Staff Counsellor (P-4) – Fixed Term – Kabul

About the role

The Staff Counsellor leads UNICEF Afghanistan's mental health and psychosocial support programme, ensuring staff wellbeing in a high‑stress humanitarian environment. Reporting to the Chief of People and Culture, the role provides confidential counselling, crisis response and resilience‑building initiatives for personnel and eligible dependents.

Key responsibilities

• Design, implement and monitor a comprehensive staff mental health and psychosocial support programme aligned with UNICEF's Duty of Care framework.
• Provide individual confidential counselling and psychosocial support to staff and eligible family members.
• Conduct psychosocial risk assessments, team interventions and organisational wellbeing programmes.
• Lead critical incident stress management, emergency mental health preparedness and response during security incidents, evacuations and organisational transitions.
• Collaborate with senior management, Security, Medical Services, Peer Support Volunteers and external specialists to ensure coordinated support.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree in psychology, social work, counselling or a related field.
• Significant experience (minimum 5 years) providing counselling and psychosocial support in humanitarian or conflict‑affected settings.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, manage confidential information and deliver services to diverse cultural groups.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of local languages is an asset.

Required skills

• Confidential counselling techniques.
• Psychosocial risk assessment and crisis intervention.
• Critical incident stress management.
• Program design and monitoring within a Duty of Care framework.

What we offer

• Fixed‑term appointment with a competitive UN salary package.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• Supportive work environment focused on child rights and humanitarian impact.