Counsellor

Location: 3 Worcester Street, Oxford OX1 2BX

Hours: 22.5 hours per week (3 days), year-round

Contract: Fixed-term until 6 October 2027

Are you an experienced and accredited counsellor ready to take a senior role in shaping student mental health provision within a world-leading university?

Join the University Counselling Service at the University of Oxford and play a key role in clinical leadership, service development and training, while delivering expert therapeutic support to students.

About Us

The University of Oxford is globally recognised for excellence in research, education and student wellbeing. Student Welfare and Support Services (SWSS) brings together the Counselling Service, Disability Advisory Service, Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service, and Peer Support and Mental Health Awareness programmes to provide accessible, integrated student support.

The Counselling Service supports around 3,200 students each year, delivering brief therapeutic interventions grounded primarily in psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches. Our vision is to create an environment in which all students can flourish personally and academically.

About the Role

This senior post combines high-level clinical practice with operational and developmental responsibilities.

You will:

• Deliver high-quality psychodynamic or CBT-informed therapy, adapting models for brief interventions
• Undertake complex assessments and risk management
• Manage your own caseload within the BACP Ethical Framework
• Contribute to intake assessment and urgent responses
• Deliver individual and group therapy, and facilitate workshops

Reflecting the senior nature of the role, you will also:

• Provide supervision to trainees and associates
• Lead on a specialist area of expertise, contributing to service innovation
• Undertake evaluation and small-scale research
• Design and deliver training for college and departmental staff
• Contribute to Peer Support training and supervision

You will attend weekly staff meetings and work one evening per week during term time. This role offers genuine scope to influence service development and contribute to strategic discussions shaping student mental health provision across the University.

About You

You will hold BACP Individual Accreditation, UKCP Registration or equivalent. Psychologists must be qualified as clinical or counselling psychologists and eligible for BPS chartership.

As part of our departmental commitment to openness, inclusivity and transparency, we strongly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented or minoritised backgrounds who meet the essential criteria for the post.

You will bring:

• Substantial experience delivering psychodynamic or CBT-based therapy
• Experience adapting models for brief work and complex presentations
• Experience designing and delivering training or group work
• An understanding of issues facing Higher Education students
• Experience contributing to service development or evaluation
• Strong communication skills and emotional resilience
• Confidence delivering online assessments and therapy

Experience delivering supervision and contributing to organisational development would be advantageous

We strongly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented or minoritised backgrounds who meet the essential criteria.

Application Process

Please upload:

• A covering letter/supporting statement
• Your CV
• Details of two referees

Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 10^th April 2026

Interviews: 21^st and 22^nd April 2026 (face-to-face)

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