Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Strategy Development Consultant

Background

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and exclusion from healthcare.

The Manson Unit is a multi-disciplinary medical team within MSF-UK who aims to improve the quality of MSF’s medical programmes worldwide, so the best possible care is delivered to our patients. To achieve this, MSF conducts operational research to assess the provision of healthcare being provided in our projects and suggest improvements that will directly benefit the populations we serve, according to medical, ethical, and humanitarian principles.

Mental Health support is part of the majority of operations supported by MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA). Demand for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services has been steadily increasing in the last few years across humanitarian crises and MSF OCA provides technical advice and support through two Mental Health Advisors and numerous Mental Health Activity Managers and Supervisors. A strong set of policies, procedures and guidance documents exist within MSF to support the work of these teams, but a need has now emerged for a clear, actionable strategy to provide direction to the work of the Mental Health team and to guide investments in this area of MSF’s life-saving work. The MHPSS strategy will be used as an internal document, aligned with the overall MSF OCA’s Strategic Plan.

Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the Social Sciences Team Lead and Mental Health Advisors in developing an actionable 3-year strategy for MHPSS programming across MSF OCA operations. Specifically, the consultant will work with the Team Lead to design and facilitate a two-day in-person strategy design workshop (likely in Amsterdam) and to draft a strategic document based on the outcomes of the workshop.

The strategy will be based on data collected through a rapid consultation exercise conducted in June 2025 (in advance of the start of the consultancy), as well as knowledge and expertise of Mental Health Advisors. The draft developed by the consultant will be circulated for input and feedback and be finalized by the team at the end of that process.

Activities

The consultant will be expected to perform the following activities in close collaboration with Mental Health Advisors and the Social Sciences Team Lead:

• Review existing documentation related to MHPSS in MSF OCA
• Analyse and present outcomes of the rapid consultation process (data collected before the start of the consultancy)
• Co-design strategic workshop agenda and methodology
• Co-facilitate workshop (on 7 and 8 July 2025)
• Document and systematize discussions and outcomes of the strategic workshop
• Draft MSF OCA MHPSS strategy based on consultation and workshop outcomes, using MSF templates
• Facilitate a separate process (e.g. an online discussion) to agree on tactics to popularize MHPSS strategy across the organization once finalized

The project’s start date is mid-June with a hard deadline of 29 August 2025. The timeline is not flexible so availability during this period will be essential.

Deliverables:

1. Summary analysis of rapid consultation findings (in PowerPoint format)
2. Workshop agenda and facilitation materials (slides, handouts, list of supplies required)
3. Two-days workshop facilitation (in person)
4. Draft 1 of MSC OCA MHPSS strategy, using MSF templates
5. Draft 2 of MSC OCA MHPSS strategy, incorporating feedback from the Mental Health Advisors and Team Lead
6. Document outlining plans and tools to popularize strategy across different levels of the organization

Profile of consultant(s):

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience in strategy development for external clients
• Demonstrable experience in participatory workshop design and facilitation for external clients
• Excellent English writing skills, with the ability to distil complex information and create concise, effective and persuasive narratives
• Experience of and commitment to participatory design and decision-making practices, with the ability to generate consensus around key issues
• Interest in and basic understanding of mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian crises
• Strong team-working skills and experience
• Excellent organisational and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision and under pressure.
• Fluent in English, written and speech.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver in an international and multi-cultural environment.
• Commitment to the values of MSF.

Desirable:

• Experience of delivering MHPSS programming in humanitarian settings
• Previous experience of working in an INGO humanitarian organisation