Senior Advisor (Consultant) Mental Health Landscape Analysis, Ukraine

Led by NORC at the University of Chicago, the MHLA is a mixed-methods study consisting of a targeted desk review and stakeholder/systems mapping followed by primary data collection and secondary data analysis. To support these activities, NORC is seeking a Senior Advisor (Consultant) with a thorough understanding of the mental health landscape in Ukraine, including in-depth knowledge of mental health systems and stakeholders as well as familiarity with existing data/research relevant to tracking these issues on a national scale. In addition to ensuring the contextual soundness of all research products and deliverables, the Senior Advisor will:

• Support the development of a desk review methodology including establishing systematic search queries in English and Ukrainian aligned to the priority research questions;
• Review/provide technical inputs for the desk review report, stakeholder/systems map, and secondary data analysis plans;
• Review/provide technical inputs for the primary data collection methodology including sampling/outreach plans and qualitative data collection instruments (key informant interview and focus group discussion protocols); and
• Co-facilitate workshops to validate MHLA findings and building actionable recommendations for USAID and the broader community of practice.

USAIDs Mission to Ukraine develops programs that support the recovery of Ukraine, which includes fostering an economy where public and private entities can achieve their potential and provide evidence-based quality services and products to the nation and world. The mental health of Ukrainians is critical to this effort. To this end, USAID is commissioning a Mental Health Landscape Analysis (MHLA) to better understand the impact of past investments and guide future development efforts. The MHLA will reveal how socio-economic factors affect mental well-being (and vice versa) and help assess the impact of mental health interventions/services across sectors including how well utilized and received those services are and access barriers. By identifying mental health statistics and trends for mental health challenges in Ukraine, donors and policymakers can tailor strategies to address specific needs and promote resilience.

• Understanding the mental health service context/environment and identifying shifts, trends, and service gaps over recent years.
• Mapping current mental health systems/stakeholders, services, and geographic coverage including integrated care settings.
• Summarizing prevalence of mental health symptoms and characterizing severity of symptoms and trends based on literature and reports.
• Assessing the impact/effectiveness of mental health interventions across sectors; and
• Developing timeline for how mental health systems in Ukraine have developed over time
• Identifying current mental health innovations with the potential for scale.

• Graduate degree in mental health field including clinical psychiatry, psychology, or social work.
• At least 15 years of research and/or policy experience in the mental health or related sector(s).
• In-depth knowledge of the mental health landscape in Ukraine, including understanding of current sector systems and stakeholders.
• Experience liaising with government officials and acquiring secondary data from national health and labor agencies/institutions.
• Facilitation experience with high-level government actors and donors.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Ukrainian.

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which were known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally protected characteristics.