Job Description:

Certified Psychological First Aid (PFA) Trainer

Number of Positions: One

Duration: 1 Day

Location:  Duhok Governorate

Publishing date: 16th Dec 2025

Deadline of submission: 18th Dec 2025

About Us

The Lotus Flower is a non-governmental organisation legally registered in the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The organization empowers vulnerable women, girls, and other community members to be safe, access learning opportunities, become financially independent, and lead positive change within their communities.

The Lotus Flower implements integrated programs for internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and host communities through static centers and mobile teams. Its work is guided by six pillars aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Health & Safety (with a strong focus on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support – MHPSS) and Education & Livelihoods.

As a grassroots organization, The Lotus Flower prioritizes community-responsive, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed approaches, ensuring that services evolve based on community feedback and emerging needs.

 

Background

As part of an ongoing project providing integrated MHPSS and livelihood services for IDPs, refugees, and vulnerable host communities, The Lotus Flower seeks to strengthen staff capacity in providing immediate and ethical psychosocial support. Frontline staff frequently engage with individuals experiencing acute stress, emotional distress, or crisis situations during community-based, case management, psychosocial, and livelihood activities.

To ensure quality, safety, and consistency in responses, The Lotus Flower intends to contract a Certified Psychological First Aid (PFA) Trainer to deliver a one-day training for project staff working across MHPSS and livelihood interventions.

 

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to design and deliver a high-quality, practical one-day PFA training that equips staff with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework to:

  • Understand the principles, scope, and limitations of Psychological First Aid

  • Provide immediate, humane, and supportive responses to individuals in distress

  • Apply PFA appropriately within humanitarian and displacement settings

  • Promote staff well-being, safe referral pathways, and do-no-harm practices

 

Scope of Work

The contracted trainer will be responsible for the following:

A. Training Content

The training should cover, at minimum:

Introduction to Psychological First Aid (definition, aims, and limitations)

  • Core PFA principles: Look – Listen – Link

  • Identifying signs of distress and common psychosocial reactions

  • Supportive communication and active listening skills

  • Application of PFA in humanitarian contexts, including IDP camps and crisis-affected settings

  • Safe referrals, boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical considerations

  • Stress management and self-care for frontline staff

  • Practical exercises, case studies, and role plays relevant to participants’ work

B. Training Delivery

  • Develop and prepare a detailed training agenda and materials

  • Deliver one interactive in-person training day (5–6 hours)

  • Facilitate group discussions, applied practice, and participatory exercises

  • Conduct a pre- and post-training knowledge check or evaluation

  • Prepare and submit a concise final training report

 

Deliverables

The trainer is expected to deliver the following:

1.       Training agenda and training materials (PowerPoint presentations and handouts)

2.       Delivery of one full-day PFA training session

3.       Signed attendance sheet of participants

4.       Pre- and post-test results or equivalent evaluation tool

5.       Final training report (maximum 2–3 pages), including:

  • Summary of sessions delivered

  • Participant feedback and observations

  • Recommendations for future capacity-strengthening activities

 

Required Qualifications and Experience

The trainer must meet the following criteria:

  • Certified Psychological First Aid (PFA) Trainer (certificate required)

  • Minimum 3–5 years of experience delivering PFA and/or MHPSS capacity-building in humanitarian or development settings

  • Proven experience working with NGOs, UN agencies, or community-based organizations

  • Strong facilitation, communication, and participatory training skills

  • Demonstrated knowledge of IDP/refugee contexts, protection concerns, and do-no-harm principles

  • Fluency in one or more of the following languages: Kurdish and Arabic

Ethical and Safeguarding Requirements

The trainer is required to adhere to:

  • The Lotus Flower’s Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and PSEA standards

  • Principles of confidentiality, respect, non-discrimination, and accountability

  • Trauma-sensitive, culturally appropriate, and survivor-centered approaches at all times

 

 

Application Procedure

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents:

  • Updated CV highlighting relevant experience

  • Copy of valid PFA Trainer certification

  • Proposed draft training agenda

  • Financial offer (daily rate)

  • Sample of previous training materials or reference letter (optional)

How to apply:

  • Please send your updated CV and required documents  to careers@thelotusflower.org  while Mentioning “PFA Trainer “as the subject of your email.

  • CVs that are in the form of pictures, and screen-shots will not be accepted.

  • CVs that do not include the subject line will not be considered.

  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

  • Applications past the expiration date of the advertisement will not be considered.