Director, MHPSS Technical Lead – AEMEA Region

Position description

Position Title: Director, MHPSS Technical Lead- AEMEA Region
Department: Regional Programs – AEMEA (Asia, Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa)
Key Relationships
Reports to: VP, Regional Programs – AEMEA
Direct Reports (number): 2
Location: Remote in CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MA, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, Puerto Rico, TN, TX, VA, and WA; with global work travel expectations up to 20% of the time

Salary Range: $127,000 to $139,600 USD gross annually

Benefits: Please review our benefits summary on our Careers page.

We will determine where the salary offer will fall within this range based upon the evaluation of the qualifications during the stages of the recruitment process. Our transparent and equitable pay bands, as well as our salary offer based on the qualifications evaluated in our process, are integral parts of our organizational systems and intentional culture. The salary offer is not negotiated as we know that negotiation is not aligned with equity and best practices for ensuring fair pay for employees of all identities and backgrounds.

About Americares: Americares is a global health and disaster relief organization that helps people and communities around the world access health in times of disaster and every day. Each year, Americares reaches 80 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid. Americares is one of the world’s leading nonprofit providers of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.

Americares Values:
We create global community, treating people as they want to be treated.

We respond effectively and responsibly, putting plans into practice.

We embed ethics and equity in our work and workplace.

We are better together; partnership is at our core.

We ask and listen, to create sustainable solutions for a healthier tomorrow.

We commit to quality, growing and improving to ensure individuals and communities thrive.

Key Outcomes:
In the first 90 days, the Director, MHPSS-AEMEA will:
-Learn and live the Americares values.
-Complete all required new hire onboarding trainings.
-Build strong working relationships with AEMEA and Regional Programs – Americas MHPSS technical staff, country teams, and HQ partners (e.g., Quality, Impact, and Learning and Humanitarian Programs).
-Develop understanding of current MHPSS program models, trajectories, technical strengths, gaps, opportunities, and context within priority geographies.
-Co-lead finalization and initial rollout of the global MHPSS sub-strategy within AEMEA (in alignment with the Regional Programs Americas), and propose a plan for building out measurement frameworks as part of the global MHPSS strategy.
-Develop an initial plan for development of regionally tailored strategies, tools, and collateral for Development and MarComms to support cohesive MHPSS strategy implementation.
-Provide strategic technical guidance to regional MHPSS programs, promoting cohesion, quality, and evidence-based approaches.
-Provide direct supervision and technical advising of MHPSS AEMEA staff on country-level MHPSS projects, proposal development and potential new country work.
-Identify capacity-building needs within regional MHPSS teams and propose approaches for mentoring, supervision, structured learning, and peer exchange.
-Actively contribute to MHPSS-related business development by leading technical narratives, theories of change, and proposal inputs.
-Engage in exploratory conversations on MHPSS ongoing involvement with current emergency responses (Humanitarian Programs), EMT support, and training of MHPSS roster members.

In the first 6 months, the Director, MHPSS-AEMEA will:
-Complete pending components of the global strategy (e.g., Medicine Security, perinatal mental health, climate and disaster resilience) with input from technical stakeholders.
-Co-lead internal global-technical working groups with the Americas MHPSS Director, leveraging them for strategic planning, alignment, and structured problem-solving.
-Identify opportunities to innovate program approaches or pilot new solutions as part of regional adaptation of the global MHPSS strategy.
-Begin engaging in thought leadership by contributing lessons learned, insights, and emerging best practices to MHPSS communities of practice, HQ discussions, and technical networks.
-Analyze the MHPSS training and resource inventory and present a plan to standardize and expand resources across programs.
-Collaborate with Safe and Accountable Programming Technical Advisor to develop and align systems, processes, and tools ensuring safe and accountable programming, especially for highly vulnerable populations.
-Establish monitoring and feedback mechanisms to assess technical quality, program outcomes, and strategic impact, including starting the development of an outcomes framework in collaboration with MERL and the Americas teams.
-Provide ongoing technical leadership to priority MHPSS programs, supporting design, implementation, adaptation, measurement, and refinement of technical tools across mental health areas, including primary care and perinatal mental health.
-Co-develop and supervise annual goals for MHPSS AEMEA staff.
-Play a lead technical role in priority MHPSS business development efforts and identify new funding leads and strategies for the region.
-Develop a draft work plan for engagement with Americas Regional Director and MHPSS staff, HP staff (including Global Readiness), QIL Emergency Medical Officer and others regarding coordination of potential AEMEA MHPSS emergency responses, EMT support, roster member capacity building and transitions to recovery or long-term development.

In the first year, the Director, MHPSS-AEMEA will:
-Fully socialize and operationalize the global MHPSS strategy across priority regions, producing regionally tailored strategy tools, roadmaps, or guidance for the majority of the portfolio.
-Embed technical assistance, quality assurance, and safe and accountable programming systems across MHPSS programs, particularly those serving highly vulnerable populations.
-Establish and institutionalize monitoring, evaluation, learning, and feedback mechanisms that support adaptive management and continuous quality improvement, in collaboration with MERL.
-Serve as a trusted technical advisor to priority MHPSS programs, supporting program design, implementation, adaptation, measurement, and the review/refinement of technical tools across areas such as mental health in primary care and perinatal mental health.
-Collaborate with regional program leads and country directors to help identify and solidify priority local MHPSS partnership opportunities aligned with regional and global MHPSS strategy.
-Develop and roll out a comprehensive MHPSS outcomes and measurement framework, including illustrative logframes and a learning agenda for implementation of research/evidence generation, in collaboration with MERL.
-Draft preliminary knowledge-sharing materials (briefs, guidance notes) to support global MHPSS programs and emerging thought leadership.
-Support country teams in applying measurement approaches consistently and using data to inform program decisions, learning, and adaptive management.
-Strengthen knowledge management by leading the dissemination of program outcomes, lessons learned, and evidence-based practices to internal and external audiences, including leading the curation and management of content on SharePoint as an internal knowledge management hub.
-Implement standardized, scalable MHPSS training resources and curricula across regions.
-Implement various targeted capacity-building initiatives — including mentoring and structured learning opportunities — to complement training resources, build a connected regional MHPSS network, facilitate cross-country peer learning, and strengthen applied technical skills over time.
-Develop and refine high-quality technical guidance and external-facing collateral in collaboration with Development and Marketing and Communications.
-Play a lead technical role in priority MHPSS business development efforts, contributing to competitive proposals, donor engagement, and pipeline growth.

Ongoing Duties and Responsibilities:
-Global and Regional Strategy Leadership: Collaborate with the Regional Programs -Americas and MHPSS staff to finalize the global MHPSS strategy; lead strategy execution into actionable regional plans, tools, and roadmaps; support country-level adaptation and implementation. Build and oversee multisectoral MHPSS approaches (e.g., perinatal mental health) tailored to regional context.
-Program Quality and Technical Excellence: Provide ongoing technical leadership to priority MHPSS programs, strengthening program design, implementation, measurement, and safe, accountable programming systems; align programs with evidence-based practices, health systems strengthening approaches, and support innovation.
-Measurement, Learning, and Evidence Use: Develop and operationalize outcomes frameworks and monitoring systems; support teams in applying measurement approaches and using data for program adaptation, learning, and continuous improvement.
-Capacity Building and Knowledge Management: Build out and implement standardized suite of training, mentoring, and peer-learning initiatives adapted to local contexts; build a connected regional MHPSS network to strengthen cross-exchange and application of technical skills over time.
-Development of Tools and External-Facing Guidance: Lead the development, review, and refinement of technical tools, assessments, guidance, and collateral, in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to ensure high-quality program implementation.
-Readiness and Emergency Response: In coordination with the Regional Programs- Americas and Humanitarian Programs teams, support MHPSS emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts in the region; coordinate with HQ teams on technical guidance and roster member capacity-building; support transitions from response to recovery and development programming within the region.
-Business Development and Thought Leadership: Provide technical leadership for proposals, donor engagement, and pipeline development; identify and help shape new MHPSS funding opportunities. Participate in and subsequently contribute to global MHPSS forums, conferences, and technical networks to advance innovation and thought leadership.
-People manage staff, ensuring their success in meeting objectives while also supporting their professional growth
-Actively model and contribute to Americares values, work culture and mission.
-Engage in and contribute to team spaces with openness, global competencies, and a growth mindset.
-Travel approximately 20% of the time.
-Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Competencies required for the role:
-Extensive strategic and technical MHPSS leadership in global organizations across relevant regions, influencing diverse teams and stakeholders, driving alignment, and fostering high-quality, evidence-based MHPSS programming.

-Prior experience living or extensively working in Asia, Eurasia, Middle East and/or Africa, with strong knowledge of regional health systems, cultural contexts, and community-led approaches.

-Deep expertise in both developing and translating global strategies into actionable regional and country-level plans, integrating multisectoral approaches, piloting innovations, and managing complex health systems strengthening programs with measurable outcomes.

-Advanced degree in psychology, public health, international development, social work, or related field.

-Up-to-date on the latest evidence-based MHPSS practices, with hands-on experience in technical design, development of tools and guidance, and supporting practical implementation across diverse program contexts.

-Excellent communication skills, especially when expressing complex technical MHPSS concepts, presenting evidence-based recommendations; a proven track record in influencing diverse stakeholders across HQ, regional, and country teams, as well as with external partners and donors.

-Demonstrated strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills, identifying gaps, designing practical solutions, and piloting innovative approaches to strengthen MHPSS programs and systems.

-Proven ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams, fostering cross-country and cross-regional collaboration, mentoring staff, and cultivating a connected MHPSS network/community.

-Experience in effectively managing staff in a remote context, getting results and building relationships.

• Integrates equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and safe and accountable programming principles into MHPSS program design, implementation, and partnerships, ensuring services are accessible, culturally appropriate, and responsive to the needs of marginalized populations. Demonstrates a strong track record in applying rights-based approaches to health service delivery.

-Demonstrated ability to support MHPSS preparedness, emergency response, and recovery efforts in emergency/humanitarian contexts, including developing technical guidance, supporting roster capacity-building, and managing transitions from response to long-term programming.

Preferred Competencies:
-Fluency in languages that are spoken in the AEMEA region, in addition to English.
-Clinical MHPSS license.

Additionally, our core competencies as an organization are:
Ownership and results
Communication
Problem solving
Equity and inclusion
Teamwork and conflict resolution
Leadership
Prioritization
Management
Strategy and planning
Decision making

Application instructions

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