JOB DESCRIPTION

 Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank consists of two entities – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). It is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries. As the largest development bank in the world, the World Bank provides loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, and coordinates responses to regional and global challenges. Visit www.worldbank.org.

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions and thirteen Global Practices to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients. 

Project/Task Background / General Description:

The Incumbent will be functional within the Health and Safety Directorate (HSD), Mental Health & Wellbeing Unit (MHWU), which assists and advises in identifying staff health issues which are related to the workplace in HQ and Country Office locations for World Bank Group (WBG) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff.  The MHWU also includes and oversees the Bank Group’s Domestic Abuse Prevention Program (DAPP) for victim-survivors – staff and spouses – of domestic abuse; and the Family Consultation Services, which provides counseling services for spouses and other family members. The MHWU provides services that promote the psychological health and well-being of employees and contribute to a healthy work environment. The Unit serves clients in Washington, DC, and at Country Offices worldwide. The MHWU is an integral part of HSD, which is the occupational health directorate serving employees and management of the WBG and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These client institutions are richly diverse environments, with employees from more than 150 countries, working in Washington, DC, and at more than 120 Country Office locations globally. The MHWU is increasingly focused on Country Offices in all regions of the globe, especially given the growing decentralization of WBG operations. The Unit will develop further its involvement with and assistance to Country Office employees and managers.  HSD recognizes that individual health and organizational health are related, and that attention to both supports the effective functioning of employees. Medical ethics and confidentiality are cornerstones of HSD’s work.

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The Mental Health & Wellbeing Unit provides five main services:

1. Advisory role to managers, Human Resources (HR), Security & other institutional partners on assisting employees with stress health issues that may affect work functioning; identifying stress risks in the workplace and promoting a psychologically healthy work environment; giving guidance on support to employees during organizational change and in crises.
2. Individual counseling: assessment, support & intervention regarding work stress, psychological, substance abuse and family problems; brief counseling; referrals to internal and external resources; provision of resiliency briefings to staff appointed to assignments in countries affected by fragility, conflict, or violence (FCV).
3. Training & education of managers, HR staff and work groups on psychosocial health problems, psychological health & disability issues, crisis preparedness and response, workplace stress & well-being
4. Crisis consultation and response, after individual or large-scale critical incidents: consultation to managers & HR; crisis intervention & counseling of employees; coordination with internal & external resources, local and international.
5. The Domestic Abuse Prevention Program (DAPP) within this Unit provides state-of-the-art case management, educational, and advocacy services for WBG and IMF staff and their families.  It also provides these services, on a contractual basis, to the Inter American Development Bank (IADB).

Deliverables and Accountabilities:

• Individual Counseling
• Manager and Group Consultation
• Quality Assurance and Program Support
• Health Promotion Activities
• Project management
• Unit administration

The Senior Psychologist will report to the HSD MHW Manager. A key requirement of the position will be the ability to develop analytic processes to summarize data and trends to develop programs and policies that are designed to support staff. Travel is required to support country offices throughout the globe, at times on short notice based on operational needs, and also at times to remote and difficult locations to provide support to staff.  

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The Senior Psychologist will be responsible for performing the following duties:

• Provide empirically supported and culturally sensitive counselling services to WBG and IMF staff and if requested their dependents; this may include case management and referrals to other resources as required;
• Provide pre- and post-deployment/assignment briefings to staff relocating to duty stations in countries affected by fragility, conflict, and/or violence (aka “FCV”);
• Based on data trends and requests from other divisions/units/offices develop and provide a range of trainings and programs including but not limited to team building, resilience, and cross-cultural sensitivity to improve morale, health, and team dynamics;
• As part of a multidisciplinary team work closely with individuals and teams to address psychological risks at the individual, unit and organizational level;
• When requested work closely with managers/supervisors towards improving the working atmosphere in their units;
• Provide counselling services to individuals and/or groups during emergencies; provide services in a timely and sensitive manner to staff and dependents after critical incidents, and ensure follow up support for staff and dependents following critical events;
• Provide counseling to individuals who have been subjected to gender-based or domestic violence, and liaise with the WBG Domestic Abuse Prevention Program as necessary to ensure delivery of quality care;
• Identify and liaise with high-quality local and regional mental health resources that can be used for referrals or in times of crisis;
• Coordinate services with UN system counselors, particularly in the context of critical incident response, to deliver care not only to WBG and IMF beneficiaries, but also to other UN beneficiaries as necessary; represent MHW, HSD, and the WBG at high-level UN working groups, steering committees, and boards;
• In the best interests of staff members and the organization work in a collegial and professional manner with all HSD units to ensure continuity of care;
• Work as a part of a team to ensure divisional priorities are implemented consistent with the yearly unit work plan and the WBG Workplace Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy;
• Develop and participate in multidisciplinary programs in headquarters as well as Country Offices;
• Be proactive in building partnerships with but not limited to HR, Internal Justice System, Staff Association, and Security that support staff within the institution; and also with other agencies or relevant organizations;
• Collaboratively develop policies and guidelines, as well as written and visual materials, to increase awareness regarding important themes and topics related to staff wellness, wellbeing, and workplace psychosocial risk mitigation;
• Complete administrative duties such as maintenance of statistics on activitiesandcompleting reporting requirements as per HSD requirements;
• Participate and collaborate in UN Staff and Stress Counselor Group (UNSSCG), and the UN Critical Incident Stress Management Unit (CISMU) activities and working groups;
• Develop innovative mental health programming relevant to the specific World Bank and IMF populations; oversee relevant contracts, develop KPIs, and ensure high-quality delivery through the lifecycle of the project.
• Supervise specific MHW consultant staff as needed. 
• Oversee the duties of the MHW as-needed in the absence of the Unit manager to include staff supervision and representation of manager at meetings and engagements as required.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards related to the provision of psychological and/or counseling services, including but not limited to confidentiality; practicing within the scope of one’s experience and training; maintaining competencies through ongoing continuing education; and undertaking appropriate clinical supervision;
• Undertake regular mission travel to country offices;
• Perform other duties as required.

Selection Criteria

Education, Certification & Skills:

• Advanced degree (doctorate or masters) in mental health-related field (Psychology, Marriage & Family Therapy, Counseling, or Clinical Social Work); doctorate preferred.
• Possession of an active and unrestricted license, registration, or certificate as a psychologist, clinical social worker, counselor, or marriage & family therapist in the District of Columbia; similar licensure in one or both of the adjoining jurisdictions (Maryland or Virginia) strongly preferred.
• Training & skills in brief counseling.
• Demonstrated expertise working with multicultural populations.
• International work/living experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of structure of international multilateral organizations preferred.
• Professional fluency in English; proficiency in at least one language desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated excellence in clinical judgment and decision-making.
• Strong technology skills, to include:

Experience:

• Ten years of relevant experience post-attainment of applicable advanced university (graduate) degree.
• Advanced training or experience in organizational psychology preferred.
• Additional experience in an occupational setting strongly preferred, consulting on work-related stress.
• Advanced training and/or experience in individual counseling and therapy, in family and/or group therapy, substance abuse, and post-trauma stress.
• Substantial experience counseling & consulting to/with multicultural clients.
• Experience working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team environment; ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters with discretion, strong independent judgment, and tact.
• International work/living experience preferred.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

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