Lead, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Role Overview

Save the Children International is recruiting a Lead, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to take senior technical ownership of its global MHPSS portfolio. Working from within the Breakthrough team, this person is the bridge between global strategy and what happens in country programmes: shaping the technical offer, deploying advisers where they are needed most, and making sure mental health and psychosocial interventions stand up to scrutiny in humanitarian, nexus and development settings alike. The role carries real weight because the quality, reach and inclusivity of the organisation's MHPSS work depends on the judgement, prioritisation and leadership this post brings.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the country-office-facing technical support offer for MHPSS, holding the bar on quality while adapting approaches as country contexts, needs and priorities evolve.
• Line manage a team of technical experts, cultivating an inclusive, collaborative working culture, supporting ongoing professional development, and ensuring the team's expertise spans humanitarian response, the nexus and longer-term development programming.
• Ensure technical support is mobilised for every new rapid onset emergency, so country teams facing sudden crises get timely expert input.
• Coordinate and prioritise the team's work across multiple awards and activities, distributing limited technical resources so they deliver maximum impact.
• Deputise for the Head, Learn Breakthrough when required, providing continuity of strategic and operational leadership and contributing to planning and decision-making at portfolio level.
• Advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion both within the team and across programmes, ensuring sector interventions are inclusive and reachable by all children regardless of background or identity.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders — including clusters, inter-agency groups, donors, peer agencies and foundations — to test, refine and integrate new sector solutions.
• Lead new business development and resource mobilisation for the sector, including writing and contributing to high-quality proposals for donor-funded work.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: An advanced degree in psychology, mental health, social work, counselling, public health, global mental health, psychosocial support, or another relevant social or behavioural science discipline, or a related field.
• Field experience: Extensive direct experience in humanitarian and development settings, including complex contexts, covering the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes, with significant international travel and work across diverse cultural settings.
• Technical expertise: Demonstrated proficiency in designing, implementing and evaluating sector-specific interventions and programmes, alongside a strong ability to adjust strategy as needs and priorities shift.
• Leadership and people management: Significant experience leading and overseeing strategic initiatives in a global setting, with the capacity to deputise for senior leadership. Shows empathy, sound people management, and the ability to build collaboration, diversity of thought, agility and continuous learning.
• Analysis and problem solving: Strong ability to interpret complex data and programme performance metrics and turn them into concrete improvements.
• Capacity building and mentoring: Considerable experience strengthening the capability of staff and local partners through training and mentoring on sector practice and broader technical approaches.
• Proposal and strategic plan development: Proven track record of writing successful proposals for donor-funded projects, plus experience shaping strategic plans.
• Compliance and quality assurance: Proficiency in reviewing awards for compliance with donor requirements and organisational policy, and a demonstrated ability to identify and implement improvements.
• Communication and interpersonal skills: Exceptional communication, including negotiation, influencing and presentation, with the ability to build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Operational flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel extensively, occasionally in challenging environments and potentially at short notice. International travel is expected at up to 20%.
• Languages: English required. A working ability in French, Spanish or Arabic is preferred.
• Professional training (desirable): Certification or formal training in programme management, humanitarian principles, or a related area.
• Eligibility: The successful candidate must hold the right to work in the country where the role is based for the duration of employment.

What We Offer / Why Join

• A permanent contract with a global remit, reporting to the Head, Learn Breakthrough and managing a team of three.
• Hybrid or remote working with flexible working options available; the role is based in Kenya and requires availability within East Africa Time.
• A place in the Breakthrough team, which sets strategic, technical and operational direction for the organisation's global goals, delivering demand-driven support to country offices and engaging externally with clusters, inter-agency groups, donors, peer agencies and foundations.
• Scope to influence how mental health and psychosocial support is delivered across humanitarian, nexus and development programming, including space to innovate, generate learning and strengthen partnerships.
• Opportunity for international travel of up to 20%, working alongside country teams and partners in diverse settings.