Mental Health Advisory Service Lead

Our Student Welfare and Support Services collaborate with colleges and partners to support student health, offering services such as Counselling, Disability Advisory, and Mental Health Awareness Training.

A unique opportunity exists to lead a new Mental Health Advisory Service, supporting students with complex mental health challenges and coordinating with NHS services. The role offers strong leadership support and is a three-year, fixed-term position.

What We Offer

• 38 days of annual leave
• Generous maternity and adoption leave schemes in UK higher education (up to 26 weeks of full-pay leave), followed by additional statutory and unpaid leave options.
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Excellent contributory pension scheme

About the Role

In this role, you will define, launch, and manage a new Mental Health Advisory Service, collaborating with Student Welfare, Counselling, Disability Services, and the Psychiatrist. The service will support students with serious mental health challenges, guide college welfare teams, and coordinate care with NHS services, with outreach to colleges and NHS services.

The Mental Health Advisory Service will focus on student-centred care using the social-recovery model. Key duties include helping students manage mental health within their studies, advising college welfare teams on complex cases, and coordinating with NHS mental health services. You will also support college welfare teams in engaging students of concern and assist students whose mental health impacts their academic and social life, including offering guidance on fitness to study.

As Mental Health Advisor Service Lead, you'll develop the service, including policies and evaluation systems. You'll recruit and manage advisors, oversee clinical decisions, and coordinate projects, while maintaining a limited caseload. The service will integrate with counselling, disability, and clinical welfare networks.

About You

Candidates should have/be able to demonstrate:

• A recognised qualification in an Approved Mental Health or psychological profession (e.g., Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, or Clinical/Counselling Psychologist) with current accreditation/registration
• Advanced knowledge of complex mental health, neurodevelopmental, and neurodivergent conditions, with experience in assessment, monitoring, and delivering neuro-inclusive interventions.
• Experience in risk assessment, crisis management, and knowledge of legal and professional frameworks, with a commitment to safe practice.
• Leadership experience in mental health services, including policy creation, project development, and reporting.
• Demonstrable ability to hold a considerable degree of independent professional responsibility, including delivering strategic priorities in line with wider university or service commitments, prioritisation of resourcing and management of high-volume casework in a complex setting.
• Experience in team leadership, recruitment, and staff development through processes like probation and PDR.
• Commitment to collaborative multidisciplinary working across clinical and welfare services.
• Knowledge of psychological and mental-health challenges faced by university students, with experience working with young adults in an educational setting.
• Understanding of the limits of mental health services in Higher Education and the ability to communicate these boundaries effectively.
• Experience or ability to undertake a Designated Safeguarding Lead role.

Application Process

To apply, please upload:

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

Closing date: 12 noon on Friday 7^th March.

Interviews week commencing, 24^th March face-to-face.

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