Workplace Counselling Lead

At UCL, we believe that our people are our greatest strength. Our Workplace Health team plays a vital role in supporting the health, wellbeing and success of our diverse community, delivering high-quality occupational health and wellbeing services to thousands of staff. We're now investing in the next chapter of our wellbeing provision by establishing a new in-house Workplace Counselling Service. This is a unique opportunity to shape a service from the ground up within one of the world's leading universities, creating a safe, accessible and evidence-informed service that supports colleagues to thrive throughout every stage of their working lives.

As Workplace Counselling Lead, you'll have the opportunity to design, establish and lead UCL's new Workplace Counselling Service, creating a service that will make a lasting difference across a large, complex and globally recognised institution. Reporting to the Head of Workplace Wellbeing, you'll combine strategic leadership with clinical expertise to develop the service model, governance framework, referral pathways and operational standards from inception. You'll recruit and lead a dedicated team, oversee clinical governance and quality assurance, and ensure the service delivers safe, ethical and effective support to colleagues across the university.

Alongside maintaining a clinical caseload, you'll work collaboratively with colleagues across Workplace Health, HR and wider UCL to develop evidence-based approaches that strengthen organisational wellbeing. You'll also help shape preventative initiatives, influence policy and practice, and use service insight and data to drive continuous improvement and innovation. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced staff counselling leader who is motivated by building services, influencing organisational culture and improving workplace mental health at scale.

Please note, this role is offered on a hybrid working basis with currently a minimum of 3-days onsite at our London Kings Cross office.

About you: You'll be an accredited counselling, psychotherapy or counselling psychology professional with substantial post-qualification experience delivering high-quality therapeutic interventions and supporting people experiencing a broad range of mental health needs within the workplace. You'll bring strong clinical judgement alongside a deep understanding of professional standards, safeguarding and ethical practice. Just as importantly, you'll be an experienced leader with the vision and confidence to establish a new service from the ground up. You'll have experience developing or transforming counselling or psychological wellbeing services in the workplace, creating governance frameworks, leading teams and embedding continuous improvement.

You'll enjoy working collaboratively across a complex organisation, building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and providing expert guidance to managers and colleagues. You'll be comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on clinical practice, using insight, data and innovation to continually enhance the service you lead. If you're passionate about workplace mental health, excited by the opportunity to build a service with lasting impact, and want to help shape the future of wellbeing at UCL, we'd love to hear from you.

What we offer: 41 days’ holiday (27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 6 closure days), option to purchase 5 additional days’ annual leave, defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE), cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan, and immigration loan, relocation support for eligible posts, on-site nursery and gym, enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay, Staff Support Service (employee assistance programme).

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL’s workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and – for Grade 9 and 10 roles – women.