Job title: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer – Katsina
Company: Save the Children
Job description: Job Category: Programme OperationsJob Description: TITLE: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Programmes LOCATION: Katsina
GRADE: 4 CONTRACT LENGTH: 7 monthsChild Safeguarding:Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young peopleROLE PURPOSE:The MHPSS Officer will be responsible for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of MHPSS activities under the education and child protection project targeting conflict and climate affected children in Northwest Nigeria. The Officer will ensure integration of MHPSS into education interventions, strengthen the capacity of teachers and school staff, and support safe learning environments that promote children’s emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes. The officer will also assist in providing clinical intervention children in distress and is required to travel to field sites regularly.SCOPE OF ROLE:Reports directly to: Program ManagerStaff directly reporting to this post: MHPSS FacilitatorsKEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:Information Management – Child Protection ProgramTechnical Quality
- Lead the design and implementation of MHPSS interventions integrated into education programming.
- Ensure the provision of age-appropriate, culturally relevant psychosocial support activities in schools and learning spaces.
- Conduct and support structured group and individual PSS activities with children, adolescents and caregivers.
- Work with teachers, school aunts, and school fathers to identify children with protection and psychosocial concerns and refer appropriately
Capacity Building & Supervision:
- Train and mentor teachers, school counsellors, education and PSS facilitators, school aunts and fathers on basic MHPSS principles, Psychological First Aid (PFA), and classroom-based psychosocial support.
- Establish and build the capacity of school aunts and fathers to provide nurturing, gender-sensitive, and responsive care to children, especially those showing signs of distress.
- Develop and adapt MHPSS training materials and tools for non-specialists in the school environment.
Coordination and Representation:
- Work closely with education, and child protection teams to ensure holistic support for children.
- Engage community and school-based support structures, including school aunts/fathers, in strengthening the MHPSS referral pathways.
- Participate in local coordination forums, including education and protection sub-sectors.
- Maintain effective communication with stakeholders including local authorities, schools, and community-based structures.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:
- Develop tools to monitor MHPSS interventions within the education and child protection program.
- Contribute to regular reporting, success stories, and documentation of lessons learned.
- Support in needs assessments and baseline surveys focused on children and caregivers’ psychosocial wellbeing.
Safeguarding
- Assess Safeguarding activities during field visits.
- Assess the mainstreaming of safeguarding in programme operations
Other
- To carry out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities within the overall function of MHPSS as and when requested by the supervisor.
- To be proactive in developing actions that will improve the activities they engage in while in schools and communities
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
- Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing to take disciplined risks
IntegrityHonest, encourages openness and transparencyQUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Social Work, Education, Child Development, or related field
- Minimum of 3 years experience in implementing MHPSS or Child Protection programs in humanitarian or development contexts.
- Demonstrated experience in integrating MHPSS into education programming.
- Experience working with children and adolescents in emergency or conflict-affected contexts.
- Knowledge of Psychological First Aid, community-based psychosocial support, and child protection principles.
- Fluent in English; knowledge of Hausa or local languages in Northwest Nigeria is a strong asset.
- Good report writing skills
- Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions
- Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Protection Policy.
Skills and Competencies:
- Strong facilitation and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse teams and communities.
- Proven ability to build staff and community caregiver capacity.
- Demonstrated commitment to child safeguarding and protection principles.
- Ability to adapt to changing contexts and work under pressure.
WORKING CONTACTS:External: The job holder is required to have regular contact with other similar organizations, education and child protection institutions, children, community, and government departments.Internal: The job requires the job holder to have direct relationship with all staff and management at all levels in ensuring the organizational policies and procedures are adhered to and complied with.About Us:The Organization
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:· No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
· All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
· Violence against children is no longer toleratedWe know that great people make a great organization, 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 workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.Application Information:
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
Expected salary:
Location: Nigeria
Job date: Sun, 22 Jun 2025 03:13:56 GMT