Deputy Head of Student Counselling

The role

We are excited to be looking for a Deputy Head of Student Counselling, for the University of Bristol’s Student Counselling Service, including the Mental Health Advisory Service, to cover 12 months maternity leave. The role is a full-time, 9 – 17:00, working alongside 2 other Deputy Heads and managing approximately 8 members of staff (counsellors and mental health advisors, balance of which to be determined). The Student Counselling Service sits within the Education and Student Success division and is part of a large system of support services.

What will you be doing?

As part of the management team, you will operationally and clinically manage the service and report directly into the Head. You will have the opportunity to manage a very small caseload of students, and this will flux with the changing needs of the service. Please note, that due to this small and fluctuating caseload, it may be difficult to maintain the requirements of certain accreditations within this role; this is an operational management post. The workload is diverse and complex; you will need to manage operational planning and delivery, including elements of project management, risk management, short-term reactive through to long-term workstreams, and manage and support a team of experienced staff. You will collaborate with many staff across a very large institute to progress the needs and aims of the service.

You should apply if

You must be an accredited and experienced counsellor (or equivalent) with significant clinical experience. You must also have clear managerial experience with good knowledge of HR processes. You will need to be able to work very independently, and at times with minimal direction, as well as working very collaboratively with colleagues to meet the needs and objectives of the team. We are also looking for someone with a mental health and/or NHS experience, to support the needs of our Mental Health Advisory Service.

The Student Counselling Service is working hard to create a welcoming, exciting and joyful place to work, meeting the demographic of the student population and offering more diverse and inclusive therapeutic support.  As a team we are genuinely passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion; it forms a key thread through all the work we do. We want everyone that joins to be a part of this and to contribute to the friendly and fun community we are creating.

Additional information

Contract type: Fixed term contract until 04/09/26 or the earlier return of post-holder

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Thursday 3rd July.

For informal queries please contact:

Michael Pearson (Head of the Student Counselling Service):

via email, Michael.pearson@bristol.ac.uk 

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Available documents

• Deputy Head Of The Student Counselling Service - JD.pdf

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