee prioritizing emergency locations with the aim of mitigating stress and boosting protective factors.
•     Provide support and advice to the managers and office representatives in offices on healthy work practices and approaches on how to effectively support employee and encourage resilience. Recommend suitable employee support strategies to managers;
•     Provide employees with individual and/or group counselling as needed (i.e. assessment, short-term intervention, referral);
•     Contribute to identification of creative ways of building a network of external mental health providers available to provide services to employee;
•     Coordinate with in-country UNDSS and other UN agency-counsellors, to ensure the provision of adequate psychosocial support;
•     Assess and monitor psychosocial needs and issues affecting the wellbeing of employees;
•     Design and provide training and awareness raising activities for employees and managers on trauma as well as strengthening healthy workplace practices to the extent possible;
•     Provide Critical Incident Stress Management to groups- and/or individual employees following critical incidents. A holistic approach to critical incident management is used and may include services such as practical support, psychoeducation, psychological first aid, strategic advice to leadership, family support and individual or group interventions;
•     Work closely with RNE Staff Wellness Committee (SWC) as well as with RNE Peer Helper and an Occupational Health doctor and a nurse.
•     Contact the affected employee(s) and offer information about typical stress reactions, support and referral information;
•     Facilitate appropriate traumatic stress interventions, following a critical incident or traumatic event; 
•     Recommend and arrange for individual and/or group follow-up support to employees and their dependents. Regular reaching out to employees in field offices;
Monitoring and oversight:
•     Provide, on a regular basis, statistics and trends on issues related to employee well-being, whilst maintaining confidentiality;
•     Alert the FAO Employee Counsellor in HQ on trends that may be of concern in offices or offices requiring targeted support or managerial intervention;
•     Capture lessons learnt and best practices for dissemination as appropriate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in counselling, clinical psychology or a field related to mental health. Consultants with bachelor`s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience
•     At least 5 years of work experience in employee support, mental health, cross cultural communications, counselling and related areas preferably gained within the UN system or international development/humanitarian aid sector.
•     Working knowledge (Level C) in English and fluency in Arabic language.

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills  

•     Work experience in more than one location or area of work
•     Good knowledge of the UN System internal policies, practices, and procedures is highly desirable
•     Proven ability to plan and prioritize own work, and to work independently
•     Additional training or certification in Trauma and Stress Management is an added advantage.

Selection Criteria

•     Additional training or certification in Trauma and Stress Management is an added advantage.
Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the region is considered an asset.