Afghanistan Strategic & Policy Studies Organization (ASPSO), established in 2018 and registered with the Ministry of Economy, is a national NGO dedicated to poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups including IDPs, returnees, and rural and urban poor. ASPSO works across key sectors such as livelihoods, education, agriculture, humanitarian aid, emergency response, health, and social behavior change within the country.

The Psychosocial Support Officer, under the direct supervision of project manager will lead the design, coordination, and implementation of all psychosocial and mental health support activities within the project. This includes training TLS teachers, conducting direct psychosocial sessions, providing case referrals, and ensuring integration of psychosocial well-being across all project components.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the overall planning and implementation of psychosocial support (PSS) interventions in coordination with the Project Manager, Community Mobilizers and TLS Teachers.
• Design and conduct structured group and individual PSS sessions for children, caregivers, and community members.
• Ensure all TLS activities integrate psychosocial components such as play therapy, art-based therapy, recreational activities, and emotional literacy exercises.
• Coordinate closely with teachers and community mobilizers to ensure consistent delivery of child-centered psychosocial activities.
• Develop and implement a referral pathway for children with severe trauma or protection concerns, coordinating with existing service providers.
• Conduct training and coaching sessions for TLS teachers and community volunteers on basic psychosocial support and psychological first aid.
• Develop or adapt culturally relevant PSS tools, training materials, and activity manuals for use in TLS classes.
• Identify children and caregivers showing signs of distress, trauma, or other psychosocial concerns through regular field monitoring and provide individual and group counseling and emotional support sessions where needed.
• Establish a confidential case referral mechanism to appropriate service providers for cases requiring specialized mental health.
• Maintain confidential case records, respecting ethical guidelines and child safeguarding principles.
• Develop tools and templates to track psychosocial activities and progress indicators.
• Conduct field visits to TLSs classes to monitor quality of PSS implementation and provide on-site mentoring.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly technical reports highlighting progress, challenges, and recommendations.
• Participate in internal review meetings and contribute to project evaluations.

• Undertake any other project-related tasks assigned by the direct supervisor.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, Education, or a related discipline (Master’s preferred).

Minimum 2–3 years of relevant experience in psychosocial support, child protection, or mental health programs, preferably in emergency or post-disaster contexts.

Excellent interpersonal, communication, and counseling skills.

Strong empathy, patience, and active listening skills.

Respect for confidentiality and ethical standards.

Ability to handle trauma-related cases with compassion and professionalism.

Strong teamwork, flexibility, and coordination abilities.

Interested candidates are required to submit their applications exclusively through the ASPSO online application form available on our official website. Please note that only applications submitted via the online form will be considered. Shortlisting will be carried out on a rolling basis, so early submission is highly encouraged.