Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist - West Africa

Position summary:

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is anticipating a project in West Africa with a focus on managing the flow of migrants into the region. Included in the project’s objectives will be structured movement and resettlement of migrants within and outside Guinea-Bissau, while providing basic food, shelter and other humanitarian assistance.

SFL is seeking a clinical psychologist to provide mental health and social support to migrants in West Africa. The clinical psychologist will be responsible for designing and implementing a psychological and psychosocial support program for migrants who are navigating displacement and resettlement. This role involves providing direct clinical care, occasional crisis intervention, and building the capacity of local staff to ensure culturally appropriate mental health services during the resettlement process.

The position will be based in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.

Areas of Responsibility:

• Conduct psychological assessments and provide professional mental health support to newly arrived and transitioning migrants, with referral to in-country medical professionals if needed.
• Develop and implement support protocols for individuals experiencing stress or trauma.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including medical staff as needed, to ensure a holistic approach to migrant well-being and basic needs.
• Conduct psychoeducational workshops to help migrants cope with acculturative stress, build resilience, and prepare for resettlement in new host countries.
• Maintain strictly confidential clinical records and monitor mental health trends within the migrant population to adapt programs and inform SFL management.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Medical doctor degree (M.D., D.O., or M.B.B.S.) with Psychiatry residency, Master’s degree or Doctorate (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from an accredited institution.
• Valid professional license to practice clinical psychology in your home jurisdiction.
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of post-graduate clinical experience, specifically focusing on trauma, displacement, or working with refugee/migrant populations.
• Must be fluent in English (written and spoken), with a working knowledge of Spanish. Additional language skills relevant to the demographic context (e.g., French, Portuguese) are a plus.
• Proven experience working in humanitarian emergencies, international development, or low-resource, post-conflict settings.
• Experience in cross-cultural counseling and effectively conducting clinical sessions with the assistance of language interpreters.

Personal Skills and Abilities:

• Exceptional cross-cultural communication skills and sensitivity to the diverse religious, cultural, and social backgrounds of multi-national migrants.
• Strong adaptability and psychological resilience, with the capacity to thrive in a dynamic and challenging physical environment with limited local amenities.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to maintain strong professional boundaries to prevent burnout in a high-stress environment.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability for capacity-building and empowering local staff for assistance.
• Sound judgment, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to make rapid clinical decisions independently in the event of crises.
• Commitment to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as the core mission of Shelter For Life International.

SFL is interested in applicants whose professional ethics, values, and determination to achieve impact are evident and aligned with organizational priorities.

Additional Notes

• A minimum of 12 months' commitment to live and work in Guinea-Bissau is required.
• Applicants must be comfortable with travel within the project area.
• Competitive pay and benefits, including paid time off, ACA-compliant health insurance, and housing allowance.

Job description in PDF here: https://shorturl.at/gYIwz

About us:

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is an international faith-based relief and development organization with over 30 years’ experience providing sustainable development and humanitarian assistance to post-conflict countries worldwide. We are currently operational in Afghanistan, The Gambia, and Ukraine, with headquarters located in Minnetonka, MN, USA. Our team provides support and assistance in the following areas:

1. Population Movement and Settlement
2. Public Infrastructure Reconstruction
3. Economic and Social Development

Our mission is to demonstrate God’s love by enabling people affected by conflict and disaster to restore their lives and rebuild their communities. To learn more about us, please visit www.shelter.org