Deputy Head of Counselling and Wellbeing

The University Counselling and Wellbeing Service (Student Support) is a dynamic, high-demand service driven by our mission to support and empower students in fulfilling their academic and personal potential.

We are at an exciting stage of the service's development. Following a transformative Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan (2022-2025) at the Collegiate University, we are recruiting to a number of roles to support our service's work and objectives under a new Student Support strategic plan (2026-2029). As part of an integrated Student Support Department, we work in partnership with the Mental Health Advice Service, the Harassment and Violence Support Service, and the Accessibility and Disability Resource to offer students joined-up support. These services contribute to a wider stepped care approach at Collegiate Cambridge, working in partnership with College Health and Wellbeing teams who support students in their College community.

We are seeking to appoint two highly-motivated, experienced professionals in the field of counselling and psychotherapy to the new role of Deputy Head of Counselling and Wellbeing (Student Support).

The Deputy Head of Counselling and Wellbeing is a senior, dynamic leadership role. The successful candidate will work in close partnership with the Head of Counselling and Wellbeing and a second Deputy Head of Counselling and Wellbeing, who alongside the Senior Counsellor (Access and Wellbeing) form the management team of the University Counselling and Wellbeing Service. 

This varied role combines leadership oversight of service operations in line with high professional and ethical standards, leading strategic programmes and service developments, compassionate and effective leadership for staff, and strategic contribution to a service committed to delivering the highest standards of best practice in counselling and psychological therapies.

Please note that this post requires accreditation (or registration, where this confers an accreditation-level standard) with your appropriate professional regulatory body in the UK, such as BACP, UKCP, BABCP or HCPC.

We particularly encourage candidates from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background to apply for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level within our University.

Benefits of working at the University of Cambridge include:

• Competitive rates of pay with automatic service-related pay progression and annual cost of living increases;
• Generous annual leave allowance;
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities;
• Generous maternity, adoption and shared parental leave entitlement and other family friendly schemes (e.g. workplace nurseries);
• An auto-enrolment pension scheme, with a generous employer contribution;
• Travel benefits and retail discounts at over 2,000 local and national stores;
• Schemes to support with relocation / the provision of accommodation.

The interview date for the post is Friday 6th November 2026

When applying, please upload your CV and cover letter outlining how you meet the criteria set out in the person specification in the Further Particulars.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click 'Apply' above.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact SSCjobs@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference AW50999 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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