MHPSS Technical Advisor - Integration

Job description

GIZ has been operating in Syria since 1976. It has thus established valuable contacts in civil society and garnered experience that is now crucial for supporting the country. From 2013 onwards, it worked without government involvement with the assistance of local non-governmental organisations. Despite the difficult conditions, GIZ has consistently contributed to improving people’s living conditions.

In view of the developments since December 2024, which have led Syria into a decisive phase of transformation, GIZ reopened its Country Office in Damascus in 2026. It is currently implementing 15 projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office (FFO), with co-financing from the European Union and other donors.

The project “Strengthening the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) System in Syria” is due to start on 1. December 2026 for a duration of 3 years. Given the continued high demand for MHPSS services across Syria, the aim of the project is to strengthen the Syrian MHPSS system by

• supporting the development of national strategies, regulatory frameworks and uniform quality standards for MHPSS services
• developing practice-oriented training and continuing professional development programs for MHPSS professionals and ensuring these are permanently established in local training institutions
• supporting partner organizations in offering MHPSS services for particularly distressed population groups, including survivors of torture, some of them through non-traditional (e.g. creative) interventions
• working with researchers to scientifically accompany and evaluate the MHPSS-services offered through the project and preparing the findings for professionals, thereby expanding target-group-specific knowledge and promoting the application of effective approaches
• training and advising professionals from the fields of education, peacebuilding, transitional justice and disaster risk management on how to work in an MHPSS-informed manner with people affected by crises and conflicts.

In this position as MHPSS Technical Advisor, you will be responsible for training actors from other sectors on how to work in an MHPSS-informed way and advising them on integrating MHPSS-considerations into their policies, standard operating procedures and training efforts. You will moreover be contributing to developing and revising practice-oriented curricula in the field of MHPSS and to establishing them in local training institutions. You will be working on these tasks in close collaboration with two other colleagues in a project team of overall 8 staff.

Your tasks

• Coordinating and technically leading the development and adaptation of trainings on working in an MHPSS-informed way for governmental and non-governmental actors from other sectors such as peacebuilding, transitional justice, education and disaster management, based on existing training modules
• Organizing and giving trainings on working in an MHPSS-informed way to actors from other sectors such as the ones mentioned above
• Advising and supporting governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations in integrating MHPSS-considerations into their policies, training efforts and standard operating procedures
• Supporting with the revision of GIZ’s existing curriculum for a long-term training of clinical supervisors and its establishment at a local training institution
• Supporting with the development and/ or revision of two practice-oriented curricula in the field of MHPSS in cooperation with local training institutions and with their establishment in the training institutions’ range of studies.
• Where suitable, bringing in expertise and ideas into the other work streams of the project (mentioned above), which will be mainly covered by your colleagues
• Supporting with team-internal tasks, including monitoring and evaluation, reporting, preparation of team workshops etc.

Your profile (required qualifications, competencies and experience)

• A completed post-graduate degree in mental health, clinical or general psychology, psychological counselling, psychiatry, social work or a related field
• At least 5 years of professional experience in MHPSS, preferably in the Middle East, particularly in/ for Syria
• Experience with developing and giving trainings on how to work in an MHPSS-informed way to actors without an MHPSS-background
• A high degree of understanding of the cross-sectoral nature of MHPSS, its interactions and relevance for other sectors such as peacebuilding, transitional justice, education and disaster management and how to work in an MHPSS-informed way
• Experience in working on the development or revision of academic curricula and/ or experience with giving trainings in the field of MHPSS in a practice-oriented way
• High cultural-, context- and gender-sensitivity as well as sensitivity to inclusion issues
• A high motivation to contribute to strengthening the MHPSS system in Syria, particularly in its cross-sectoral nature
• Strong perspective-taking
• Resilience and frustration tolerance
• Business fluency in Arabic and English
• Experience with clinical supervision is an asset
• An existing network of actors in Syria particularly in the fields of peacebuilding, transitional justice, education or disaster management is an asset
• Knowledge of and experience with GIZ procedures and policies is an asset
• Basic knowledge of German is an asset

كيفية التقديم

Additional information

The following minimum requirements for applications need to be fulfilled:

1. Only application documents in English will be accepted. Documents in Arabic cannot be considered during the selection process.
2. Mandatory documents are CV and application letter in English stating your qualifications and previous professional experiences.

The deadline for application is 25.11.2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

GIZ is committed to diversity and gender balance. It is encouraging persons with disabilities to apply for the position.

This is a national position governed by GIZ Syria’s national terms and conditions of employment. The salary is paid in Syrian pounds (SYP) and is benchmarked against comparable roles to ensure it is competitive in the Syrian labour market.

Please submit your application to [email protected] indicating in the subject line only the respective title of the position.