Save the Children
For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places - over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you're creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.
The Role
As the Advisor for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), you will report to the Senior Advisor, MHPSS and serve as a core technical advisor for Save the Children's mental health psychosocial programming in U.S. emergency contexts. In this position, you will provide program design leadership, technical guidance, and capacity building for child-focused psychosocial interventions during preparedness, response, and recovery.
You will ensure that all MHPSS programming is grounded in current evidence, responsive to community needs, coordinated, and aligned with Save the Children's response and recovery outcomes. Your role is key in designing and refining MHPSS program models (especially those of post-disaster safe spaces for children), strengthening partner capacity, and ensuring high-quality implementation and reporting for domestic emergencies and grants.
As a frontline deployable representative of Save the Children, you are expected to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and embody the organization's core values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity, and Integrity.
NOTE - this role is contingent on funding that is anticipated to last up to twelve months.
Location
Hybrid - Washington DC, Fairfield, CT or Lexington, KY office locations
What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)
*not inclusive of all role responsibilities. May be subject to change
Design and Refine Program Models (20%)
- Lead the development and revision of core MHPSS program models, ensuring alignment with latest research, best practices, and community needs.
- Support the adaptation of domestic and international Save the Children program content to fit the needs of multiple age groups and cultural needs by integrating the latest evidence and trauma-informed practices.
- Lead revisions of Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Psychological First Aid for Children and Caregivers for use in post-disaster community interventions.
- Serve as the technical lead in Save the Children's coalition for Safe Spaces for Children
- Ensure all programs are culturally and contextually appropriate, evidence-based, and tailored to community insights.
- Develop and maintain program guidance, tools, and resources that strengthen program quality and consistency.
Capacity Building (15%)
- Deliver MHPSS training content for implementation partners, state teams, and surge staff, grounded in the latest research and evidence-based practices.
- Provide ongoing mentoring, technical support, and practical guidance to strengthen staff and partner confidence in implementing psychosocial interventions.
Respond to Domestic Emergencies (10%)
- Deploy within 72 hours' notice to disaster-affected areas for up to three weeks, to participate in rapid needs assessments and provide technical guidance on MHPSS priorities.
- Lead on the MHPSS desk assessment to identify community partners impacted by disaster
- Support partner and staff training on MHPSS program implementation and safeguarding during response operations.
- Collaborate with the operations team to identify partners for Gifts in Kind and other items for distribution to identified partners.
Program Implementation Support (30%)
- Support response and recovery teams in developing realistic and achievable MHPSS implementation plans.
- Support the implementation of current grants, including a research grant from the National Institute of Health that is active through May, 2026.
- Lead technical assistance and support to existing and future community partners implementing MHPSS programming for adults and children. This includes;
- Leading trainings with community partners
- Identifying partners for training of trainers to continue local implementation
- Supporting and monitoring local implementation plans
- Ensuring proper data collection for all trainings and programs
- Analysis of programmatic data and reporting back to partners
Grant Management and Reporting (25%)
- Lead the subgrating process for community partners, utilizing a Salesforce platform
- Monitor and support partner subgrant spend, ensuring timely use of funds and adherence to program reach goals
- Lead development of final donor program reports
- Collect and compile impact stories and qualitative data from implementing partners.
- Partner with MERL to analyze overall program reach and outcome data.
- Ensure all deliverables, outputs, and learning are captured and reflected in final reporting and donor communications.
- Contribute technical content to new funding proposals
Required qualifications for the role
- Minimum of a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, public health, child development, or related field or equivalent experience, plus at least 5 years of relevant experience in psychosocial or mental health programming, including work in emergency or disaster contexts.
- Demonstrated expertise in trauma-informed and child-centered psychosocial interventions.
- Proven experience designing, implementing, and evaluating community-based or school-based PSS programs.
- Demonstrated training and facilitation skills with partners and field teams.
- Proven analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Experience managing donor grants, reporting, and partner relationships.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and travel on short notice for deployments.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of the time
- Valid US Drivers License
- Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
- Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
Preferred qualifications for the role
- Fluency in written and spoken Spanish
- Advanced understanding of MHPSS in emergencies and child well-being
- Ability to adapt existing solutions to complex and evolving challenges
- Ability to present to large groups (formally and informally) and to build and maintain professional networks
Compensation
Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location:
The salary ranges listed above are for US based candidates. For candidates located outside of the US, salary ranges will be based on the salary scales of the local employer of record. Actual base salary may vary based on, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location (more information on job structure is available here).
About Us
We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:
- Flexible schedules and time off: Flexible schedules, generous PTO, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays, and hybrid working opportunities
- Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family
- Family: A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits
- Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
- Retirement: A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
- Wellness: 15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days), mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
- Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
- Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships
Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in you.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.
Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.
If you require disability assistance with the application or recruitment process, please submit a request to applicantsupport@savechildren.org.
Save the Children
paid holidays
Jan 10, 2026