Counselling jobs in Braintree

Basildon Mind

Job Description

Role Title: Counselling Manager (part-time)

Hours: 21 -28 hours per week

Term: Permanent

Salary: £31,923 (based on 35hours)

Responsible to: Chief Executive

Responsible for: Employees, Counsellors, Helpliners and other volunteers

Experience: A well-organised, data-driven, analytical, self-starter, who can manage & resource a busy counselling service together with demonstrating high levels of professionalism, leadership and management skills.

Role Summary:

We are recruiting a part-time Counselling Manager to lead, develop, and expand our counselling service. This is a senior management position in a thriving organisation and requires an experienced practitioner (BACP, UKCP or BPC accredited). It is essential to have experience of Integrative Counselling, managing people and/or a department within an organisational setting, along with a willingness to embrace and develop a broad range of counselling models. Experience and practice in mentoring trainees and counsellor supervision is also integral to the role.

Job Purpose:

· To be responsible for the provision of a professional and successful psychological intervention as part of Basildon Minds counselling service, for adults, children and young people.

· To lead, manage and develop Basildon Minds Counselling Service, including online services, remote working, Group work and ensure full compliance with BACP requirements and the Mind Quality Mark.

· To ensure the financial viability of Basildon Minds private counselling service.

· Recruit sufficient volunteer counsellors and Helpliners to meet the needs of the service.

· To provide line management and or supervision to the counselling service staff and volunteers.

· Undertake regular monitoring, evaluation & improvement of the service.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

These have been separated into key areas as follows:

Strategy

1. To provide direction and leadership to the counselling service at Basildon Mind

2. To work with the Chief Executive on the implementation of Basildon Mind’s strategic plan in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, advising on future direction of the counselling service.

3. With the CEO develop and implement a business plan for the service.

4. To manage the performance of the counselling service including capacity, activity and finance against agreed targets and the needs of service users.

5. To promote and publicise the counselling service among relevant agencies, referrers, service users, and potential service users/clients.

Management

6. Co-ordinate, manage and lead a safe, professional and accessible counselling service.

7. Manage income from counselling clients, including charges for DNA’s and cancellations.

8. Manage all Counselling staff and volunteers.

9. Ensure a fully resourced Helpline function.

10. Recruit volunteers, organise inductions, regularly reviewing the process for effectiveness and best practice.

11. Ensure Mandatory Training is undertaken by all staff and volunteers and the training log proactively maintained.

12. Ensure counsellors undertake adequate professional supervision.

13. To be responsible for the wellbeing, health and safety, training, and personal development of all counsellors, including self-employed, volunteer, and student counsellors.

14. To support & manage therapists on Basildon Mind Walking Groups

15. To be a nominated ‘Safeguarding Lead’ for Basildon Mind.

16. Manage and co-ordinate external relations with stakeholders and manage publicity and marketing activities of the service.

17. To be responsible for own administration.

Service Delivery:

18. Undertake assessments and allocate clients to counsellors.

19. Manage external clinical supervision for self and volunteer counsellors.

20. Ensure the service is delivered in line with BACP guidelines & ethical framework.

21. Ensure that client complaints are investigated and dealt with appropriately.

22. Ensure that a profitable service is provided to support the charity.

23. Ensure safeguarding procedures are adhered to.

24. Liaise with and report to CEO regarding delivery of the service.

25. Prepare reports for the Board of Trustees meetings.

26. Co-ordinate and administer the Counselling Sub-Committee

27. Review appropriate policies and procedures, including referral, cancellation, assessments, financial and administrative procedures.

Service Monitoring & Evaluation:

28. Maintain record keeping systems, including CRM and use in line with data protection requirements.

29. Ensure service outcomes and outputs are effectively monitored and evaluated.

30. Prepare regular service statistics and reports for the Board of Trustees as well as National Mind.

31. Ensure budgets are adhered to and financial systems maintained.

32. Ensure any funded projects are delivered in compliance with the funding obligations/restrictions.

33. Review and update Counselling policies and processes as required.

34. Undertake regular monitoring and evaluation of the service; equality impact assessments and other reviews deemed appropriate.

General

35. Attend internal and external meetings, events, and training as and when necessary.

36. Undertake flexible working hours, including some weekend and evening work (we operate a time off in lieu policy)

37. Participate in organisational recruitment processes when required, including shortlisting interviews etc.

38. Undertake other tasks and duties as deemed appropriate, by the Chief Executive.

39. Understand and implement Basildon Mind’s policies and procedures, including people policies such as safeguarding and information governance.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

General:

• Experience of working under pressure and handling competing demands
• Experience of working independently and managing own workload and others
• A strong commitment to increase the availability of affordable counselling in Basildon.
• Willingness to contribute to the charitable aims of the organisation and maintaining financial viability.

SKILLS

Essential

Desirable

Ability to assess client’s needs and risks including those with complex issues

Ability to lead a Counselling service within financial constraints

Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain clear boundaries

Strong team working ethos and team management skills

Experience of managing a service as part of a small organisation

Significant knowledge of IT systems used in the monitoring of counselling services

Ability to communicate effectively & confidently with clients, colleagues, management and external organisations, both verbally and in writing

Experience of monitoring and evaluation /or research

Case recording and monitoring skills and ability to interpret data to produce reports

Good organisational, project management and IT skills, with the confidence to use Microsoft outlook, word & excel and the ability to learn new software packages

Strong team working ethos and team management skills

Ability to work well within a team

Ability to work independently and manage own workload to meet deadlines without direct supervision

EXPERIENCE

Essential

Desirable

Ability to carry out assessments and deliver a high quality counselling service

Experience of group work

Significant recent clinical experience

Experience of working in an organisational setting

Experience of delivering counselling in the voluntary sector

Experience of working in a time-limited counselling approach as well as longer term work

Experience of delivering integrative counselling

Significant experience of working with different modalities

Experience of leading service development & managing change

Experience of service evaluation, service improvement or contributing to business expansion

Experience of recruiting and managing staff and volunteers

Experience of managing volunteers and/or mentoring trainees

Experience of safeguarding vulnerable adults and following organisations safeguarding policy & procedures

Experience of Policy review and development

Knowledge and understanding of professional boundaries, lone working, confidentiality, and data protection policies and procedures.

TRAINING/QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

Desirable

Recognised qualification in counselling or psychotherapy Level 4

Level 5 diploma or relevant degree

Evidence of significant post-qualifying continuous professional development

Certificate in counselling supervision

Eligible for or working towards professional accreditation BACP accreditation or equivalent

Membership of professional body, preferably

BACP, UKCP or BPC

Management Qualification

Membership of a professional body, preferably BACP, UKPC or BPC

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Essential

Desirable

Flexible working to meet the needs of the service

Enthusiastic and motivated, with a ‘can do’ attitude.

Closing Date: 9th November 2026

Pay: £31,923.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Basildon (Essex, East of England Region)