MHPSS Assistant at Center for Advocacy Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI) - 2 Openings

Center for Advocacy, Transparency, and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), founded in 2018, is a registered NGO with a head office in Maiduguri, Borno State, with offices across Yobe and Adamawa states. We have been visible in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states implementing projects in education, protection (child/GBV), WaSH, nutrition, empowerment/livelihood, governance, and peacebuilding.

Our approach is aligned with our mission to enhance service delivery and empower citizens through our humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding nexus (HDP). CATAI is dedicated to enhancing service delivery through citizen empowerment. Its mission is to promote a just society across all regions in Nigeria through advocacy, research, impact, and innovation, focusing on institutional reforms, capacity building, and citizen empowerment. By creating platforms for dialogue, enabling informed debates, and building citizen capacity, CATAI strengthens local communities, allowing individuals to act as catalysts for addressing societal issues. The organization is committed to advocating for and promoting quality education, particularly for girls in marginalized communities, and utilizing technological means to enhance children’s productivity through knowledge acquisition.

CATAI provides marginalized and vulnerable communities with resources to amplify their voices independently and with integrity. It also promotes social, economic, and environmental progress to enhance democratic governance, citizen participation, and civic engagement.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: MHPSS Assistant

Location: Ngala and Kaga LGA, Borno
Employment Type:
Reporting To: Child Protection Officer
Contract Duration: April – September 2026 (6 months)
Project: CATAI – NHF| (C3: Child Protection)

Job Summary

• The MHPSS Assistant will support the delivery of quality mental health and psychosocial support services to conflict-affected children and their caregivers through child-friendly spaces in Ngala and Kaga LGAs.
• The role focuses on structured and unstructured PSS sessions, psychosocial first aid (PFA), caregiver engagement, and baseline/endline assessments to measure psychosocial well-being outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and facilitate structured PSS sessions (3–4 per week per CFS) for conflict-affected children using age- and gender-appropriate, evidence-based curricula.
• Provide psychosocial first aid (PFA) to children and caregivers in distress at the CFS and in the community.
• Facilitate unstructured play and recreational activities that support children's emotional regulation, resilience and sense of safety.
• Facilitate monthly caregiver engagement sessions on child psychosocial well-being, parenting support and self-care.
• Support the administration of the baseline surveys and psychosocial well-being assessments.
• Identify children presenting with elevated psychosocial distress or signs of serious mental health conditions and refer them appropriately to specialised services.
• Maintain accurate session attendance records, weekly PSS session reports and referral tracking documentation.
• Support the MHPSS component of protection monitoring and contribute to monthly activity reports.
• Collaborate with CFS Facilitators and CP Community Volunteers to ensure a safe, inclusive and protective CFS environment.
• Ensure CFS activities are inclusive of children with disabilities and other marginalised groups.
• Adhere to PSEA, safeguarding and confidentiality protocols at all times.

Qualifications and Experience

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counselling, Community Mental Health or a related field.
• 2 - 3 years of experience delivering MHPSS, PSS or related services to children in humanitarian or community settings.
• Knowledge of the IASC MHPSS guidelines, Psychological First Aid and structured PSS approaches for children.
• Experience facilitating group sessions with children of varying ages and backgrounds.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to trauma, gender, culture and disability in the delivery of psychosocial services.
• Fluency in Hausa and/or Kanuri required; working knowledge of English is essential.

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to CATAI
• Embracing cultural diversity
• Embracing change.

Policy Statements:

• Center for Advocacy Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI) operates in an equal opportunity environment and has policies that actively encourage gender equality, diversity and social inclusion, Child Safeguarding, Adolescents and Youth Initiatives, PSEA, and does not condole GBV, VAC and Fraud.
• CATAI does not charge any fee for its recruitment process
• Female candidate are strongly encourage to apply.

Application Closing Date
30th March, 2026.

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