Student Services

Student Services provides a comprehensive welfare and support service for all matriculated students, which includes:
•    Immigration, Disability, Finance, and Academic advice.
•    Pastoral support in halls of residence through the Warden Service
•    Out of Hours support
•    The main information service to the students from the ASC (The Advice and Support Centre).
•    Wellbeing, Coaching, Counselling, CBT and Mental Health coordination, working within a Matching Care model.

We aim to deliver sector-leading services and have recently secured accreditation with APPTS (Accreditation Programme of Psychological Therapies Services, Quality Standards Team at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in partnership with the British Psychological Society) for our work in Wellbeing, Counselling and Mental Health.

The Assistant Director (Counselling and Mental Health) will assist in the management, training and clinical supervision of the Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing team. They will be the manager responsible for the unit’s “first response” when a report comes from a student or a third party that a student is in distress, in crisis, at risk or in danger.  The post holder will work closely with other staff to ensure appropriate access for students to the service and will undertake one to one work with students for up to 40% of their time.

Although the role will be primarily (Monday to Friday), there will be some necessity to work out of hours. The post holder will be part of an Out of Hours rota; staffing the out of hours service approximately once every six weeks. Student Services operates extended hours until 7pm during semester. The successful applicant will be required to work flexibly. 

The post holder will have a PG diploma in CBT or Counselling/Clinical Psychology, and significant experience in the field of one to one mental health work and risk assessment. You will also have experience of managing staff in a similar service. The role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to engage effectively and professionally with students, staff and external stakeholders, including parents.  You will have extensive experience of working in a busy, first response, setting (e.g. medical, social work, etc.). You will have experience of working with young people and of working in a multi-disciplinary context.  Experience of working with students will be advantageous. An ability to remain calm under pressure and to prioritise work is vital.

The University is committed to equality for all, demonstrated through our working on diversity awards (ECU Athena SWAN/Race Charters; Carer Positive; LGBT Charter; and Stonewall).  More details can be found at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/hr/edi/diversityawards/.

This role does not meet the minimum requirements set by the UKVI to enable sponsorship of migrant workers.  Further information can be found at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/policy/immigration/.