Stress Counsellor

Stress Counsellor

Host entity: UNDP

Advertisement end date: 2026-11-11T00:00:00

General

Description of assignment title: Stress Counsellor

Assignment country: Afghanistan

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 2027-01-01T00:00:00

Expected end date: 2028-01-01T00:00:00

Duration: 365 days (with possibility of extension)

Sustainable Development Goal: 3. Good health and well-being

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: National Specialist Premise Fulltime LongTerm

Work schedule: -

For how many hours per week will the volunteer be required?: -

Number of Assignments: 2

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP has been working across Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods and rule of law.

Guided by the government and its Development Councils, our work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes, and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework.

As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Context

The Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is responsible for providing leadership, operational support, and oversight of the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS) globally. As a global leader in security risk management principles, UNDSS enables the safe and effective delivery of United Nations programmes and activities in the most complex and challenging environments.

This assignment is located in the Critical Incident Stress Management Section (CISMS) in Kabul, Afghanistan, which is affiliated with the CISMS, UNDSS Headquarters (New York), the global coordination body for the management of stress and critical incident stress for the UN system.

Under the overall leadership and management of the Principal Security Adviser (PSA), the national UN Volunteer, Stress Counsellor, will report directly to the Lead International Stress Counsellor of CISMS UNDSS Afghanistan. The primary role is to provide confidential psychosocial support to UN personnel and their eligible family members, assisting in maintaining a sustainable stress management system and enhancing Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) preparedness across the humanitarian community in Afghanistan, as mandated by the policy on Stress and Critical Incident Stress (MSCIS, 2015; Chapter 1V; Security Policy Manual).

Task type

Task description

Under the overall guidance of the Principal Security Adviser (D1) and direct supervision of the Lead Stress Counsellor of CISMS UNDSS Afghanistan, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Deliver confidential individual and /or group counselling, services for critical incident stress, and workplace-related stress, and any other stressful concerns.
• Assist the lead stress counsellor in UNDSS in designing and developing Stress Prevention and Management Plans aligned with the project’s duty-of-care objectives.
• Conduct psychosocial needs assessments and monitor determinants of stress among UN including data collection, analysis, resource mapping, and coordinating collective psychosocial capacity across agencies and partners.
• Deliver Training Programs; Plan and facilitate training programs on stress and critical incident stress management coping mechanisms and resiliency building, based on psychosocial needs assessments.
• Design and circulate context specific psychoeducational material.
• Assist in establishing critical incident stress management support structures for the humanitarian community including Critical Incident Stress Intervention Cells (CISICs) in CISMS UNDSS Afghanistan.
• Assist in building a Multi-Agency Support Network: Collaborate and consult with UN managers, security focal points, agency counsellors, and medical doctors,
• Conduct Outreach: Liaise with the existing Staff Association and SLT partner focal points to advocate for and organize welfare activities. Advise UN management on stress-mitigating strategies.
• Manage Critical Cases Across the humanitarian community: Identify, address, and follow up on high-stress and critical incident stress cases among UN personnel and their eligible dependents.
• Regularly visit UN Offices across Afghanistan’s eight Security Areas (Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kunduz, Gardez, Bamiyan) to implement preventative stress management training, respond to critical incidents, and offer technical consultations.
• Liaise with local experts within Afghanistan and regionally, to establish referral pathways for specialized mental health care services.
• Provide regular reports to the lead Stress Counsellor of CISMS UNDSS Afghanistan on all activities, with aggregated data on interventions delivered and maintaining confidentiality and UN data protection principles.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 36 months

Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Duration limit: Maximum years of service as a national UN Volunteer is 4 years.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience: 3 months

Languages: English, Level: Fluent, Required; Dari, Level: Fluent, Required; Pashto, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level: Master's degree clinical psychology, Mental Health Care, or a closely related field of mental health or psychology; or a Medical Doctor degree with at least four (4) years of validated postgraduate training/residency or a formally recognized specialization in Psychiatry.

• In addition, a valid license to practice as a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or a mental health care professional in the country of origin or residence, or recognition by a national or international formal professional organization in the absence of a professional board.
• A first-level university degree in combination with an additional four (4) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. This is subject to the technical clearance by the UN-accredited technical assessment board (CISMS), UNDSS Headquarters, New York.

Area(s) of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information, Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Mental health

Driving license: -

Competencies and values

• Professionalism

Demonstrates sound knowledge of UN operations and applies professional expertise with discretion, neutrality, accountability, confidentiality, and a client-oriented approach.

• Integrity

Upholds UN values and ethical standards, acts impartially, and uses authority and resources responsibly.

• Teamwork and Respect for Diversity

Works effectively in multicultural environments, promotes inclusion and gender equality, and builds positive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.

• Commitment to Continuous Learning

Demonstrates initiative in professional development, remains updated on relevant developments, and adapts to changing work environments.

• Planning and Organizing

Plans and prioritizes work effectively, manages multiple tasks under pressure, and applies strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Communication

Communicates clearly and effectively, demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and empathy, and produces concise reports and presentations.

• Flexibility and Adaptability

Demonstrates resilience and adaptability in challenging environments and is willing to travel and work in different duty stations as required.

Skills and experience

• A valid license to practice as a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or a mental health care professional in Afghanistan, or recognition by a national or international formal professional organization in the absence of a professional board is required i.e. (the Medical Council of Afghanistan for Psychiatrists and the Psychology Association of Afghanistan for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists).
• Additional certification in alcohol/substance abuse, family counselling, critical incident stress management, or cross-cultural communication is desirable.
• A minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in clinical psychology, psychiatry (Medical Doctor with 4 years of validated residency in Psychiatry or a certificate of specialization) or mental health care is required after a master’s degree.
• A minimum of 4 years of experience after a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) subject to the technical clearance by the UN-accredited technical assessment board (CISMS), UNDSS Headquarters, New York.
• Experience in crisis or emergency psychosocial support in a high-risk or humanitarian setting is required.
• Experience working with or supporting humanitarian organizations (INGOs, UN agencies) under security coordination frameworks such as Saving Lives Together (SLT) is highly desirable.
• Experience in a multicultural environment is an asset.

Living conditions and remarks

This assignment is open for local applicants and UNDSS will not provide any accommodation facilities.