Sambhav (Possible) is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on gender, caste/ethnicity, disability, and sexuality. We consciously aim to achieve diversity and inclusivity.

MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH MANAGER

Possible is a collaboration that develops and tests innovations to improve health in Nepal by directly responding to local concerns, while drawing from and contributing to the broader disciplines of global health research, practice, and policy. Our partnership is between an independent Nepal-based non-governmental organization and a US-based non-profit. Possible envisions a world where everyone, everywhere has access to high-quality healthcare rooted in evidence, inclusion, and equity. We aim to reduce suffering and improve lives by co-designing, testing, and scaling solutions that strengthen community care systems. Our research endeavors and partnerships aim to address challenges in context and from stated or established needs. Our first commitment is to develop and deploy interventions that improve health (rather than prioritize academic outputs that may be novel and methodologically sound but do not directly improve healthcare). We partner with community-based organizations, public and private sector academic institutions and research organizations to leverage research and evidence to inform and implement innovative solutions to healthcare challenges in Nepal. For the last 16 years, we have been a leader in healthcare innovation in Nepal, conducting implementation research with partnerships spanning several international institutions such as Harvard Medical School, University of California San Francisco, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and University of Washington.

Possible, a non-governmental organization registered in Nepal, is seeking a Mental Health Research Manager to translate research into action and improve mental health care for children and adolescents. The role will lead the design and implementation of behavioral and mental health interventions, contribute to their evaluation, and support the scale-up of services for young people.

Reports to

Assistant Scientist

Direct Reports

Mental Health Research officers, study coordinators

Works closely with

Possible staff, advisors and partners

Location

Kathmandu with 30-50% travel to the partner sites

Compensation and benefit

Highly competitive salary

The Mental Health Research Manager will work closely with the research team and partner sites to be chiefly responsible for the following areas of work:

1. Lead the development, rollout, and evaluation of behavioral intervention and mental health research protocols for children and adolescents at Possible

a) Lead the participatory and interactive design of MH and behavioral interventions, including development and adaptation of intervention materials for children and adolescents;

b) Lead the co-design committee for developing manuals on prevention, promotion and management of mental health conditions, as well as the social and emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents;

c) Ensure interventions are evidence-informed and culturally and contextually adapted for school, community and clinical settings in Nepal, including pre-testing and piloting materials before rollout;

d) Oversee translation and adaptation of intervention manuals and related materials for implementation in Nepal;

e) Train Possible’s and partner team members (community health workers, community nurses, counselors, school nurses) on MH and behavioral interventions, using competency-based training approaches, and provide on-site coaching as relevant;

f) Develop intervention fidelity tools and checklists, and use findings to refine intervention content and delivery;

g) Contribute to the development, rollout and evaluation of MH research interventions, including tracking of intervention sessions and implementation schedule, and write up of the processes;

h) Contribute to data quality assurance and monitoring of implementation outcomes (e.g., fidelity, reach, acceptability) discussions as required;

i) Lead meetings with the research team, partner sites, mental health team and advisors on mental health research, and facilitate cross-disciplinary learning;

j) Support reporting and other funder requirements related to MH research and innovation projects.

2. Lead the supportive supervision components and delivery of behavioral and MH interventions to children and adolescents

a) Lead the development of supportive supervision protocols to counselors and [non] MH workers to deliver behavioral and MH interventions to children and adolescents;

b) Offer continuous mentorship, supervision and supportive learning for implementers, supervisors, study counselors, community health nurses, school nurses and other team members delivering intervention activities;

c) Extend support to implement supportive supervision activities across mental health research and program projects at Possible;

d) Provide supervision, technical support and guidance to partner sites and partner team members (community health nurses, counselors, school nurses) for scaling up behavioral and MH innovations, addressing challenges and improving service delivery;

e) Support local capacity building to improve the counseling skills of relevant teams;

f) Establish and oversee clear protocols for risk management, including suicide risk, referral pathways and child and adolescent safeguarding, in intervention delivery;

3. Support in building Possible’s workplace culture and strategic partnership, and generating additional resources and revenue to advance children and adolescents MH research and innovation

a) Participate in grant writing, seeking both national and international resources for mental health programs and research with focus on children and adolescents’ mental well-being;

b) Collaborate with national and international organizations to jointly access resources and contribute to children and adolescents’ mental health research and innovation;

c) Contribute to Possible’s vision, mission and goals by supporting partner mapping and strategic engagement for ongoing and upcoming MH research;

d) Work closely with the Possible team to disseminate research findings and impact through academic journals, lay media, blogs, conferences and presentations;

e) Support building organizational systems, accountability structures, workplace practices and culture rooted in equity, justice and diversity;

f) Contribute to maintaining legal, regulatory and governance compliance as required;

g) Supervise direct reports and support their personal and professional growth.

The above list of responsibilities is not comprehensive, and the Mental Health Research Manager may be required to take on additional responsibilities, as determined by the Assistant Scientist.

Master’s in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology or a related field, with direct exposure to counseling and clinical psychology, at least 3 years of relevant experience, including supervising counselors or [non]mental health workers; preference will be given to candidates with experience in behavioral and MH interventions for children and adolescents; excellent written and spoken Nepali and English; Nepali citizen based in Nepal.

Email CV and cover letter to [email protected]. When applying please include name and position in the subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, until filled. If we believe that you and Possible are good potential fit, we will contact you to advance the application process. Please note that due to a large volume of applications, we may not individually respond to your application.

https://www.jobsnepal.com/mental-health-research-manager-144295