Jobs

Mental Health Specialist

Deadline: 18 October 2022

Location: Copperbelt, Zambia (with some travel to three other provinces)

Ubumi Prisons Initiative works with health, including mental health, education and reintegration/rehabilitation with a solid departure in international human rights and local law. We work to support the general inmate population, but with a particular focus on vulnerable groups. These are among others circumstantial children aged 0-4, pregnant women and mothers, juveniles and the seriously ill, as well as psychologically vulnerable. We are an international organisation based in both Denmark and Zambia.

We are seeking an experienced, skilled, and enthusiastic mental health specialist to play a key role in advancing and promoting mental health related activities of inmates as well as officers, in the Zambian Correctional Facilities/Prisons. This role will work to advance Ubumi’s vision of holistic health promotion (including mental health) of support for inmates and officers in the Correctional Facilities.

The mental health specialist will be responsible for mentoring ZCS clinical staff in screening and managing mental health conditions and psychological vulnerabilities of inmates and officers in designated correctional facilities, clerking, diagnosing, treating and opening files for individuals whose symptoms meet diagnostic criteria for psychiatric conditions. He/she will also assist with developing and preparing mental health materials to be used workshops/trainings/conferences where he she will be expected to co-facilitate/teach. He/she will also be responsible for training inmates and officers to set up support groups, and to continuously monitor and supervise the support groups.

Responsibilities

• Work with ZCS clinical staff to screen, clerk, diagnose and treat mental health conditions for inmates and officers in designated correctional centers
• Mentor ZCS clinical staff in screening, clerking, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions of inmates and officers.
• Provide appropriate mental health support to psychologically vulnerable inmates and officers including brief psychological intervention and psychotherapy
• Prepare material and deliver training at workshops to officers and inmates in mental health and support groups
• Setting up of support groups and continuously monitoring and supervising support group activities in the correctional facilities.
• Advocate for the rights and better treatment of inmates and officers with mental health conditions and psychological vulnerabilities.
• Support and contribute to the organisation’s annual report as well as quarterly and annual reports to donors
• Monitor and evaluate overall progress on achievement of results
• Provide technical assistance to proposal development, as needed
• Attend meetings and conferences as needed to maintain the knowledge and skills required for the position
• Preparation of monthly, quarterly, and other relevant reports on all mental health activities conducted
• Assist the Program team in preparing other relevant reports
• Any other tasks deemed necessary by the management

Competencies

• Organises and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources, and multiple reporting relationships
• Plans, coordinates and organizes workload while remaining aware of changing priorities and competing deadlines
• Establishes, builds, and maintains effective working relationships with staff, partners and other stakeholders to facilitate the provision of support

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Diploma and preferably BSC Degree in mental health and clinical Psychiatry
• Preferable additional psycho-social training

Professional experience

• At least 3 years of experience in as a mental health specialist at a psychiatric hospital or general hospital with a psychiatric wing
• Experience in working with forensic patients
• Experience in mentoring clinical/medical students
• Experience in Microsoft Excel is a requirement
• Proven ICT skills

Language Requirements

• Excellent professional knowledge of English (written/oral/comprehension)
• Knowledge of local language preferable (Nyanja or Bemba)
  
  

Practical information: The base for the job will be in the Copperbelt, but the applicant is to expect to be in Lusaka the first month at own cost (travel cost will be covered, but not living costs) for introduction to the organisation.

Application: Please send a cover letter, CV and documentation for any degrees and diplomas (beyond secondary school) to job@ubumi.dk with the subject line “Mental health specialist”. In the application, please address your level of competency in the abovementioned skills and please outline which personal skills and values you bring to the job. Please direct any questions before the deadline to ae@ubumi.dk

Application period closes 18 October 2022. Only shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.