Job Description

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Advisor, Mental Health and PsychoSocial Support to join our global team.

Team and Role Purpose

The Breakthrough team drives strategic, technical, and operational leadership for Save the Children’s global goals in order to achieve programmatic breakthroughs while ensuring high-quality, evidence-based, and integrated programming across our portfolio. The team delivers context-responsive, demand-driven technical support to Country Offices to enhance programme effectiveness in line with local needs and global priorities. The team also advances sector innovation and learning through external engagement in clusters, in inter-agency groups, with donors, peer agencies and foundations. The team is responsible for new business development and resource mobilization efforts as well as developing partnerships to strengthen our collaborative impact globally.

Role purpose

Ensure the provision of technical support for MHPSS and that technical standards are maintained, results are measured, and adapting strategies to meet the evolving needs of country offices. Manage and mentor a team of technical advisors, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment that aligns with Save the Children's values of integrity, creativity, and accountability. Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the team and across programmes to ensure MHPSS interventions are accessible to all children.

Job Title: Senior Advisor, Mental Health and PsychoSocial Support

Reports To: Head, Learn Breakthrough

Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location.

Required Time Zone: Any

Contract Length: Permanent

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment

Language Requirements: English

International Travel: up to 40%

People Management: Number of people managed in total: 3

Manager of a team: Yes

Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): No

Principal Accountabilities

• Provide specialized technical guidance and advice to Country Office teams, ensuring high standards in MHPSS programme implementation, with a focus on specialized support in MHPSS
• Lead work to strengthen the measurement of MHPSS outcomes for children and other targeted groups, ensuring programming is quality and results are robustly monitored, analyzed, and acted upon to improve outcomes.
• Conduct regular reviews and analyses of MHPSS awards to ensure compliance with donor requirements and organisational policies, identifying areas for improvement.
• Apply specialised donor and MHPSS technical knowledge to support the development and implementation of high-quality proposals and strategic plans in collaboration with country teams, ensuring alignment with Save the Children's mission and values.
• Oversee the design and quality assurance of capacity building and training initiatives for national and local partners to ensure sustainable and effective MHPSS interventions
• Lead on the strategic development and coordination of partnership strategies with government actors, donors and peer agencies to advance MHPSS work
• Play a leadership role in external and internal working groups to continually learn and adapt best practices in MHPSS and institutionalize key learning.
• Ensuring internal systems are in place to support and learn from country office colleagues implementing MHPSS programs
• Manage global and multi-country projects and initiatives to strengthen MHPSS specific programme guidance, tools, evidence, etc.
• Deploy to priority countries as needed for emergency response and provide in-person technical support and guidance (up to 40%).
• Promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within all programmes, ensuring all interventions are accessible and effective for all community members, regardless of background or identity.

Experience and Skills

Essential

1.Technical Expertise:

Deep understanding of sector specific principles and practices. This should include experience in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs and interventions.

Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development and staying updated with the latest trends and best practices in relevant sectors.

2 Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills:

Strong ability to analyse complex data, review programme performance metrics and translate findings into actionable improvements.

3. Capacity Building and Mentoring:

Considerable experience in building capacity, delivering training, and mentoring staff and local partners on sector specific practices and broader technical approaches.

4. Proposal and Strategic Plan Development:

Proven experience in developing high-quality proposals and strategic plans. A track record of writing successful proposals for donor-funded projects is essential.

5. Compliance and Quality Assurance:

Proficient experience in reviewing and assuring compliance of awards with donor requirements and organisational policies. Demonstrated ability to identify and implement areas of improvement.

6. Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

High proficiency in communication, including experience in negotiation, influencing, and coaching. Must demonstrate the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse teams and stakeholders.

7. Ability to Operate in High-Pressure Environments:

Ability to travel and work independently, occasionally in challenging environments and with short notice (up to 40%).

8. Leadership and Team Management:

Significant experience in leading and overseeing strategic initiatives in a global setting, with an ability to deputise for leadership effectively. Demonstrates empathy and strong people management skills, and able to foster a culture of collaboration, diversity of thought, agility and continuous learning.

Desirable

• Additional language of French, Spanish or Arabic preferred

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• A degree in psychology, social work, mental health, public health, or a related field that focuses heavily on mental health and psychosocial support. Extensive professional experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found at SCI Careers It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our Recruitment Process

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-Harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.