Job Title: Head of Wellbeing and Counselling
Location: Birmingham
Salary: £47,874 – £55,295 per annum – SS9
Job type: Full time, Permanent
University College Birmingham is proud to have been voted 5th in the Post Graduate Education category in the prestigious 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards. The awards are voted for and by students showcasing the incredible relationships we foster here at University College Birmingham between Staff and Students. We are TEF rated Silver, with a Good Ofsted rating.
University College Birmingham has a unique collaborative partnership with the University of Warwick – Ranked ninth in the 2024 Guardian League Tables and 67th in the World QS University Rankings 2024.
The Role:
University College Birmingham (UCB) is seeking an experienced wellbeing professional to lead and further develop its professional and specialist student mental health, wellbeing and counselling services.
As part of the ambitious Student Services and Wellbeing directorate, the Mental Health and Wellbeing team provides wellbeing and counselling support to students in the form of face to face, remote and group therapy and advice. The team also produces a broad range of self-help materials, and their expertise is used to help manage high risk/high complex cases. We are looking for someone who has the skills, experience and knowledge to lead and develop the service to meet the demands of our student community.
With a new 6th Form Centre welcoming its first students in September 2024 to add to its existing provision for Further Education, Higher Education and Degree Apprenticeships, and having just signed up to the 2024/25 University Mental Health Charter Programme, this is an exciting time to join UCB and be at the forefront of developing a truly excellent wellbeing and counselling service.
The successful candidate will bring significant experience of working with young people and students in a similar setting and will possess an excellent understanding of the barriers to engagement and how these can be overcome. They will also have experience of managing a multi-disciplinary team, of appropriately managing risk and ensuring that practice is safe and ethical.
With a focus on prevention and early intervention, the Head of Wellbeing and Counselling will use their excellent leadership, management and innovation skills to ensure that services are accessible to all students and that they remain agile and responsive to the internal and external environments. Working as part of the Directorate’s Management Team, the postholder will develop excellent working relationships across the institution and with external partners and stakeholders and will be expected to play a key role in strengthening our approach to delivering wellbeing services.
The postholder will also be responsible for ensuring all relevant policies and procedures are in place and are regularly reviewed for effectiveness and accuracy and that colleagues have a thorough understanding of their professional responsibilities and of cross-institutional working.
Possessing extensive experience of a providing advice and/or counselling in a similar setting, the postholder will have a demonstrable and thorough knowledge and understanding of all relevant legislation and professional guidelines.
Benefits:
- Generous allocation of annual leave
- 26 days’ paid leave per year
- 12 Bank Holidays & Concessionary Days
- Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme
- Employer Contributions – 20.9%
- Subsidised private healthcare provided by Aviva including a Digital GP Service.
- Employee Assistance Programme inclusive of counselling services, financial wellbeing support and bereavement support
- Annual health MOTs with our Registered Nurse
- Excellent staff development opportunities including professional qualification sponsorship
- A variety of salary sacrifice schemes including car, technology home and cycle.
- Heavily-subsidised on-site car parking in central Birmingham
- Free on-site gym membership
Extra Information:
All applicants for employment at the University will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of Safeguarding and the PREVENT agenda in the context of further and higher education.
Closing Date – Sunday 20th October 2024.
Interview Dates – TBC.
UCB is an equal opportunities employer.
Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete an application form.
Candidates with experience of: Head of Wellbeing, Wellbeing Lead, Head of Counselling, Counselling Lead, University Counsellor, may be considered for this role.
