Thematic Expert – Psychosocial Support Officer (Kenya)

The Busara Center for Behavioral Economics is an advisory and research organization focused on evaluation and implementation of behavioral interventions in understudied countries and populations. Busara’s mission is to work with researchers and organizations to advance and apply behavioral science in pursuit of poverty alleviation. This involves the applicat…

Thematic Expert – Psychosocial Support Officer (Kenya)

Purpose of the Role

• The Psychosocial Support Officer will provide specialized professional expertise to safeguard participant well-being throughout the assignment, with a particular focus on identifying, preventing, and responding appropriately to emotional distress or unforeseen crises that may arise during sensitive interviews, surveys, or other field interactions. The role will also support the wider field team in maintaining a safe, ethical, and trauma-informed approach to engagement with participants

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor participants for signs of distress, trauma, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm during sessions.

• Provide immediate emotional support and grounding techniques to help distressed participants regain a sense of safety and stability.

• Protect participants’ privacy by treating personal stories and mental health information with the highest level of confidentiality.

• Prepare data collectors to recognize and respond appropriately to emotional stress in themselves and others during the data collection exercise.

• Facilitate brief daily debriefs to help the team reflect on difficult experiences and support one another after demanding field days.

• Offer practical guidance and brief supportive counseling to staff members who may feel overwhelmed.

• Apply established safety protocols and ethical guidelines when engaging on sensitive topics.

• Escalate any significant safety concerns or incidents to lead researchers immediately.

• Contribute to adjustments in field plans when new emotional risks emerge during implementation.

• Prepare an incident report at the end of the data collection exercise, summarizing any incidents identified and the mitigation and referral measures implemented in line with Mastercard Foundation’s Safeguarding policies.

Indicative Deliverables

• A financial proposal/quote itemizing the services to be provided.