Thematic Expert - Psychosocial Support Officer
Quick answer
Busara Center for Behavioral Economics is hiring a Psychosocial Support Officer on a short-term basis in Kenya to support work across the Young Africa Works Strategy program portfolio, focusing on participant well-being and safeguarding principles.
- Role
- Thematic Expert - Psychosocial Support Officer
- Organization
- Busara Center for Behavioral Economics
- Location
- Kenya
- Work setup
- On-site
- Level
- Entry
- Category
- Other
The role
The Psychosocial Support Officer will provide specialized professional expertise to safeguard participant well-being throughout the assignment, with a particular focus on identifying, preventing, and responding appropriately to emotional distress or unforeseen crises that may arise during sensitive interviews, surveys, or other field interactions.
What you'll do
- Monitor participants for signs of distress, trauma, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm during sessions.
- Provide immediate emotional support and grounding techniques to help distressed participants regain a sense of safety and stability.
- Prepare data collectors to recognize and respond appropriately to emotional stress in themselves and others during the data collection exercise.
- Facilitate brief daily debriefs to help the team reflect on difficult experiences and support one another after demanding field days.
- Offer practical guidance and brief supportive counseling to staff members who may feel overwhelmed.
- Apply established safety protocols and ethical guidelines when engaging on sensitive topics.
What it takes
- A bachelor’s degree in social sciences, psychology, gender studies, development studies, community development, or a related field from a recognized institution in Kenya; a master’s degree is an added advantage.
- At least 5–7 years of professional experience in psychosocial support, safeguarding, gender-responsive programming, inclusive fieldwork, or related work in Kenya, preferably in development or humanitarian settings and with vulnerable groups such as refugees, displaced persons, women, youth, or persons with disabilities.
- Demonstrated experience supporting qualitative fieldwork or participant engagement, with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to apply trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and ethical approaches when working with diverse communities.
- Working knowledge of safeguarding principles, confidentiality, duty of care, and referral pathways in the Kenya context, including the ability to respond appropriately to sensitive disclosures.
- Strong communication and facilitation skills in English and Kiswahili; knowledge of additional Kenyan local languages or experience working effectively with interpreters is an advantage.
- Prior experience contributing to donor-funded evaluations, field research, or program reviews is an added advantage.
What you'll bring
Frequently asked questions
Where is the job located?
The job is located in Kenya.
What is the compensation?
The compensation is not specified.
What are the key qualifications required?
Key qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, psychology, gender studies, development studies, community development, or a related field, at least 5–7 years of professional experience, and strong interpersonal and communication skills.
How or by when to apply?
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications, and shortlisted candidates will be notified accordingly.
How to apply
Apply directly on Busara Center for Behavioral Economics's site. We link straight through — no resume parsing, no profile to fill out.
This listing is aggregated from a third-party source and its summary may be auto-generated, so details can be inaccurate or out of date. ForGood is not the employer and is not liable for the content — please verify everything on Busara Center for Behavioral Economics's official posting before applying.