Psycho-Social Counsellor at Cooperazione Internazionale - COOPI

Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts, and natural disasters. For 60 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economic Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Psycho-Social Counsellor

Location: Sokoto 
Employment Type: Full-time
Project / Programme: Integrated emergency response to the displaced population in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina States, NW Nigeria BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance)
Reports to: Protection Sector Lead
Supervised: Deputy Project Manager
Starting Date: ASAP
Contract duration: 6 Months with possible extension. Working Condition: 100% Field Based.

Scope of the Vacancy

• The Psychosocial Counselor will identify psychosocial support needs for the benefit of children victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence in target LGAs of Sokoto state.
• He will create and develop adapted PSS and Child Protection activities in line with the priorities determined by COOPI.
• He will ensure performance tools are available for local staff, in order to guarantee smooth implementation of the programs, while taking into consideration the local cultural context.
• He will be responsible for the implementation, monitoring and follow-up of the PSS and Child Protection activities.

Main Duties / Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Protection Coordinator, he/she:

• Evaluates the risk factors and identifies those in need of long- term PSS support (communities, vulnerable children and their families)
• Put in place assistance programs, taking into consideration the concerns and coping mechanisms of the victims
• Providing technical guidance and support, ensuring best practices on advanced PSS to PSS Support Animators
• Implement and ensure, often in partnership with local stakeholders (NGOs, National Society), proper follow-up of the PSS and Child Protection activities for the benefit of the children and their family’s victims of armed conflict or other situations of violence
• Be attentive to mental health and psychosocial support needs in the community and support community initiatives promoting family and community support
• Provide technical advice, counseling, PSS and Child Protection trainings to primary teachers within the education activities according to the project
• Reinforcing and developing local networks (school community committees) and their PSS capacities
• Evaluate continually the patterns of violence, the victims’ situation and the PSS activities.
• Support Case worker supervisors and PM Collects the information needed to identify, registers, analyzes the needs of any child at risk, including UASC;
• Contributes in the success of the trainings for community leaders, also by accompanying them directly on the field;
• Joins actively meetings and trainings to raise gaps and recommendations based on the daily work on the field;
• Supports the data-entry activities providing the proper information about each child at risk from the caseload;
• Communicates regularly with the PM and Case Worker Supervisor for updates on achievements and challenges and any changes in the community’s social context and security status;
• Adopts standard operating procedure (SOPs) for the Child Protection and case management system and data management protocols;
• Carry out a complete psychosocial assessment of the mental health beneficiary, highlighting their needs and resources, and directing them to the necessary care or support services
• Appropriately fill out the assessment and psychosocial monitoring sheets for beneficiaries, list in a weekly report the various activities conducted in the field and archive the data in the register provided for this purpose
• Performs any other necessary action related to the position to achieve the objectives of the project and of COOPI in Nigeria if requested by the Team Leader
• Upholds COOPI’s mission and Charter of Values;
• Follows and enforces all COOPI codes of conduct and policies (globally and in-country);
• Participate in the field work of the nutrition survey (impact assessment)
• Perform any other action related with the position needed to achieve the objectives of the projects and of COOPI Nigeria if requested by his/her supervisor.

Requirements

• Medical Doctor or Nurse with strong background in PSS or Psychologist, Advanced university degree in Clinical Psychology (MSc / ClinPsyD) or Psychiatrist
• Experience in mhGAP training, Protection training (SGBV and Child
• Protection) and training in Case Management as a modality of intervention
• At least two years of professional experience in the support of vulnerable people or in the humanitarian field, preferably in the field of PSS.
• Experience with an NGO
• Experience in Project Management
• Good communicator, strong listening capacity, open minded, proactive and creative
• Respectful and inclusive of individual and cultural differences
• Significant experience involving work engaging people in and from community settings
• Knowledge of the local language (Hausa )

Preferred:

• Good knowledge of the intervention area/s and local context.

Application Closing Date
16th September, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Application is on a rolling basis.