Clinical Lead

Nottingham Counselling Service (NCS) is one of the longest established counselling charities in Nottingham, with nearly 50 years’ experience of providing accessible mental health support across the city and surrounding areas. The organisation is committed to ensuring that counselling is accessible to all, regardless of financial circumstances. NCS specialises in offering affordable, low-cost counselling for up to two years, providing longer-term therapeutic support for individuals who may not be able to access or sustain private therapy or short-term services.

A significant proportion of NCS’s work is delivered by a dedicated team of volunteer and trainee counsellors. These practitioners are supported by experienced supervisors and strong clinical leadership, ensuring that all clients receive safe, ethical, and high-quality care. Alongside its core counselling service, NCS delivers a range of targeted projects designed to respond to local need, particularly for individuals and communities who face barriers to accessing support. As the mental health landscape evolves, NCS is focused on expanding provision for people aged 16+, strengthening community partnerships, and developing training and CPD opportunities within the counselling field.

Job Purpose

To provide strategic and operational clinical leadership across Nottingham Counselling Service, ensuring the delivery of safe, ethical, and high-quality counselling services. The postholder will lead on clinical governance, supervision, safeguarding, and the integration of best clinical practice into organisational systems, policies, and service development.

Key Responsibilities

• Clinical Leadership

• Provide overall clinical leadership and oversight of all counselling services
• Ensure delivery aligns with professional standards and ethical frameworks
• Support and develop a workforce of counsellors, supervisors, trainees, and volunteers

• Provide clinical supervision where appropriate
• Oversee supervision structures across the organisation
• Ensure safe, effective supervision for counsellors at all levels and across modalities

• Lead on safeguarding practice and decision-making
• Provide guidance on complex and high-risk cases
• Ensure robust and consistent risk assessment processes

• Lead and oversee clinical audit and evaluation
• Outcomes monitoring and continuous improvement
• Complaints and incident management
• Record-keeping and confidentiality standards
• Ensure compliance with ethical and professional frameworks
• Embed best clinical practice into organisational systems, policies, and procedures
• Translate clinical standards into operational processes and service delivery models

• Contribute to strategic planning and organisational development
• Lead the integration of clinical best practice into service design and organisational systems
• Support development of sustainable, accessible services (including long-term provision)
• Respond to emerging community needs and service pressures (e.g. waiting lists)

• Deliver training, reflective practice, and CPD opportunities
• Support development of trainee and volunteer pathways
• Promote a culture of reflective and ethical practice

• Build and maintain relationships with external partners and stakeholders
• Contribute to local networks and referral pathways

• Promote inclusive, anti-oppressive practice
• Ensure services are accessible to diverse communities

• Reports to: CEO
• Line management: Counsellors / Supervisors / Volunteers
• Key relationships: External partners – including Counsellor Training Organisations, safeguarding agencies, commissioners

• Maintain CPD and professional registration
• Undertake duties appropriate to the role

Please use the link to see details of the JD and Person specification and the application form Nottingham Counselling Service - Clinical Leader Role | Nottingham Counselling Service or email us on info@nottinghamcounsellingcentre.org.uk and we will send you the application details.