Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer

About the role

The Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer will design and oversee psychosocial interventions for children, adolescents and caregivers in Katsina, Nigeria. The role integrates MHPSS with Child Protection and Education in Emergencies (EiE) programmes, strengthening community support and safeguarding practices.

Key responsibilities

• Lead implementation of MHPSS activities (structured PSS, group work, individual support) following IASC MHPSS Guidelines and CP Minimum Standards.
• Deliver age‑appropriate, gender‑sensitive services such as HEART, We Thrive, and caregiver support.
• Integrate MHPSS into EiE initiatives, ensuring safe learning environments and SEL activities in schools.
• Support community‑based approaches, including child‑friendly spaces and peer support groups.
• Identify children and caregivers needing specialised mental health support, provide basic psychosocial assistance and Psychological First Aid, and manage confidential referral pathways.
• Collaborate with Child Protection caseworkers to embed MHPSS in case plans and with EiE teams to build teachers’ capacity for emotional support.
• Promote child participation, resilience‑building, and safeguarding in all programming.

Required profile

• Proven experience delivering psychosocial support to children, adolescents and caregivers in humanitarian settings.
• Familiarity with IASC MHPSS Guidelines, Child Protection Minimum Standards and EiE frameworks.
• Ability to work closely with multi‑sectoral teams and maintain strict confidentiality of case information.

Required skills

• Psychological First Aid (PFA)
• IASC MHPSS Guidelines
• Child Protection Minimum Standards
• Community‑based MHPSS approaches (e.g., child‑friendly spaces, peer support groups)
• Social‑Emotional Learning (SEL) integration