Psychiatrist - Local Hire

Position Summary

The Psychiatrist will provide specialized mental health services as part of Project HOPE’s Gaza Response program. In the context of active conflict, displacement, repeated exposure to trauma, and limited access to specialized psychiatric care, the Psychiatrist will deliver comprehensive psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, and treatment to individuals affected by the humanitarian crisis. The position plays a critical role in addressing severe and complex mental health conditions, supporting integration of mental health into primary healthcare services, and ensuring adherence to national clinical guidelines, WHO mhGAP standards, and humanitarian principles. The role requires coordination with multidisciplinary medical teams, MHPSS actors, and relevant coordination mechanisms to ensure safe, ethical, and accountable mental health service delivery.

Principal Responsibilities

• Conduct psychiatric assessments, diagnosis, and treatment planning for patients presenting with severe and complex mental health conditions.
• Prescribe and monitor psychotropic medications in accordance with evidence-based clinical protocols and national regulations.
• Manage emergency psychiatric cases, including suicide risk assessment and acute crisis intervention.
• Provide follow-up consultations and ongoing management for patients with chronic mental health disorders.
• Support integration of mental health services within primary healthcare settings and mobile clinics.
• Provide technical guidance and capacity building to medical doctors, nurses, and MHPSS staff on mental health case management.
• Ensure safe documentation of patient information while maintaining confidentiality and safeguarding standards.
• Participate in the development and implementation of mental health referral pathways within the Gaza response.
• Contribute to mental health data reporting and monitoring in compliance with Project HOPE and donor requirements.
• Cookpilot with health cluster and MHPSS working group partners to ensure aligned and complementary services.
• Ensure services are delivered in line with safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, and Do No Harm principles.

Minimum Qualifications

• Medical Doctor degree with specialization in Psychiatry.
• Valid and current license to practice psychiatry.
• Minimum 3–7 years of clinical experience in psychiatric practice.
• Experience in humanitarian, emergency, or conflict-affected settings is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of trauma-related disorders, severe mental illness, and crisis intervention.
• Ability to work effectively under high-stress, resource-constrained conditions.
• Strong documentation, case management, and clinical supervision skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to humanitarian principles, safeguarding, and ethical mental health practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Gaza or similar high-intensity conflict settings.
• Familiarity with WHO mhGAP guidelines and humanitarian MHPSS frameworks.
• Experience providing technical supervision or mentoring to multidisciplinary teams.
• Previous collaboration with INGOs and participation in health or MHPSS coordination mechanisms.