GBV and Psychosocial Support Officer job at Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau

Background

The Registered Trustees of the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) through its Health Department- Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB, is seeking a committed and experienced GBV and Psychosocial Support Officer to provide technical leadership for gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, response and psychosocial support (PSS) interventions under the “Empowering women, transforming communities: A holistic approach to building social bridges in Terego, Madi-Okollo and Koboko” project.

Position: GBV and Psychosocial Support Officer (GBV & PSS Officer)

Nature of Engagement: Full-time (100% LOE)

Terms: Annual contracts – renewable upon satisfactory performance and funding availability

Period: 4 years (November 2025 – October 2029)

Direct Supervisor: Field Project Coordinator

Overall Supervisor: Project Coordinator

JOB PURPOSE

The GBV and Psychosocial Support Officer will provide technical leadership and day-to-day coordination for all gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, response and psychosocial support (PSS) interventions under the “Empowering women, transforming communities: A holistic approach to building social bridges in Terego, Madi-Okollo, and Koboko” project. The office holder will ensure that survivors of violence and women at risk (including women and girls with disabilities and those in refugee/host communities) receive quality, survivor-centred, trauma-informed psychosocial support and are linked to comprehensive health, legal and protection services through functional referral pathways.

The GBV & PSS Officer will work closely with health facilities, community activists, GBV protection committees, schools, local government structures and civil society partners to strengthen capacities, systems and coordination for GBV prevention and response in line with national policies, Catholic health values and international standards.

JOB LOCATION

Uganda Catholic Secretariat – Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau.

Westnile Region, Arua Office.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical leadership in GBV and psychosocial support

Provide overall technical guidance on GBV prevention, response and PSS interventions for the project, ensuring alignment with national GBV policies, MGLSD/MoH guidelines, UCMB standards and Catholic social teaching.

Lead adaptation and roll-out of survivor-centred, trauma-informed counselling and case management protocols across targeted health facilities and community structures.

Ensure that all GBV and PSS interventions are inclusive of women and girls with disabilities and follow a “do no harm”, rights-based and safeguarding approach.

Case management, counselling and service delivery

Provide direct, confidential psychosocial support to GBV survivors and women at risk through individual counselling, group sessions and family interventions, as appropriate.

Oversee safe and timely case management, including intake, risk assessment, safety planning, referrals and follow-up, in line with agreed SOPs and data protection standards.

Maintain up-to-date mapping of GBV, health, legal, child protection and social support services in the three districts and ensure operational referral pathways are known and used by project actors.

Support establishment and facilitation of survivor support groups, self-help groups and peer-to-peer mechanisms within host and refugee communities.

Capacity building and mentoring

Lead the design and delivery of GBV and PSS-related trainings for Health workers, Community workers and activists, GBV protection committees, local leaders, etc

Provide onsite mentorship, coaching and supportive supervision to health-facility and community-based providers to improve quality of GBV/PSS services.

Contribute technical input to SASA! community activism training and other social norm-change curricula to ensure psychosocial aspects and coping strategies are adequately addressed.

Community engagement and prevention

Work with SASA! community activists, religious and cultural leaders, women-led CSOs and disability organizations to integrate PSS and GBV messaging into community dialogues, campaigns and radio programs.

Support design and dissemination of gender-sensitive IEC materials and audio content (including MP3 messages) that address GBV, mental health, coping with trauma, stigma reduction and available services.

Promote safe spaces and child- and disability-friendly approaches in community and school-based activities.

Coordination, networking and partnership management

Serve as the technical focal person for GBV and psychosocial support for UCMB in West Nile, actively participating in district GBV coordination meetings, inter-agency forums and sector working groups (OPM, UNHCR, DRC, IRC, CSOs, etc.).

Strengthen collaboration with district probation and social welfare offices, CDOs, police, health and education departments to operationalize MOUs and coordinated GBV referral mechanisms.

Liaise with disability-focused partners (e.g. NUDIPU, COMBRA, UNALEP) to ensure psychosocial needs of women with disabilities and caregivers are integrated into assistive-device and rehabilitation activities.

Monitoring, evaluation, learning and documentation

Work with the M&E team to integrate GBV and PSS indicators into project tools, including KAP surveys, routine service data, case registers and referral tracking tools.

Ensure accurate, confidential and timely documentation of GBV and PSS cases, services and outcomes using agreed data-collection systems and ethical standards.

Regularly analyze GBV and PSS data to identify trends, service gaps and risk factors, and use findings to improve programming and inform district-level advocacy.

Document and share case studies, lessons learnt and promising practices on GBV prevention, psychosocial recovery and economic empowerment of survivors for internal and external audiences.

Program management and reporting

Contribute to annual and quarterly workplans and budgets for GBV/PSS components and ensure activities are delivered on time and within approved resources.

Prepare high-quality technical and narrative inputs for donor reports, district review meetings and UCMB management updates.

Ensure compliance with donor requirements, UCMB policies and safeguarding standards in all GBV and PSS-related activities.

Support planning and facilitation of review meetings, supervision visits and joint monitoring with partners and district officials.

Other duties

Stay abreast of national and global developments in GBV, mental health and psychosocial support, and recommend relevant adaptations to UCMB programming.

Represent UCMB professionally in all engagements, upholding Catholic values, confidentiality and survivor dignity.

Perform any other relevant duties as may be assigned by the Project Coordinator or Executive Secretary.

REQUIRED JOB-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Technical GBV & PSS expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of GBV dynamics, risk factors, survivor-centred approaches, psychosocial first aid, trauma-informed care and case management in humanitarian and development contexts.

Counselling skills: Strong skills in individual and group counselling, crisis intervention, safety planning and facilitating support groups, with clear professional boundaries and self-care.

Child protection and safeguarding: Understanding of safeguarding principles, safe referrals for children and adolescents, and managing protection incidents in line with national and organizational protocols.

Strategic thinking: Ability to link psychosocial support and GBV work to broader project o

• Provide overall technical guidance on GBV prevention, response and PSS interventions for the project, ensuring alignment with national GBV policies, MGLSD/MoH guidelines, UCMB standards and Catholic social teaching.
• Lead adaptation and roll-out of survivor-centred, trauma-informed counselling and case management protocols across targeted health facilities and community structures.
• Ensure that all GBV and PSS interventions are inclusive of women and girls with disabilities and follow a “do no harm”, rights-based and safeguarding approach.
• Provide direct, confidential psychosocial support to GBV survivors and women at risk through individual counselling, group sessions and family interventions, as appropriate.
• Oversee safe and timely case management, including intake, risk assessment, safety planning, referrals and follow-up, in line with agreed SOPs and data protection standards.
• Maintain up-to-date mapping of GBV, health, legal, child protection and social support services in the three districts and ensure operational referral pathways are known and used by project actors.
• Support establishment and facilitation of survivor support groups, self-help groups and peer-to-peer mechanisms within host and refugee communities.
• Lead the design and delivery of GBV and PSS-related trainings for Health workers, Community workers and activists, GBV protection committees, local leaders, etc
• Provide onsite mentorship, coaching and supportive supervision to health-facility and community-based providers to improve quality of GBV/PSS services.
• Contribute technical input to SASA! community activism training and other social norm-change curricula to ensure psychosocial aspects and coping strategies are adequately addressed.
• Work with SASA! community activists, religious and cultural leaders, women-led CSOs and disability organizations to integrate PSS and GBV messaging into community dialogues, campaigns and radio programs.
• Support design and dissemination of gender-sensitive IEC materials and audio content (including MP3 messages) that address GBV, mental health, coping with trauma, stigma reduction and available services.
• Promote safe spaces and child- and disability-friendly approaches in community and school-based activities.
• Serve as the technical focal person for GBV and psychosocial support for UCMB in West Nile, actively participating in district GBV coordination meetings, inter-agency forums and sector working groups (OPM, UNHCR, DRC, IRC, CSOs, etc.).
• Strengthen collaboration with district probation and social welfare offices, CDOs, police, health and education departments to operationalize MOUs and coordinated GBV referral mechanisms.
• Liaise with disability-focused partners (e.g. NUDIPU, COMBRA, UNALEP) to ensure psychosocial needs of women with disabilities and caregivers are integrated into assistive-device and rehabilitation activities.
• Work with the M&E team to integrate GBV and PSS indicators into project tools, including KAP surveys, routine service data, case registers and referral tracking tools.
• Ensure accurate, confidential and timely documentation of GBV and PSS cases, services and outcomes using agreed data-collection systems and ethical standards.
• Regularly analyze GBV and PSS data to identify trends, service gaps and risk factors, and use findings to improve programming and inform district-level advocacy.
• Document and share case studies, lessons learnt and promising practices on GBV prevention, psychosocial recovery and economic empowerment of survivors for internal and external audiences.
• Contribute to annual and quarterly workplans and budgets for GBV/PSS components and ensure activities are delivered on time and within approved resources.
• Prepare high-quality technical and narrative inputs for donor reports, district review meetings and UCMB management updates.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, UCMB policies and safeguarding standards in all GBV and PSS-related activities.
• Support planning and facilitation of review meetings, supervision visits and joint monitoring with partners and district officials.
• Stay abreast of national and global developments in GBV, mental health and psychosocial support, and recommend relevant adaptations to UCMB programming.
• Represent UCMB professionally in all engagements, upholding Catholic values, confidentiality and survivor dignity.
• Perform any other relevant duties as may be assigned by the Project Coordinator or Executive Secretary.

• Technical GBV & PSS expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of GBV dynamics, risk factors, survivor-centred approaches, psychosocial first aid, trauma-informed care and case management in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Counselling skills: Strong skills in individual and group counselling, crisis intervention, safety planning and facilitating support groups, with clear professional boundaries and self-care.
• Child protection and safeguarding: Understanding of safeguarding principles, safe referrals for children and adolescents, and managing protection incidents in line with national and organizational protocols.
• Strategic thinking: Ability to link psychosocial support and GBV work to broader project o