Job Opening: School Psychologist
Role Context
The School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) is a residential school for Afghan girls located in Rwanda, where students live and learn within an interconnected academic and residential community. Students bring diverse linguistic, cultural, educational, family, and migration experiences, and many are developing English proficiency while navigating the developmental, social, and cultural transitions associated with living and studying outside their home country. The School Psychologist supports a developmentally responsive, trauma-informed, and culturally affirming continuum of mental health support, from promotion and prevention and early identification to targeted intervention, crisis response, and connection to specialized care. Working with students, families, staff, and external providers, the School Psychologist provides direct mental health services while strengthening the adults and systems surrounding students.
This position is based in Rwanda, and the successful candidate must meet the professional registration and licensing requirements necessary to practice in Rwanda.
Reporting Line
The role reports to the Head of School.
Key Responsibilities
1. Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
Develop and support schoolwide initiatives and student programming that promote mental health, well-being, belonging, coping, and help-seeking.
Partner with staff to strengthen developmentally responsive, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically affirming practices across academic and residential settings.
Provide consultation and professional learning to strengthen staff capacity to promote student mental health and well-being.
2. Targeted and Individualized Mental Health Support
Provide individual and group counseling to address identified social-emotional and mental health needs.
Participate in multidisciplinary student support structures to identify student needs and determine appropriate supports.
Develop individualized care plans and adapt interventions to students’ developmental, cultural, linguistic, family contexts.
Use multiple sources of data to identify needs, monitor student progress, and adjust supports based on response to intervention.
3. Crisis Response, Safety Planning, and Safeguarding
Assess and respond to acute mental health and safety concerns, including risk of harm to self or others, and develop individualized safety plans when indicated.
Serve as one of SOLA’s Assistant Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL), responding to and documenting safeguarding concerns in accordance with school policies and procedures.
Coordinate follow-up with relevant staff, families, safeguarding personnel, and external providers, including referral to higher levels of care when needed.
4. Staff Consultation, Capacity Building, and Systems Development
Consult with teachers, dorm parents, and other staff regarding student social-emotional and mental health needs within developmental, cultural, linguistic, educational, and acculturative contexts.
Provide training and professional learning related to student mental health, trauma-informed practice, and other identified needs.
Contribute to the development and refinement of school mental health protocols, policies, referral pathways, and support structures.
5. Family Partnership
With Director of Student Affairs, engage parents and caregivers in understanding and supporting student mental health and well-being.
Provide accessible and culturally responsive mental health information and resources.
6. Community Partnerships and Continuity of Care
Build and maintain relationships with mental health, medical, and community-based providers and resources.
Coordinate referrals and collaborate with external providers, families, and SOLA staff to support continuity of care.
Identify and address cultural, linguistic, and other barriers to accessing appropriate services.
7. Leadership
Represent the wellbeing and mental health of students and adults in meetings, committees, etc.
Proactively identify systems and procedures that will advance the goals of SOLA Rwanda in providing a full system of care.
Coordinate closely with the SOLA Medical Director and other key leaders to ensure smooth coordination and communication.
Required Qualifications and Skills
Advanced graduate degree in psychology, with training in child and adolescent or school psychology, and appropriate professional licensure, registration, or eligibility to practice in Rwanda.
Appointment will be subject to verification of the candidate’s registration, licence, and eligibility to practice by the relevant professional council in Rwanda.
Minimum of 5 years of experience providing child and adolescent mental health services in school, community-based mental health, or similar multidisciplinary settings.
Experience providing individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, risk assessment, and safety planning.
Training and experience in psychological and psychoeducational assessment, including interpretation of findings to inform student supports.
Knowledge of child and adolescent development and the impact of trauma, culture, language, and migration on student well-being.
Strong consultation, collaboration, and communication.
Preferred Qualifications and Skills
Experience working in a boarding school or other residential educational setting, particularly in an international or cross-cultural context.
Experience working with refugee, forcibly displaced, immigrant, or migrant youth and multilingual learners.
Knowledge of Afghan cultural contexts and/or experience working with Afghan youth and families.
Dari and/or Pashto language skills.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following to hr@solaschool.org:
Updated CV
A cover letter outlining their interest in the position and relevant experience
Details of their current licence, including the country of registration
The School of Leadership Afghanistan, Inc., as an equal opportunity employer, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or gender expression or any other basis protected by law in any employment decisions.