This position is open on a rolling basis and will be filled upon the availability of a suitable candidate.

Context

Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.

Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.

We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.

Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team.

In Pakistan, RI works with government institutions, communities, local organizations and humanitarian partners to deliver safe, inclusive and accountable programs across protection, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), education, health, livelihoods and WASH, including programming in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. 

Job Profile

The Hotline Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer delivers confidential, accessible remote support for RISE participants through approved telephone or digital channels. The Officer provides PFA, brief counselling, risk triage, safety planning and service navigation within verified competence, coordinating referrals and follow-up. Based at the Country Office in Islamabad, the role supports the dedicated 24/7 hotline through an approved rotating shift roster under the MHPSS Coordinator and clinical supervision of a Clinical Psychologist, with on-call Psychiatrist support for severe or high-risk concerns.

Key responsibilities

Context background

The RISE project provides community-based and layered mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Services promote wellbeing, coping, daily functioning and earlier, safer help-seeking through outreach, wellbeing centers, mobile clinics, home-based support, hotline services and referrals. Access is voluntary and based on assessed vulnerability and approved eligibility criteria. The role supports routine preparedness and approved emergency material assistance where applicable.

A. Safe Access and Remote Engagement

• Work approved rotating shifts and complete safe handovers to support the hotline’s 24/7 coverage; maintain clear arrangements for on-call escalation and continuity.
• At first contact, check whether it is safe and private to talk, explain informed consent and confidentiality limits, and agree safe contact, callback and message arrangements without assuming a shared device is confidential.
• Provide general information anonymously where possible and collect identifiers only when necessary for referral, clinical follow-up or safeguarding; explain voluntary participation and follow approved child assent and caregiver consent procedures.
• Use only authorized devices and platforms in a private workspace. Do not record calls unless recording is specifically authorized and informed consent and secure handling requirements are satisfied.

B. Protocol-Based Psychological Support

• Provide PFA, supportive listening, brief protocol-based counselling and psychoeducation appropriate to remote delivery, participant needs and the Officer’s training, supervised practice and assessed competence.
• Agree immediate support goals, practical coping and follow-up arrangements; support safety planning and connection to trusted relationships without requiring traumatic disclosure or using compulsory debriefing.
• Apply approved assessment and outcome tools only when trained and authorized, with appropriate explanation and consent; review progress and cases requiring a different level of care in supervision.
• Maintain professional boundaries and refer needs exceeding brief remote support to qualified services; do not provide long-term therapy, psychiatric diagnosis, medication prescribing or changes to medical treatment.

C. Crisis Escalation and Referrals

• Recognise and assess immediate safety concerns within approved protocols, establish the participant’s current location and safe contact options when necessary, and promptly involve the designated clinical supervisor.
• Follow the approved crisis pathway for urgent clinical or protection needs, explaining actions and confidentiality limits as circumstances allow; coordinate local emergency support without promising services that are unavailable.
• Maintain current district referral information, assess access and protection risks, and obtain informed consent for sharing minimum necessary information. Agree suitable RI-managed mobile, home-based or remote options with qualified providers when an external visit may increase risk.
• Coordinate safe callback and referral follow-up, document referral status and barriers, and seek clinical review for persistent distress, deterioration, unsuccessful referrals or missed high-priority follow-up.

D. Confidential Records, Outcomes and Accountability

• Maintain timely coded contact and service records, distinguishing unique participants, repeat contacts, sessions and referrals; keep identifiable clinical records separate from routine monitoring datasets.
• Record relevant assessment, intervention, supervision and follow-up information in authorized clinical systems with restricted access; apply secure transfer, retention and incident-reporting procedures.
• Submit de-identified activity and outcome summaries using agreed indicators and denominators, including missing follow-up where relevant, and support independent MEAL verification without disclosing unnecessary clinical detail.
• Explain accessible feedback channels and report safeguarding concerns immediately through designated procedures; do not investigate allegations or include sensitive case details in general complaints records.

E. Supervision, Coordination and Service Quality

• Participate in regular clinical supervision, case review and competency development; seek timely advice when participant needs exceed the role’s expertise or the limits of remote support.
• Complete structured, confidential shift handovers and coordinate with provincial and district teams to support continuity of care, sharing only necessary information through approved arrangements.
• Review call trends, accessibility barriers and participant feedback with the MHPSS Coordinator; recommend improvements to scripts, referral directories, triage and shift arrangements through approved processes.
• Follow staff wellbeing and workload arrangements, security and safeguarding requirements, and undertake other duties consistent with professional competence and the approved role.

F. Professional conduct and teamwork

• Uphold RI’s Code of Conduct and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment requirements; report concerns promptly through designated channels.
• Participate in staff wellbeing and learning activities, follow security procedures and perform assigned duties within professional competence.

5.     Qualifications

Essential Criteria

• Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology, with documented supervised clinical practice relevant to the proposed interventions.
• At least four years of relevant supervised MHPSS experience, including individual psychological support and handling urgent concerns through established escalation pathways.
• Demonstrated competence in brief psychological support, risk triage, safety planning, confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries and sensitive case documentation.
• Clear communication in Pashto, Baluchi, Urdu and a language commonly used in the assigned district; basic English reading and reporting ability.
• Ability to use authorized telephone and digital systems securely and work an approved rotating roster, including night, weekend or holiday shifts as assigned.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience delivering supervised telephone or remote MHPSS services and coordinating referrals across multiple districts.
• Ability to communicate in local language to provide support to adolescents, caregivers and people with specific accessibility needs.

Behavior and Conduct

• Maintain the highest standards of behavior inside and outside work and uphold RI's Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies and humanitarian principles.
• Model ethical leadership and create an environment in which staff and communities can raise concerns safely and without retaliation.
• Ensure that personal actions and those of managed teams do not compromise the safety, dignity, rights or confidentiality of staff, partners or communities.
• Report and respond to concerns promptly through the appropriate RI channels.

RI Values

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, as well as Do No Harm, Relief International values:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

Equal Opportunity

Applications are welcomed from all qualified candidates. Relief International is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.