Reports to:             Head of Counselling       

Direct Reports:       None

Location:                 Bristol Mind Offices and blended remote working

Hours:                      21 hours a week over 3 days.    

Salary:                      £18,162 actual (pro-rata from £32,000 FTE per annum (pay review pending satisfactory probationary period)

Contract Type:         Permanent

Background and Purpose

Bristol Mind is a local and independent charity working at the heart of our community to offer equity-based, inclusive and accessible mental health and wellbeing support. We work with over 2,000 service-users and 75 volunteers each year, delivering a range of services including:

- InfoLine telephone information and advice service​​
- MindLine confidential telephone listening support
- Meeting Minds 121 counselling, with LGBTQIA & Neurodivergence streams
- Community Wellbeing: targeted services for refugees and victims of hate crime

Meeting Minds is a busy low-cost counselling provision and one of a growing element of Bristol Mind’s services. Our online and face-to-face talking therapy is delivered by both trainee and qualified counsellors for adults aged 18+ for up to 16 sessions, and includes Humanistic, Psychodynamic, TA and Gestalt approaches. Our placement counsellors come from a wide range of training providers such as BCPC, UWE as well as Metanoia and the Berne Institute. In addition, we have some trainees on Doctorate programmes in Counselling Psychology in London, Newport and Bristol. All our counselling staff and volunteers are fully supported with regular clinical supervision and management, and feedback from both counsellors and clients is excellent.

We are currently restructuring our Meeting Minds team with a view to developing our service offer, including applying for BACP accreditation.  With this in mind, we are seeking a Clinical Manager, responsible for delivering both clinical assessments and clinical supervision, and for ensuring our service continues to adhere to the BACP ethical framework. This vital role will suit you if you are an experienced, accredited BACP counsellor and clinical supervisor with a passion for equity-based counselling and a keen eye for managing risk. You will be part of a small and friendly team, working closely with our Head of Counselling to ensure our service meets the needs of our local community and is of the highest quality.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

- Undertake approximately 10- 12 client assessments per week, over the phone or Teams.
- Undertake approximately 6 clinical supervision sessions per week, both online/ in-person.
- Attend Triage meetings with Head of Counselling min twice a week.
- Oversee triage and clinical allocations process with Counsellors and Clinical Administrator. 
- Identify and raise and support on safeguarding concerns across the team.
- Assist Head of Counselling in recruitment process and interviews of new trainee counsellors.
- Ensure organisational policies and procedures are being followed. 
- Be prepared to provide team administrative/ leadership cover during annual leave.
- Attend regular management supervision, fortnightly Meeting Minds team meeting and monthly online staff meeting.

Overall running of Bristol Mind

- Ensure that the views of all staff, volunteers and service users are valued and shared.
- Assist in the development of other services which support people’s mental health & wellbeing.
- Carry out work in accordance with Bristol Mind’s policies and procedures, current legislation, and quality standards.
- Ensure that the organisation is presented in a professional manner to its beneficiaries, members and stakeholders.
- Take responsibility for your own safety and that of colleagues and visitors in the workplace.
- Contribute to events and activities that raise the profile of Bristol Mind as a whole.
- Undertake other tasks which may not be included in this job description, but which fall within the scope of this post.

Person Specification - Essential

Qualifications / Education

1. Qualification in Counselling with 5 yrs post-qualifying experience. 
2. Qualification in Clinical Supervision with 1 yrs post-qualifying experience.
3. Actively working towards BACP accreditation.

Knowledge & Experience

4. Minimum of 2 years experience undertaking clinical assessments.
5. Experience of working with safeguarding and risk, including complex cases beyond mild-moderate need.
6. Experience of working collaboratively within a busy team.

Skills & Ability

7. Excellent counselling/ assessment skills including sensitivity, compassion and strong professional boundaries.
8. Holistic, integrative approach to clinical supervision, recognising the organisational setting and challenges.
9. Excellent communication skills, in person, by phone and by email.
10. Competent IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Office, Outlook and Teams.

Personal Attributes
11. Open, relational, and non-defensive approach to work.
12. Commitment to the rights and self-determination of all people.
13. Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion with a passion for anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice. 

Person Specification - Desirable

Qualifications / Education

1. Work experience with diverse clients within the VCSE Mental Health sector.

Knowledge & Experience

2. Experience of upholding and advising on best practice/ quality standards.
3. Experience of supervising trainee counsellors on placement.