Senior Counselling Manager
Newcastle Upon Tyne & Gateshead
Vacancy listed 07/08/2026
Application deadline 31/08/2026
Details
Job Title:                              Senior Counselling Manager  
Responsible to:                  CEO 
Based at:                              Tyneside and Northumberland, Hybrid Working
Hours:                                   Part-time , 25hours per week
Contract length:                Permanent 
Salary:                               £25,337 [PTE] / £37,500 [FTE]
Benefits:                               Private health cash back plan, Access to employee discount scheme, Enhanced pension contribution, 24 days annual leave increasing depending on length of service

Purpose of job

The Senior Counselling Manager role provides strategic leadership, clinical governance and operational oversight of counselling services across Tyneside and Northumberland Mind. 

Extensively positioned within a period of continuous organisational growth, the postholder will drive departmental expansion, shape our evolving clinical offer, and ensure services remain accessible, sustainable, and responsive to rising community demands. Balancing executive service development with rigorous clinical accountability, this role aligns departmental resources with wider organisational strategy to champion cross-departmental collaboration, maintain high standards of evidence-based delivery, and ensure the organisation remains agile, resilient, and deeply impactful.



Key Responsibilities

  1. Lead the design, development, and continuous improvement of counselling services across the organisation.
  2. Ensure services are person-centred, evidence-based and responsive to community need.
  3. Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to develop joined-up pathways and improve the experience of people accessing support.
  4. Identify departmental growth opportunities, contribute to business planning, and assist with funding bids. 
  5. Represent the organisation at senior forums and build strong relationships with NHS partners and commissioners. 
  6. Hold accountability for departmental clinical governance, quality frameworks, and BACP/UKCP compliance. 
  7. Provide oversight and support around safeguarding, risk management and case management discussions and escalations.
  8. Ensure strict departmental compliance with GDPR and Data Governance Requirements.  
  9. Manage day to day operations, departmental budgets, waiting lists and KPI performance. 
  10. Line Manage counselling managers, and clinical leads, embedding a supportive, high-performance culture. 
  11. Oversee recruitment, workforce planning and clinical supervision structures for the department. 
  12. Monitor departmental service data, equity of access and demand trends. 
  13. Produce high quality impact reports for senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
  14. Use data and case studies to demonstrate crisis and suicide prevention outcomes. 
 
Expectations

1.     Ensure that all responsibilities and activities discharged within this post are consistent with the terms and spirit of Tyneside and Northumberland Mind’s policies.

2.     The nature of the post will require flexibility in terms of ways of working to deliver on objectives.

3.     The post holder is expected to travel to meetings throughout the area of benefit 

4.     Complete an induction including mandatory training modules

5.     Attend and complete training as required.

6.     The post holder/s may be required to undertake other activities as deemed appropriate by their Line Manager

Person Specification

Essential Criteria 

1.     Accredited Counsellor or Psychotherapist with BACP, UKCP or equivalent professional registration.
2.     Significant experience of managing counselling, psychotherapy or mental health services.
3.     Experience of clinical governance, safeguarding and risk management.
4.     Experience of leading, supporting and developing teams.
5.     Experience of service development and quality improvement.
6.     Strong understanding of outcomes measurement and the use of data to inform decision-making.
7.     Excellent communication, leadership and relationship-building skills.
8.     Knowledge of relevant legislation, ethical frameworks and professional standards relating to counselling services.



Desirable 

  1. Experience of working within the voluntary, community or charity sector.
  2. Experience working with commissioned services and external stakeholders.
  3. Experience contributing to funding applications, tenders or business development activity.
  4. Experience presenting reports and information to senior leaders, trustees or commissioners.
  5. Understanding of the mental health landscape across the North East.
  6. Experience supporting services working with people experiencing complex mental health needs, suicidal ideation or increased levels of risk.
  7. Training or qualifications in leadership, supervision, safeguarding or service management.

Conditions of Employment 

In the light of legislation [Section 8 Asylum and Immigration Act, January 1997], as a condition of being able to commence employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide documentation to prove that they are able to work in the UK. Such documents will include one or more of the following, as appropriate:

·                National Insurance number.
·                Birth certificate or British passport.
·                Certificate of registration, or naturalisation as a British citizen.
·                Passport or documentation evidencing citizenship of an EEA country.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS check)

This post is subject to a Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Travel requirements:

For roles that involve regular travel to various locations to meet the operational needs of the business, offer holders must have:
·       A full driving licence.
·       Ideally access to private vehicle.
·       Valid business travel insurance.

Probation 
The appointment is subject to a probation period of 6 months.

Expenses
Out of pocket expenses will be payable at rates set out in Tyneside and Northumberland Mind's expenses policy. 

Holidays
On joining, pro rata on a 24 working days per annum. Thereafter, the holiday entitlement increases depending on length of service. (The holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March.)

Tyneside and Northumberland Mind pension scheme
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind has a group personal pension plan. Further details about the pension plan are available from the HR Advisor.   

Interested in joining us?
Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement 
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities.
We are committed to being an anti-discriminatory organisation and positively welcome and encourage applications from diverse and marginalised groups. 
Tyneside & Northumberland Mind recognises that there are systemic and individual barriers which people face in maintaining good mental health, accessing support and treatment when they need it, and being accepted for who they are in terms of their mental health. We pledge to do all we can to recognise and tackle these barriers, and to monitor our progress.
We strive to be diverse and inclusive in our workforce, our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion runs through our employee experience.  We promote an inclusive workplace where our staff can bring their full selves to work and strive to ensure that everyone is offered equality of opportunity to achieve their full potential.  In recruiting our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation and beliefs.  
When you join us, you will also have the opportunity to join our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group and help champion DE&I throughout our organisation. 

Here is how to apply.

Tyneside and Northumberland Mind is an Equal Opportunities employer and will apply objective criteria to assess merit. It aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age or disability or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable. 

Selection criteria and procedures are always reviewed to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted, and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. All employees will be given equal opportunity and where appropriate and possible, special training to enable them to progress both within and outside the organisation. Tyneside and Northumberland Mind is committed to a programme of action to make this policy fully effective.  Candidates who consider that they have not been fairly treated should write to the Chief Executive Officer, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind, 3rd Floor Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6UF within seven days of an interview, after which the matter will be investigated.

Required for application:

1x Curriculum Vitae (CV, preferred in Pdf format)

Complete pre-screening questions.


Further questions and inquiries about the role? Email:
Alex Wilson (CEO) 

Benefits

Private health cash back plan, Access to employee discount scheme, Enhanced pension contribution, 24 days annual leave increasing depending on length of service

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