Stress Counselor

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Its mission is to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. UN Women combines resources and mandates from four previously distinct parts of the UN system, focusing exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment. The organization operates globally, with a commitment to diversity and inclusion, ensuring a respectful environment for all employees.

Job Overview:
The Stress Counselor position at UN Women Ukraine Country Office is crucial in providing mental health support to personnel working in a high-stress environment due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The role involves offering individual and group counseling sessions, as well as conducting training webinars on stress management. The Stress Counselor will help mitigate risks of burnout and secondary trauma among staff, promoting mental well-being and resilience. This position requires a proactive approach to addressing the mental health needs of employees, ensuring they have the necessary support to maintain their performance and engagement during challenging times. The counselor will work closely with the Operations Manager and the UN Women Representative to deliver effective mental health services tailored to the unique challenges faced by staff in crisis-affected areas.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Stress Counselor will be responsible for providing individual, group, and critical incident counseling sessions to all personnel as needed. They will identify and follow up on critical incident stress cases within the office. Additionally, the counselor will conduct stress management webinars for all personnel, advising on coping mechanisms and productivity enhancement during quarantine periods if requested. The role also includes delivering quantitative reports on counseling sessions without disclosing confidential information, facilitating group discussions on stress management, and ensuring that all services are performed satisfactorily as per the contract requirements. The counselor will be expected to maintain high standards of ethics and confidentiality while delivering these services.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in clinical psychology or psychiatry. Additional training or certification in related fields such as alcohol/substance abuse, stress management, critical incident stress, and cross-cultural communication is considered an asset. The ideal candidate should demonstrate a strong understanding of trauma-informed practices and possess the ability to design and deliver effective stress-management training and webinars. Strong interpersonal skills with a gender-responsive and culturally sensitive approach are essential for this role.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in clinical psychology or psychiatry is required for this position. Candidates with additional certifications or training in related fields, such as stress management, critical incident stress, and cross-cultural communication, will have an advantage in the selection process. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of mental health issues in a diverse and crisis-affected environment.

Experience:
A minimum of seven years of professional experience in psychological counseling is required, with a special emphasis on managing critical incident stress. Candidates should have experience in a broad range of related fields, including alcohol/substance abuse and stress management. Experience working within the United Nations system is desirable, as it provides valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by personnel in high-stress environments.

Languages:
Fluency in both Ukrainian and English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset, as it can enhance communication with diverse personnel and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This position is a consultancy role with a contract duration that will be specified upon hiring. The Stress Counselor will be evaluated based on criteria such as timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of deliverables. Payment will be disbursed on a monthly basis upon receipt of deliverables and their certification by the UN Women Operations Manager. The role is full-time and requires a commitment to the values and standards of conduct expected by UN Women, including adherence to policies against discrimination and harassment.