Counsellor, International Retainer Consultant

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. 

In the context of Myanmar’s protracted crisis, the need for psychosocial and mental health support continues to grow—for both staff and programme beneficiaries. To help address this gap, the UN Women team intends to recruit a qualified counsellor who can provide the following services:

• Deliver confidential one-on-one emotional support sessions for participants upon request.
• Provide immediate psychological first aid, active listening, and basic coping strategies for participants experiencing distress.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and uphold ethical standards in all aspects of support.
• Facilitate information sessions on mental health, psychosocial support, and secondary trauma.

The consultant will report to the Programme Specialist and be supported by the Programme Assistant, who will serve as the main point of contact for contract and payment-related matters.

To support payment processing, the consultant will be required to submit a brief report summarising the duration of sessions provided and noting any urgent issues that may have arisen during counselling.

Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work

The consultant will be engaged on a retainer basis for up to 70 working days over a 12-month period, to carry out the following tasks:

• Provide confidential one-on-one emotional support sessions for participants, either online or in person, upon request.
• Deliver immediate psychological first aid, active listening, and basic coping strategies for individuals experiencing distress.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to professional ethical standards in all support provided.
• Conduct information sessions on mental health, psychosocial support, and secondary trauma, as needed.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a remote position, however the consultant should be based in Thailand. As part of this assignment, travel within Thailand is required.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with discretion, sensitivity, and respect for confidentiality.
• Familiarity with survivor-centered, trauma-informed approaches
• Ability to remain calm and grounded under pressure

Education and Certification:

• Master Degree in psychology, counselling, social work, mental health, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Certification or accreditation as a counsellor or psychologist is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience providing counselling, psychosocial support, or psychological first aid in community, humanitarian or crisis-affected contexts.
• Experience working with women affected by conflict, trauma, displacement, or gender-based violence is highly desirable. 
• Experience delivering trainings or capacity-building in counselling, mental health, or psychosocial support is an asset.
• Experience supporting civil society actors, frontline workers, or vulnerable communities in Myanmar is an advantage.
• Experiences in working with UN agencies or INGO, NGO is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in Burmese and English is required.
• Ability to communicate in an additional ethnic language spoken in Myanmar (e.g., Karen, Chin, Shan, Kachin) is an asset.

How to Apply 

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit electronic application through UN Women website and complete all questions with below required documents to upload in the system.

• P11 form to be filled online
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.