General information
Organisation
Founded in 1979, Action Against Hunger is an international Non-Governmental Organization that fights hunger worldwide. Its charter of humanitarian principles — independence, neutrality, non-discrimination, free and direct access to victims, professionalism, and transparency — has defined its identity for over 40 years.
Its mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through the prevention, detection, and treatment of malnutrition, especially during and after emergency situations linked to conflicts and natural disasters..
Action Against Hunger structures its programs around seven areas of activity: Nutrition and Health – Mental Health and Psychosocial Support – Food Security and Livelihoods – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene – Advocacy – Climate – Research, Analysis and Learning.
In 2023, Action Against Hunger France teams supported more than 9.7 million people around the world. www.actioncontrelafaim.org/en/
Reference
2026-2349
Position description
Job Family
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and Protection
Function
Staff Psychological Care Coordinator - MHPSS & Protection Expert
Job title (publication)
MHPSS EXPERT - UKRAINE
Contract duration (months)
6
Contract Type
Fixed Term Contract
Your work environment
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, millions of Ukrainian remain internally displaced in their country, while the ongoing hostilities continue to fuel a wide range of humanitarian needs and 14.5 million Ukrainian are considered as in need of assistance by the United Nations.
ACF has deployed a comprehensive multi-sectorial strategy through direct implementation and partnership, from humanitarian response to recovery. Core activities include Food Security & Livelihoods (distribution of food vouchers, cash assistance and support to small businesses), Mental Health & Care Practices (psychosocial support, psychoeducation, distress stabilization), WASH (rehabilitation of water networks, Collective Centers and medico-social institutions) as well as Health & Nutrition (support to Primary Health Care Centres and Mobile Health Units).
ACF currently intervenes in the East of Ukraine (Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy and Zapporizhzhia Oblasts), from a coordination base in Kyiv and two operational bases in Dnipro and Kharkiv.

Your position and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator and the MHPSS-GP Advisor, your role will be to support the MHPSS department in implementing programs and deploying activities requiring specific expertise on capacity building.
More specifically, your missions will be to :
- Contribute to integrate specific expertise into the MHPSS technical strategy and positioning
- Actively participate in assessing the humanitarian situation related to MHPSS with regard to specific expertise;
- Collaborate in identifying and understanding MHPSS interventions, actors, and partners in ACF intervention areas through sectoral, multisectoral, contextual analyses or needs and resource studies
- Contribute to defining key sectoral strategic directions in line with ACF MHPSS frameworks and the mission’s overall strategy
- Draft new MHPSS intervention proposals for donors
- Design a comprehensive needs assessment of the mental health regional system in Sumska and Kharkivska Oblasts, with provided ACF MHPSS diagnosis tool, IASC MHPSS, protection and gender assessments tools and WHO situational analysis tools
- Strengthen ACF staff and partners’ capacities through training and technical supervision in specific MHPSS domains
- Deliver training to ACF MHPSS teams and partners, following ACF training programs and MHPSS standards and protocols
- Design and adapt training materials for field teams based on validated protocols
- Provide weekly clinical supervision
- Assist teams in applying ACF MHPSS protocols
- Support training of country office managers, program managers, and other leadership members in applying MHPSS standards and protocols through a cascading strategy
- Contribute to the identification of 20 governmental representatives and design a workshop
- Design and provide a 5-10 days training for ACF and partner Program Manager and staff based on ACF technical strategy, approaches, tools and protocols
- Contribute to the selection of Primary Health Care Centers (100 staff), design a mhGAP 2.0 training for them, and train the ACF and partner teams on mhGAP 2.0
- Contribute to the selection of 10 Community-Based Organisations (60 staff), design a 3-4 days training, and train the ACF and partner teams
- Support implementation of MHPSS components in projects
- Contribute to the recruitment of a national MHPSS Program Manager and team of Head of Project and psychologists
- Contribute to implement a new 3 years projects with both emergency and development components
- Contribute to coordinate the different new MHPSS projects (alignement of technical approach, location strategy, HR strategy, etc.)
You will support the Program Manager for the inception of the SAMUA project, which aims at providing technical assistance to the Ukrainian authorities in the implementation of a MHPSS system reform.

Your profile
You hold a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology with a significant experience (3 years) in a similar position, including at least 1 year in humanitarian and/or development project.
You have therapeutical working experience and ideally experience in governance.
You have excellent managerial and supervisory skills, and the capacity to manage stress in high-pressure environments.
You are fluent in spoken and written English.
Your employment conditions
- Fixed term contract under French legislation: 6 months
- Monthly gross salary from 2597 to 2968 € upon experience, including 13th month
- Reimbursement of the pension insurance for non-French citizens: 16% of the gross monthly salary
- Annual salary increase: 6% increase after and each 12 months of continuous contract
- Monthly per diem and living allowance: 504€ net, field paid
- Monthly country allowance: 450€
- Cold allowance: Reimbursement for the purchase of winter equipment for a maximum of 380€ per person per year in severe cold contexts
- Child allowance: 1500€ per year per child present in the country of origin (maximum 6000€/year)
- Transportation and accommodation: Coverage of transportation costs and guest house
- Medical coverage: ACF covers 100% of the health and repatriation insurance agreement fees, for your medical expenses (as well as your dependents if you have a family post), and up to 1 month after the end of your contract.
- Salary sustainment measures (sickness, paternity, maternity
- Leaves and RnR: 25 days of paid leaves per year, 20 RnR per year, airfare reimbursement with a ceiling to get to the chosen break destination, and 215 € for each RnR period
- Accompaniment and trainings:
- Follow-up and support for career development
- Free and unlimited access to the e-learning platform Talentsoft
- Field trips : Kharkivska, Sumska Oblasts, Dnipro
ACF is committed to people with disabilities and actively fights against all forms of discrimination.
Why join us ?
A Highly Motivated Team: Join a dynamic and committed team, predominantly composed of Ukrainian professionals, bringing deep contextual knowledge, resilience, and passion to humanitarian action.
Relevant and Impactful Programming: Contribute to the design and implementation of humanitarian programs that are both contextually grounded and strategically aligned with the evolving needs of affected populations in Ukraine.
Livelihoods with Purpose: Support a tailored livelihoods approach that addresses the specific socio-economic challenges of the Ukrainian context, promoting sustainable recovery and resilience.
A Bold Feminist Vision: Be part of an organization that embraces a resolutely feminist approach, placing gender equality, women's empowerment, and inclusive practices at the heart of its strategy and operations.

Position location
Job location
Europe, Ukraine, Kharkiv
Candidate criteria
Minimum level of education required
4- Master ou MBA
Minimum level of experience required
2-5 years
Languages
English (2- Business fluent)
Conditions
Expected start date
15/01/2026