Student Mental Health Adviser

Location: Devon House campus and Portsoken campus, London (Hybrid role). Up to 1 day working from home per week

Term: Full-time; 6-month fixed term contract

Benefits: The university supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, offer flexible working and parental leave opportunities, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as optional private medical insurance, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme.

Direct Reports: None

Reports to: Lead Student Mental Health Adviser

Start: September 2025

The Role

The Student Mental Health Advisers’ primary duty is to provide support and advice to students experiencing poor mental health, including but not exclusively, to those with a diagnosed mental health condition. The role holder will provide individualised support and will assist students with accessing NHS services or other relevant specialist support. The role holder will work as part of the Student Mental Health Advice Team and the wider Student Support Team (which includes the Student Wellbeing Advisors), collaborating with other team members to provide both reactive and proactive support to undergraduate, postgraduate, degree apprenticeship and mobility students across a range of pastoral issues. This contract is initially offered on a 6-month fixed term basis. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide advice, information, and guidance to prospective and current students on the provision of mental health support available through in-person and online appointments, email and telephone. 
• Effectively manage and prioritise a caseload of students with mental health issues/wellbeing concerns to include:  
  • Advice on techniques and strategies to self-manage mental health during university study. 
  • Support and guidance to access NHS or other relevant specialist services.  
  • Support where the University’s Safeguarding or Prevent policies have been enacted in close liaison with the University’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, Prevent Lead and external NHS, Local Authority or Channel staff. 
  • Support where the University’s Support to Study Policy has been enacted, in liaison with other team members and relevant faculty members. 
  • Assessment of students where there are concerns that they are at risk of harm to themselves/others and preparing safety plans.
  • Working with students with previous experience of mental ill-health to agree an intervention plan to set out actions to be taken should faculty, staff or peers become concerned about a deterioration in their mental health. 
  • Liaison with GPs, crisis intervention teams, therapists, counsellors and other external clinicians to help ensure students are properly supported and safeguarded.
• Where appropriate, refer students to the external counselling services used by the University following internal processes and guidelines. 
• Provide an effective and skilled ‘in the moment’ response to students who may be at risk to themselves or others, or who may be agitated, distressed or anxious, identifying student needs and addressing those according to urgency and priority. 
• Provide advice to faculty and professional services staff who may have concerns about a student’s mental wellbeing.
• Maintain accurate records of all student interactions in accordance with internal guidance and protocols in compliance with GDPR. 
• Assist with the promotion of good practice across the University in supporting mental wellbeing, including development and delivery of training and awareness workshops for staff and/or students in student mental health matters.
• Contribute to and help lead on promoting the initiatives of the University Mental Health Charter.
• Contribute to student mental health awareness-raising activities and events in collaboration with other departments across the University.
• Maintain a thorough and up-to-date knowledge and understanding of relevant University policies relating to student support such as Support to Study, Safeguarding, Prevent, Extenuating Circumstances and Break in Studies. 
• Regularly review the mental health support being offered, identifying any gaps in the provision and making recommendations to the Lead Student Mental Health Adviser. 
• Any other duties as deemed appropriate by the Lead Student Mental Health Adviser and/or Head of Student Support. 

Person Specification Criteria

To undertake this role, the following should apply. Should you not have the experience below, please do highlight where transferrable skills would assist with you undertaking the role. 

• Qualification in mental health nursing, social work, counselling or other professional qualification relevant to this role OR Undergraduate Degree (E). 
• Experience of working with people from a range of ethnicities, socio-economic groups and nationalities (E). 
• Experience of supporting people with mental health issues, including responding appropriately to people in crisis. (E) 
• Experience of maintaining professional boundaries appropriate to the role. (E) 
• Experience of working as part of a service team, preferably within a multidisciplinary setting. (E) 
• Experience of working within organisational policies and procedures. (E) 
• Experience of maintaining client/student/patient records. (E) 
• Experience of working with FE or HE students in a college or university from ages 16+. (E) 
• Ability to remain calm and professional when working with people in distress or who are at risk of self-harm. (E) 
• An understanding of the challenges of studying at HE level and knowledge of the impact that mental health issued can have on a student and their studies. (D) 
• Knowledge of a range of self-help strategies for managing, maintaining and improving mental health and how they can be utilised in an educational context. (E) 
• A working knowledge of NHS mental health services and referral structures/protocols. (D) 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to be able to work on a 1:1 basis with a diverse range of students. (E) 
• A good working knowledge of relevant legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). (E)  

Additional Information 

This role is paying up to £45,520 per year. 

Enquiries 

Informal enquiries may be made to Caroline Evans, Head of Student Support, on car.evans@nulondon.ac.uk. However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified. 

Application Process 

Please apply for this role via the 'Apply' button above.

Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary. 

Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page and a full Curriculum Vitae. 

The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications. 

Interviews are expected to commence on the week beginning the 22^nd September 2025. 

Please note this role requires an enhanced DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London. 

Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. 

This role might be eligible for skilled worker visa sponsorship.