National Consultant to develop a Psychosocial Support Strategy for Judiciary Employees

Result of ServiceThe Consultant will deliver the following: i) Inception meeting and report including methodology of work and timelines. ii) Draft Debriefing Strategy Document, including implementation and monitoring frameworks. iii) Draft Standard Operating Procedures for psychosocial support processes. iv) Draft Tele-Therapy Partnership Plan, including identified partners, service delivery mechanisms, and an operational framework. v) Validation and revision of the Debriefing Strategy, SOPs and Tele-therapy plan. vi) Final consultancy report attaching all work final work outputs or deliverables. Work LocationNairobi, Kenya Expected duration28 February - 30 May 2025 (30 Working Days) Duties and Responsibilities1. Background of the Assignment As the global guardian of the United Nations standards and norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, UNODC seeks to strengthen the rule of law through the prevention of crime and the promotion of fair, humane, and accountable criminal justice systems. To do this, UNODC provides Member States with expertise and advice to develop effective and responsible crime prevention strategies and policies and to build the capacity of their criminal justice systems to operate more effectively within the framework of the rule of law, while promoting human rights and protecting vulnerable groups. Within the framework of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, UNODC’s project titled “Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery (PLEAD) Phase II, and seeks to “Reinforce the rule of law, improve access to justice, increase efficiency and accountability in the justice system and use of technology as an enabler of justice” while addressing capacity needs and persistent bottlenecks affecting service delivery in the justice sector, advance digitalization to streamline the administration of justice and countering corruption to improve access to justice for all Kenyans, including those at risk of exclusion and marginalization. The PLEAD II component implemented by UNODC targets support to the following institutions in the justice chain (national partners): National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), Judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Probation and Aftercare Service (PACS), Witness Protection Agency (WPA), Directorate of Children Services (DCS), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) and National Police Service (NPS). On the other hand, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will support Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) through its flagship Amkeni Wakenya facility. 2. Purpose of the assignment The Judiciary is committed to ensuring the well-being of its employees, who often face occupational stress and psychological trauma due to the nature of their work. Judiciary staff frequently handle challenging cases such as criminal matters, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases, terrorist attacks, traumatic children’s matters, complex family disputes, land and succession issues, and cases involving cyberbullying. To address these challenges, the Judiciary seeks to develop a robust framework for psychosocial support tailored to its employees' unique needs. 3. Specific Tasks to be performed by the consultant: The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Head of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme UNODC ROEA, direct supervision of the Programme Manager in coordination with the Programme officers and work closely with the Judiciary’s Psychosocial Unit in performing the following substantive duties and responsibilities: The consultant shall perform the following tasks: 1. Inception Meeting and Report: - Undertake an inception meeting with the relevant stakeholders at Judiciary to review the scope, programme (with timelines) and methodology of work for the review. Draft and submit to UNODC the inception report. 2. Develop a Draft Debriefing Strategy - Design a strategy for regular debriefing sessions tailored to Judiciary employees. - Ensure the strategy is sensitive to the occupational stressors specific to various roles, such as exposure to gruesome cases, SGBV incidents, traumatic children’s matters, and other high-stress scenarios. - Include innovative approaches to address psychological trauma, leveraging best practices in trauma-informed care and occupational stress management. 3. Develop Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - Formulate SOPs to guide psychosocial support processes within the Judiciary. - Ensure the procedures are practical, accessible, and align with international standards in employee mental health and wellness. - Address mechanisms for early identification of psychological distress and timely intervention. 4. Develop Draft Implementation Plan for Tele-Therapy Partnerships and Services - Identify and establish partnerships with tele-therapy service providers for Judiciary employees. - Develop an implementation plan for tele-therapy services, ensuring accessibility and confidentiality for employees. - Provide guidance on integrating tele-therapy services into existing employee wellness programs. 5. Validation: Presentation of the Debriefing Strategy, SOPs and Tele-Therapy plan for validation or adoption by the relevant stakeholders. Incorporate input from the validation session in the final work outputs. 6. Final Consultancy Report: Submit final report outlining all the tasks and deliverables undertaken in the template provided and attaching all final work outputs or deliverables. Qualifications/special skillsAn advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Psychiatry, Organizational Psychology, Public Health (with a focus on mental health), or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. • A minimum of five (5) years of experience in designing and implementing psychosocial support programs, especially within organizations handling high-stress or trauma-exposed workforces (e.g., judicial systems, healthcare, law enforcement, humanitarian organizations) is required. • Experience developing debriefing strategies, SOPs for mental health programs, and establishing tele-therapy or digital mental health services is required. • In-depth understanding of psychological trauma, secondary trauma, and strategies for trauma resilience in professional environments including international best practices and guidelines in workplace mental health and psychosocial support frameworks is required. • Expertise in the development and implementation of tele-therapy and e-counselling platforms, ensuring compliance with confidentiality and ethical standards is desirable. • Experience working in the justice sector or with justice sector actors is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations Secretariat languages is an advantage. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.