Psychologist focal point

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare.
As a partner section, MSF Italy is engaged in saving lives and alleviating suffering through fundraising; communication and advocacy, recruitment and deployment of field workers; as well as running operations in Italy and supporting international operations through expertise and other kinds of direct support.

The Psychologist Focal Point is responsible for defining and implementing psychosocial support strategies for MSF Italy staff, ensuring psychological well-being for Italian humanitarian workers before, during, and after missions.

This role also develops and manages a network of volunteer psychologists and collaborates with international units to maintain a consistent approach to psychological support.

• Psychological support:
- Provide psychological briefings prior to assignment departure and debriefings upon assignment return for humanitarian workers;
- Ensure follow-up support for humanitarian workers during and after assignments, whenever necessary;
- Assess the need for medium- or long-term psychological care and facilitate access to psychotherapy.

• Network Development and Management:
- Develop and manage a network of volunteer psychologists to support Italian humanitarian workers;
- Assist humanitarian workers in finding specialized psychotherapists when needed and maintain relationships with these volunteers.

• Data Management and Compliance:
- Maintain and store humanitarian workers’ dossiers in compliance with professional ethics and privacy regulations.

• Training and Capacity Building:
- Design and deliver stress management and related trainings for Italian staff and, when required, for the broader MSF movement (e.g., BAMM);
- Design and deliver psychosocial matter related workshops for mobile staff, HQ Staff and other populations within MSF to contribute to the Wellbeing of the staff.

• Crisis and Projects’ Support:
- Contribute to crisis management in case of critical incidents in the projects, upon request from Operational Centers (OCs). He/she is available for in-site visits whenever psychosocial intervention is needed;
- Be available for on-site visits when psychosocial intervention is required at projects’ level.

• Collaboration and Coordination:
- Interact with international colleagues in the Psychological Support Units (PSUs) of Operational Centers (OCs) to ensure a common strategy;
- Participate in regular meetings with OCB PSUs and collaborate with MSF Italy’s Medical Unit when relevant;
- Participate in all HR department meetings, and facilitate when necessary HR activities (example : Welcome Back Day).

Key requirements/education:

- Degree in psychology– Laurea Magistrale (3+2);
- Specialization in psychotherapy;
- English B2;
- Minimum 3 years of experience in psychological support, preferably in humanitarian or international contexts.

Behaviour skills/competencies:
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
- Ability to manage sensitive information with confidentiality;
- Capacity to work under pressure and in crisis situations;
- People Management;
- Behavioral flexibility;
- Emotion and stress management;
- Result and quality orientation;
- Planning and organization;
- Initiative and innovation.

Added value/ asset:
- Experience in development and delivery of trainings;
- Experience with MSF;
- French B1.

Positions details:

Contract: fixed-term contract of 12 months with potential extension. Level II of Italian CCNL of Commerce. Part time 75%.
Gross Annual Salary: min 33.160,96€ - max 45.309,32€ (for a full time). Salary will be commensurate to the part-time and depending on the experience of the selected candidate.
Expected start date: march 2026.
Location: Hybrid. MSF Italy Rome/Milan office, and from home.