Counsellor

Staffordshire Police; Stafford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Scheme – Staffordshire Pension

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible / Agile Working

Sick pay scheme

Training and development opportunities

Car lease scheme

Free Parking at selected sites

Onsite catering facilities

Eye care vouchers

Union support

Job summary

Staffordshire Police seeks an experienced Counsellor/Psychotherapist to deliver confidential, structured psychological support within the Occupational Health service. The role focuses on colleagues in high-stress emergency settings, providing time-limited, evidence-based interventions and contributing to clinical governance.

You will work within the Psychological Intervention Team, maintain records, partake in supervision, and support wider health services.

Qualifications

• Accredited membership with a recognised professional body (e.g., BACP, UKCP, BABCP).
• Qualified in counselling/psychotherapy with Level 5 Diploma or equivalent.
• EMDR accredited training and post-qualification supervision.
• Min. 450+ post-qualification counselling hours and regular supervision.
• Experience delivering trauma-informed therapies in workplace settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide confidential, structured counselling to colleagues in emergency services.
• Deliver time-limited, evidence-based psychological interventions per clinical model.
• Support Occupational Health case management and contribute to risk assessments.
• Maintain accurate clinical records, reports and safeguarding where required.
• Participate in supervision and may deputise for Clinical Lead as needed.

Skills

Trauma-informed practice

Workplace counselling

Independent practice

Organisation & case management

Clinical supervision experience

Therapeutic modalities

report writing

Education

Level 5 Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling/Psychotherapy

EMDR Accredited training (Parts 1–4)

Accredited professional body membership (BACP/UKCP/BABCP/NCPS)

450+ hours post-qualification counselling experience

Job description

Contract Type Permanent

Job Title Counsellor

Grade £40,383 -£47,046

Staffordshire Police is continually striving to deliver the best possible service for the county’s residents, businesses and visitors. It is a fast-paced organisation, adaptive to modern policing needs and open to continual improvement.

Everyone who works for the force has an important role to play in shaping the future of Staffordshire Police. The force seeks people who will champion new ways of working, be collaborative and agile and represent in a fair and ethical manner those that Staffordshire Police serves.

For more information about Staffordshire Police please click the below link: Home | Staffordshire Police

About The Opportunity

Are you an experienced and professionally registered and accredited Counsellor or Psychotherapist, who is passionate about delivering high-quality psychological support within a unique and demanding occupational environment?

We’re looking for an experienced Counsellor or Psychotherapist - to join our Psychological Intervention Team (P.I.T) within Occupational Health, playing a vital role in supporting the psychological health and wellbeing of police officers, firefighters and support staff.

This is more than a traditional Counselling role. It is an opportunity to deliver specialist, evidence-based psychological interventions to colleagues working within emergency services, including those exposed to trauma, critical incidents, high-stress environments and the psychological demands associated with operational roles.

Working as part of our Psychological Intervention Team, you’ll provide confidential, structured and clinically driven therapeutic interventions, to colleagues who meet established criteria for support. The role focuses specifically on therapeutic intervention rather than pre-employment screening or management referrals, ensuring clinical practice remains aligned with professional standards, accredited practice and organisational clinical governance frameworks.

We’re looking for someone who can bring strong therapeutic skills, sound clinical judgement and an understanding of the distinct context of workplace counselling within emergency services.

If you’re passionate about trauma-informed practice, supporting psychological wellbeing and making a meaningful difference to the people who protect our communities, we want to hear from you.

The Role

As a Counsellor within the Psychological Intervention Team, you will deliver confidential, evidence-based psychological support and counselling to police officers, firefighters and support staff.

Reporting to the Clinical Lead – Psychological Services, you’ll provide time-limited, structured counselling interventions in line with the organisation’s agreed clinical model and defined number of sessions.

You’ll work flexibly across solution-focused therapeutic modalities, adapting your interventions to individual clinical need while recognising the particular boundaries and considerations associated with counselling within an occupational and emergency-services setting.

You’ll operate in accordance with recognised clinical standards and accredited practice, ensuring interventions are ethical, confidential and grounded in current best evidence.

You’ll support the wider Occupational Health team in the management of complex or high-risk cases, contributing to clinical assessment, planning and appropriate interventions and working collaboratively with HR, managers and other stakeholders, where appropriate.

You’ll maintain accurate clinical records and documentation, manage sensitive information appropriately and ensure safeguarding, risk and confidentiality concerns are identified and escalated when required.

As part of the wider service, you’ll contribute to agreed KPIs, service‑level agreements and organisational objectives and may provide psychological training or professional input to teams where required.

You’ll participate in in‑house Clinical Supervision, Group Supervision and Reflective Practice with the Clinical Lead and support the delivery of Occupational Health services in accordance with relevant sector‑specific standards and best practice, including NPWS and NFCC.

The role will also involve delivering psychological interventions for colleagues, working within high-risk roles and producing appropriate reports for management in relation to identified risks and themes, together with professional recommendations.

You’ll maintain your professional registration and CPD, remaining informed by current research and professional recommendations.

There will also be opportunities to deputise for the Clinical Lead - Psychological Services, where required.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for an experienced practitioner who understands that providing psychological therapy within an emergency-services Occupational Health environment requires a different approach from traditional private practice.

You’ll Need

• Accredited membership with a recognised professional body, (for example BACP Accredited, UKCP Registered, BABCP Accredited, NCPS Accredited, or equivalent).
• A recognised Counselling or Psychotherapy qualification at a minimum of Level 5 Post Graduate Diploma, or equivalent.
• EMDR Accredited training - Parts 1–4. (or currently in training / the willingness to fulfil within the first year).
• A minimum of 450+ hours’ post‑qualification counselling experience, supported by regular clinical supervision.
• Experience delivering a range of therapeutic modalities and adapting interventions to individual needs.
• Proven experience providing Counselling or Psychotherapy to adults within a clinical or workplace setting.
• Experience working with trauma, critical incidents or high‑stress environments.
• Experience operating within clinical governance frameworks, including risk assessment and safeguarding.
• A demonstrable understanding of workplace counselling and how it differs from private practice, including organisational context, boundaries and fitness‑for‑work considerations.
• The ability to practise independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong organisational and case‑management skills.

Additional Information

This is a Grade G role within Enabling Services, reporting to the Clinical Lead - Psychological Services.

The role is designated as agile and flexitime, rather than fixed‑location or fixed‑hours. A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle for business use are required.

The post requires RV vetting and continued professional registration / CPD. There is no routine weekend working, shift allowance or on‑call / standby rota associated with the role.

Further details of the key tasks, responsibilities can be found within the role profile.

Closing date

6th October 2026

Interview date

TBC

In addition to your salary, you will have access to a range of benefits including:

• Pension Scheme - Employers Pension contribution 21.5% Staffordshire Pension Fund - Staffordshire Pension Fund - Home (staffspf.org.uk)
• Generous holiday entitlement, plus Bank Holidays.
• Flexible / Agile Working
• Sick pay scheme
• Fostering friendly policy
• Family friendly policies – maternity, paternity, parental leave, adoption, disability leave and carers leave
• Access to health and wellbeing support
• Eye care vouchers
• On site Gyms
• Staff associations
• Reward and Recognition
• Blue light Card
• Flexible working options
• Training and development opportunities
• Car lease scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free Parking at selected sites
• Onsite catering facilities
• Access to Staff Networks
• Union support
• Financial products and services

Please note that applications are welcomed from all suitably qualified/experienced individuals. However prior consideration will be given to applications from individuals who are ‘at risk’ and employed by Staffordshire Police. If an appointment is made from that at risk group, the post may be withdrawn. In this event, a representative from the People Services team will notify any affected applicants.

Staffordshire Police is fully supportive of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and strives to employ a workforce that represents the community we serve.

Our vacancies are open to everyone and all appointments are made based on merit. We encourage and welcome applications from all underrepresented groups which include: Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, female, people who have a disability, those who are neurodivergent and persons of the LGBTQ+ community.

We use positive action to encourage potential candidates from underrepresented groups through targeted step-In support and advice sessions. If you have the skills, experience and values, that here in Staffordshire Police we pride ourselves on, then we would welcome you to apply.

For more information on Positive Action please email the team on [e-mail]

For any Recruitment queries please email [e-mail]

Residency Eligibility

Please note you will need to have been a resident in the UK for the last three years consecutively for RV Level roles and five years for MV Level roles (see below link around Vetting for more information)

Please Note If You Are Successful At Interview And Commence Pre-employment Checks This Will Include Vetting, Please See What This Involves And The Process Via The Below Link

Police vetting process | Join The Police (joiningthepolice.co.uk)