MISSION LOCATION: NORTH WEST, CAMEROON
PURPOSE OF THE POST
The Mental Health and Psycho-social Support Officer will implement and monitor individual and community psycho-social activities in the North-West project of the NGO ALIMA.
FUNCTIONAL AND HIERARCHICAL LINKS
He/she reports to the Medical Activity Manager (MAM) and to the Mental health manager for the Cameroon mission.
He/she supports: nurses, nutritional assistants, community health workers, midwives and MOH staffs.
The MHPSS Supervisor collaborates with:
● The different external partners.
● The medical, administrative and logistic teams of the North-West project.
MAIN MISSION
The MHPSS supervisor is responsible for the Project’s mental health strategy and implementation for psychosocial support for patients, their families and community.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
To improve the mental health and psychosocial support of people in distress (including staff) through appropriate and effective care
l Carry out individual interviews and discussion groups for people in psychological distress.
l Facilitating family mediation as necessary and appropriate.
l In collaboration with the MHPSS manager of ALIMA, organize recreational and emotional release activities for the care team.
l Organize tours of duty in the supported health facilities for the assessment and psycho-social and mental health care of hospitalized patients.
l Prescribe or be able to identify and refer situations requiring psychiatric medication in extreme cases for certain people.
l Follow up on referrals made in mental health and psycho-social support by other project colleagues, care providers or community relays.
l Collaborate with traditional practitioners working in the field.
l Develop an intervention and follow-up plan for beneficiaries in relation to mental health and psycho-social support.
l Propose appropriate and adapted activities in relation to the identified needs.
l Monitor the activities of community health workers in the field.
Hospitalization
l Conducts interviews with inpatients to identify, manage and monitor those with identified mental health, psychiatric and psycho-social support needs.
l Indicates and prescribes care and treatment to the team, following therapeutic protocols to rationalize the use of medication.
l Informs the patient about his/her illness, explains the treatment.
l Maintains the hospitalization records by accurately notifying the examinations, entry and exit diagnoses and treatments and ensures that the prescription is applied.
l Decides on the patient’s discharge according to their state of health, which must meet pre-established criteria.
l Works in collaboration with the various doctors and supervises transfers to other departments if necessary.
l Ensures the supervision and continuous training of the medical/paramedical team in order to optimize the quality of care.
l Manages psychiatric emergencies.
Strengthen the capacity of health care providers and community-based health workers in mental health concepts and psychosocial support
l In collaboration with the mental health manager, ensure capacity building of providers on MHPSS concepts and especially in identifying mental health problems and psychological first aid;
l Ensure training and supervision of community relays on general MHPSS concepts and GBV;
l Provide training in stress management and self-care for community health workers
Support the implementation of awareness and social mobilization actions for the development of a mental health culture
l Participate in and support the organization of awareness-raising activities (in MHPSS and GBV) through community-based health workers (community relays), local partners, leaders, neighborhood chiefs and village heads,
l Work in close collaboration with the Project’s GBV focal point to provide pyscho-social support to survivors of sexual violence and exploitation.
l Support the strengthening of existing community mechanisms (women’s groups, solidarity groups, religious leaders, neighborhood chiefs) in order to offer psychosocial care to GBV victims (individual and collective), in collaboration with agents in charge of community mobilization.
l Develop MHPSS and GBV messages to be delivered to communities in collaboration with other colleges and partners and MOHs;
l Participate in the development of sensitization/information, education and communication (IEC) tools according to identified needs, in collaboration with all relevant components and contextualize/translate these tools into local languages.
l Sensitize all other colleagues and project stakeholders on mental health and psychosocial support.
Reporting / information sharing
l Share the various problems encountered on a daily basis in the structures or sites supported and partners with its managers.
l Use the monitoring tools and compile the analysis in a weekly report.
l Participate in the various internal meetings of the ALIMA project.
l In collaboration with the project team, collect and share MHPSS data, while ensuring their confidentiality.
l Write and share activity reports.
l Be required to write the minutes of certain internal meetings.
l Participate, upon request of his/her superior, in external meetings related to MHPSS, and or community health in the project area.
Ensure external communication, with other partners, upon request of his/her line manager.
l Support for the overall operation and successful implementation of the MHPSS and SGBV program.
Support to the overall functioning and proper implementation of the MHPSS program
l Participate in the evaluation of the psychosocial needs of the communities in the field of intervention and in the development of a strategy for the sustainability of MHPSS activities.
l Carry out any other activity requested by the managers in the framework of the program activities.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
l Bachelors in Nursing with Mental Health/ psychiatry specialization.
l At least 2 years’ experience as a psycho-social officer or counsellor, mental health attaché or similar.
l Experience working with medical NGOs (ALIMA, MSF, IMC MDM etc).
l Experience in the implementation of psycho-social activities.
l Experience in psycho-social and mental health support for people in psychological distress.
l Have knowledge of child development, protection, GBV, inclusion and social cohesion.
l Have good experience in community-based health and behavior change communication techniques.
l English speaking and local languages of NOSO is required. (Pidgin and French is an added advantage).
PERSONAL SKILLS REQUIRED:
l Dynamism-Excellent Organizational Skills-Autonomy.
l Proactive and able to work under pressure and in a reduced security environment.
l Diplomacy-Team Spirit-Flexibility
l Computer skills (MS office)
l Empathy and emotional intelligence
l Strong leadership skills
l Autonomy and sense of responsibility.
HOW TO APPLY.
Cameroon nationals with above qualifications to apply through email; bamenda.admin@cameroun.alima.ngo or hand delivery at our office up station GRA opposite UN compound Office. Send your Cover Letter, CV, work certificates and copies of qualification certificate between 16TH APRIL2026 – 30TH APRIL 2026.
ALIMA reserves the right to close this position before the closing date immediately the right profile is received.
