Psychiatrist - Clinical Supervisor for PM+ Program at the Taimaka Project

The Taimaka Project runs a treatment program for acute malnutrition in children younger than five years in Gombe state, Nigeria. Within our treatment program, we incubate innovations to make malnutrition treatment better, cheaper, and simpler so that scarce resources can save more lives. Our research team is preparing to launch a study on the mental health of caregivers of children who are acutely malnourished.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Psychiatrist - Clinical Supervisor for PM+ Program

Location: Gombe
Employment Type: Part-time
Contract Duration: Clinical supervision for 2 days per week for 6 months (December 2023 to May 2024), with a probation period of 1 month, subject to extension based on performance

Backround
The position is required in our Primary health facilities in Gombe state, Nigeria, including facilities in:

• Bajoga, Funakaye LGA
• Ashaka, Funakaye LGA
• Kuri, Yamaltu/Deba LGA
• Kurjale, Yamaltu/Deba LGA
• Jigawan Iro, Yamaltu/Deba LGA

Description

• We are seeking a psychiatrist to join our research program for six months to provide clinical oversight for a study of Problem Management Plus (PM+), a psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help people in the community with depression, anxiety and stress.
• PM+ adapts aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to make them feasible in communities that do not have many specialists.
• The Taimaka Project is implementing PM+ as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effect of PM+ on caregivers’ mental health and children’s nutritional outcomes in its CMAM program. The trial will be implemented among 1,000 caregiver-child dyads at four field sites in Gombe state between December 2023 and May 2024.

Psychiatrist - Supervisor Terms of Reference:
Direct Supervisor: Research Coordinator
Psychiatrist - Clinical supervisor duties and responsibilities:

• Overview: Provide clinical mentorship, guidance, and support to enhance the capacity and skills of 12 PM+ helpers (lay counselors) as part of a six-month research study of the relationship between caregiver mental health and childhood malnutrition.
• Twice weekly: Visit field sites to conduct case reviews, clinical supervision, and on-the-job training for 12 field-based PM+ helpers to support the quality and appropriateness of the PM+ intervention.
• Field sites include primary health facilities in Funakaye LGA (Bajoga, Ashaka) and Yamaltu/Deba LGA (Kuri, Kurjale, and Jigawan Iro).
• PM+ helpers are community members (lay persons) trained to provide the PM+ intervention for adults facing adversity.
• Clinical supervision of PM+ helpers aims to develop their skills in delivering CBT as part of PM+ and in identifying and referring complicated cases to higher levels of care.
• As needed: Respond promptly to emails and phone calls from the Mental Health Program Supervisor to seek guidance on care and referrals for complicated cases identified by PM+ helpers.

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum Qualification: Medical Degree with specialization in psychiatry
• Medical Degree specializing in Psychiatry; consultants and registrars are welcome to apply.
• Substantial experience in mental health service delivery, preferably in community-based settings.
• Strong understanding of evidence-based interventions for common mental health conditions and psychosocial support.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural and resource-constrained environment.
• Fluency in Hausa and English (written + spoken).
• Previous experience in clinical research, program management, training, and supervision is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with PM+ or other scalable, community-based psychological interventions is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with WHO and Nigerian national guidelines and mental health policies is beneficial.

Salary
N300,000 - N500,000 NGN per month, commensurate with credentials and experience.

Application Closing Date
15th December, 2023.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and a brief Cover Letter outlining your experience to: [email protected] The subject line of the email should be “[YOUR NAME] - PM+ Psychiatrist.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.