Psychology jobs in Northern Ireland

Job Title: Senior Principal Educational Psychologist – part of the Antser Group

Salary: £65,000-£80,000 open to discussions. + benefits

Hours/Contract: Full-time Perm

About Neuroverse

Neuroverse is part of a well-established, multidisciplinary service with a strong national reputation for high-quality autism and ADHD assessments. We are also a leading provider of VR-based, trauma-informed training, already trusted by local authorities, police forces and health services, and now expanding that offer into education. This role sits at the heart of that expansion, building a new national schools service on genuinely established foundations.

Job Purpose

The Senior Principal Educational Psychologist will lead the development and delivery of Neuroverse's schools service, working systematically and strategically with schools to shape their inclusion strategy and translate this into good, sustainable practice. The postholder will provide psychological consultation, advice, training and strategic support to schools, trusts, families and partner professionals.

A central part of this role is to develop and oversee a team of professionals delivering support and consultation within schools, recruiting, developing and managing practitioners so that the quality and consistency of that offer grows with the service. The postholder will play a leading role in shaping a high-quality, inclusive and neurodiversity-affirming service offer that supports schools to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, learning differences, developmental needs and social, emotional and mental health needs.

This role combines direct work with schools and families alongside service development, partnership building, quality assurance and workforce development. The postholder will also contribute to joined-up pathways across Neuroverse's wider multidisciplinary services, including our established autism and ADHD assessment pathways and our pioneering VR-based, trauma-informed training offer.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Working strategically and systemically with schools

• Work systematically and strategically with schools to develop, shape and embed their inclusion strategy, and translate this into good, sustainable practice on the ground.
• Provide consultation, psychological advice and problem-solving support to schools, SENDCOs, senior leaders, families and other professionals.
• Support schools to identify and understand children and young people's needs through consultation and evidence-informed psychological practice.
• Promote inclusive, child-centred and neurodiversity-affirming approaches in school settings.
• Contribute to whole-school approaches relating to SEND, inclusion, wellbeing, participation and emotionally supportive environments.

Leading and developing the team

• Develop and oversee a team of professionals delivering support and consultation within schools, ensuring a consistently high-quality and joined-up offer.
• Support the recruitment, induction and development of a growing multidisciplinary workforce, including specialist teachers, therapists and other practitioners.
• Design and deliver training, consultation models and professional development activity for school staff, leaders and partner professionals.
• Provide clinical oversight of the specific learning differences assessment pathway and assessments of cognition and learning, ensuring high professional standards and integrated support pathways.
• Work closely with Neuroverse's established autism and ADHD assessment service to develop joined-up pathways and improve continuity of support for children, young people and families.

Building and growing the service

• Lead the development of Neuroverse's national schools service, helping to define its vision, structure, offer and operating model, building on the credibility of our wider assessment and VR training services.
• Strengthen schools' internal capacity to meet a wide range of SEND and neurodiverse needs effectively.
• Contribute to the development of innovative training resources, including immersive or VR-based content, to deepen staff understanding of children's lived experiences in educational settings.
• Identify opportunities for service growth, partnership development and innovation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with schools, trusts and wider stakeholders.
• Contribute to service evaluation, quality assurance and continuous improvement activity.
• Ensure services are delivered in line with professional, ethical and regulatory standards.
• Keep up to date with current research, policy and best practice relating to SEND, neurodiversity, inclusion and educational psychology.
• Travel nationally to school sites where required to support consultation, training, relationship-building and service development.
• Work with budgetary and business planning requirements in partnership with the Senior Leadership and wider management team.
• Contribute to the development of reporting mechanisms and ongoing monitoring of these for clinical governance and key performance indicators.
• Strong contract / relationship management skills to promote Neuroverse’s and wider Antser Group offering to schools, working alongside our sales, operational and finance teams.
• Strengthen schools' internal capacity to meet a wide range of SEND and neurodiverse needs effectively.

This job description reflects the current requirements of the role. It is not exhaustive and may be reviewed and amended in consultation with the postholder as the service develops.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential

Desirable

Qualifications & Registration

• Doctorate or recognised postgraduate qualification in Educational Psychology.
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an Educational Psychologist.

Additional relevant training or accreditation in areas such as SEND, neurodiversity, trauma-informed practice, literacy difficulties, cognition and learning, or therapeutic approaches.

Experience

• Substantial experience as an Educational Psychologist with schools, children, young people and families.
• Experience of consultation and psychological advice within educational settings.
• Experience working collaboratively with school staff, SENDCOs and leadership teams.
• Experience delivering training and capacity-building for school staff and/or other professionals.
• Experience supporting inclusive practice with children with a range of SEND and neurodiverse presentations.
• Experience of assessment relating to specific learning difficulties, cognition and learning.
• Experience leading and supervising other professionals.
• Experience contributing to service development, innovation or improvement.
• Experience working across multiple schools, trusts or service areas.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working alongside therapists, specialist teachers or medical professionals.

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of Educational Psychology practice: consultation, systems work, problem-solving and capacity building.
• Secure understanding of SEND, inclusion and neurodiversity-affirming practice.
• Knowledge of child development, learning, behaviour, participation and emotional wellbeing.
• Knowledge of current legislation, policy and guidance relating to SEND and education.
• Understanding of ethical, professional and regulatory frameworks relevant to Educational Psychology.
• Knowledge of independent sector or commissioned service models.
• Knowledge of current issues in workforce development, school inclusion and multidisciplinary service delivery.

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent consultation, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build strong, credible relationships with schools, families and partner professionals.
• Ability to think strategically and systemically while delivering high-quality direct work.
• Strong organisational skills; able to manage a varied workload independently and flexibly.
• Ability to analyse complex information and translate it into practical recommendations.
• Confidence presenting, facilitating and delivering training to a range of audiences.
• Ability to lead, influence, develop and oversee a team of professionals in a growing organisation.
• Commitment to reflective practice, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Skills in service design, innovation and implementation.
• Confidence using digital tools and platforms to support service delivery or training.

Personal Attributes

• A creative thinker who brings fresh ideas to complex, systemic challenges.
• A dynamic and proactive approach, with confidence to shape a new service offer.
• Genuine enjoyment of working flexibly, across schools, settings and ways of working.
• Strong commitment to inclusive, child-centred and strengths-based practice.
• A values-led and compassionate approach to working with children, families and schools.
• Initiative, adaptability and comfort working within a developing service.
• Professional credibility and sound judgement.
• Willingness to travel nationally as required.
• Enthusiasm for building and shaping a new service offer on established foundations.

Pay: £80,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in United Kingdom