Mental Health Advisory Service Lead

Spanning the historic streets of the “city of dreaming spires,” the University of Oxford has been ranked the world’s leading university for nine consecutive years. A place where centuries of tradition meet world-changing innovation, we offer you the chance to shape the future while working in an inspiring environment that promotes excellence. Here, you’ll contribute to ground-breaking research that tackles global challenges - from advancing sustainability to pioneering healthcare solutions - and join a diverse, inclusive community that champions your wellbeing, development, and aspirations. Apply now to become part of our extraordinary legacy.

Student Welfare and Support Services works collaboratively on student health and welfare issues with colleagues in colleges, academic and administrative departments, the Oxford University Student Union and key statutory services and other partners outside of the University.

Services include the Counselling Service, Disability Advisory Service, the Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service, Peer Support Programme, and Mental Health Awareness Training, all aimed at supporting the well-being of our students so they can flourish academically.

A dynamic opportunity is available to lead the development and implementation of a new Mental Health Advisory Service. The service will provide support for students living with serious, complex and enduring mental health difficulties; clinical consultancy, incidence response and case co-ordination for academic and professional welfare colleagues, and proactive liaison and pathway development with NHS services. This is a rare opportunity to shape and develop a new provision, adapting the well-established University Mental Health Advisor intervention model to the unique welfare landscape of the collegiate university. The post holder can expect a high level of enabling support from the Co-Directors, senior leadership and clinical teams in Student Welfare and Support Services and the eight colleges participating in the pilot.  The role is available on a fixed term basis for three years, reflecting the initial phase of the project.

What We Offer

Working at the University of Oxford offers several exclusive benefits, such as:

•       38 days of annual leave to support your wellbeing, with the option to purchase up to 10 extra days and additional leave after long service.

•       One of the most generous maternity and adoption leave schemes in UK higher education, offering up to 26 weeks of full-pay leave, followed by additional statutory and unpaid leave options.

•       A commitment to hybrid and flexible working to suit your lifestyle.

•       An excellent contributory pension scheme.

•       Affordable and sustainable commuting options, including a cycle loan scheme, discounted bus travel, and season ticket loans.

•       Access to a vibrant community through our social, cultural, and sports clubs.

About the Role

In this role you will define, develop, launch, manage, and evaluate a new Mental Health Advisory Service for students, working work closely with the Co-Directors of Student Welfare and Support Services, the Counselling team, Disability Advisory Services, and the department Psychiatrist. This service will offer specialized support for students facing significant mental health challenges, provide guidance for college welfare teams, and acting as a new point of liaison and care co-ordination with NHS secondary services. The service will be based within Student Welfare and Support Services and will involve extensive outreach and engagement with colleges and NHS services.

The Mental Health Advisory Service will operate under the social-recovery model, focusing on student-centred care. Key responsibilities will include working with students to develop skills for managing mental health within their studies, providing specialist guidance to college welfare teams for students with complex needs, and liaising with NHS mental health services to enhance coordination of care. You will also work with college welfare teams to engage students of concern and support students whose mental health difficulties affect their academic and social functioning, including offering guidance on fitness to study.

As the Mental Health Advisor Service Lead, you will be responsible for developing the service, including creating policies, procedures, and evaluation systems. You will recruit and manage a team of mental health advisors, overseeing clinical decision-making and service delivery. The role includes co-ordinating projects within the service and across the University, maintaining a limited caseload. The Mental Health Advisory service will be fully integrated with the existing work of the counselling and disability advisory services, including specialist mentoring, and will operate collaboratively across clinical and professional welfare specialisms and networks.

About You

Candidates should have/be able to demonstrate:

•       A recognised qualification in an Approved Mental Health or psychological profession such as Registered Mental Health nurse, Occupational Therapist, Qualified Social Worker or Clinical or Counselling Psychologist and up-to-date accreditation and/or registration with the relevant professional body.

•       Advanced practitioner knowledge of complex, serious and enduring mental health conditions, and neurodevelopmental and neurodivergent conditions. Demonstrable experience, confidence and skills applying this knowledge to the assessment, monitoring and collaborative working with clients experiencing mental health difficulties, including delivering neuro-inclusive and neuro-affirming mental health or psychologically informed interventions.

•       Substantial experience, knowledge and leadership skills in mental illness related risk assessment and crisis management in an organisational setting, including calm and confident decision making, procedural action and communication. Knowledge of all associated legal and professional frameworks and responsibilities and a commitment to safe practice.

•       Substantial experience of strategic and operational leadership of mental health services, including the creation of policies, clinical and operational processes, developing new projects, monitoring and reporting. Demonstrable ability to hold a considerable degree of independent professional responsibility, including delivering strategic priorities in line with wider university or service commitments, prioritisation of resourcing and management of high-volume casework in a complex setting.

•       Substantial team leadership, management and supervision experience including recruitment, induction and line management. Demonstrable confidence providing professional guidance and staff development through individual and team meetings and processes such as probation and annual Personal Development and Review (PDR).

•       A strong commitment to progressing collaborative and multidisciplinary working in clinical and professional welfare services and across complex organisational systems.

•       Knowledge of the psychological and mental-health related challenges experienced by university students and experience of working with young adults within the context of psychological development or mental health support, preferably in an education context.

•       Knowledge and understanding of the necessarily reasonable limits to the activities of mental health, counselling and disability services in Higher Education, and ability to represent this clearly in policy and practice and communicate this sensitively and respectfully to all stakeholders.

•       Experience or the ability to confidently undertake a Designated Safeguarding Lead role.

Application Process

To apply, please upload:

•       A covering letter/supporting statement

•       Your CV

•       The details of two referees

The closing date for applications is 9am on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

Interviews will take place on 7 or 8 May and will be held face to face.