Head of Therapy (Addiction)

The Methodist Church in Britain; Hawkesley; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a senior clinical post to lead therapeutic practice across residential and remote services. You will oversee governance, safeguarding, risk management and quality assurance while line-managing therapists and maintaining a small complex caseload.

You will contribute to treatment programmes for gambling harms, shape clinical strategy, and deputise for the Clinical Director when required. 35 hours per week.

Qualifications

• Recognised postgraduate or doctoral therapeutic or mental health qualification.
• Degree in counselling, psychology or a related discipline.
• Recognised clinical supervision qualification; CPD ongoing.

Responsibilities

• Provide organisation-wide clinical leadership for therapeutic practice, including governance and quality assurance.
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead and oversee safeguarding, suicidality, crisis escalation and clinical risk.
• Lead therapy clinical governance, including audit, policy review, and supervision frameworks.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Safeguarding

Governance

Supervision

Line management

Risk assessment

Complex caseload

Communication

Education

Postgraduate qualification

Doctoral qualification

Tools

EHR systems

Audit software

Job description

This senior clinical post, reporting to the Clinical Director, covers therapy across Gordon Moody's residential and remote services. It combines clinical governance and safeguarding oversight with leading therapists and a small complex caseload. The postholder is also Designated Safeguarding Lead and helps shape treatment programmes for gambling harm, working 35 hours a week. Applicants need a recognised therapy or mental health qualification, current professional accreditation and at least three years in addiction or mental health services.

What the job involves

• Provide organisation-wide clinical leadership for therapeutic practice, including governance, safeguarding, risk management and quality assurance
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, overseeing safeguarding, suicidality, crisis escalation and clinical risk
• Lead therapy clinical governance, including audit, policy review, peer review, supervision frameworks and quality improvement
• Lead therapeutic services and translate strategy into clinical practice, deputising for the Clinical Director when required
• Line manage Gambling Therapists and other allocated clinical staff, covering appraisal, wellbeing, capability and performance
• Provide expert clinical supervision and reflective practice to clinicians on complex formulation and risk
• Maintain a small caseload of complex or high-risk cases, delivering individual and group interventions such as CBT and motivational approaches
• Monitor clinical quality, treatment outcomes and service performance, and use findings to drive improvement
• Oversee delivery against service standards, programme requirements and commissioner expectations, including referral, transfer, discharge and aftercare
• Develop and deliver clinical training, and support recruitment, induction, workforce planning and succession planning
• Support inspections, audits, commissioner reviews and external assurance activity
• Represent Gordon Moody in clinical networks, commissioner discussions and external forums, and contribute to strategic planning and service development

What’s required

Qualifications

• Recognised postgraduate or doctoral therapeutic or mental health qualification, such as CBT, counselling, clinical or counselling psychology, or mental health nursing
• Degree in counselling, psychology or a related discipline
• Recognised clinical supervision qualificationEvidence of current continuing professional development
• Safeguarding Level 3

Registration & licences

• Current accreditation or registration with BABCP, BACP, HCPC, UKCP or another recognised professional body

Experience

• At least three years of significant post-qualification experience in addiction and/or mental health services
• Experience of complex and high-risk presentations, including safeguarding concerns, suicidality and co-occurring mental health difficulties
• Proven experience of line managing qualified therapists or other registered clinicians
• Experience of leading clinical teams and contributing at senior leadership level
• Experience of clinical governance, audit, quality assurance, and monitoring outcomes to improve services

Skills & knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of safeguarding, clinical risk assessment, crisis escalation and legal and regulatory responsibilities
• Ability to integrate other appropriate therapeutic approaches
• Excellent communication, influencing, analytical and relationship-building skills
• Ability to work effectively with service users, staff, commissioners, NHS services, regulators and external partners
• Competence in electronic clinical or patient record systems

Nice to have

• Experience within gambling harms services and/or other behavioural addictions
• Experience across residential and remote or community treatment settings
• Leadership, management, quality improvement, research or service evaluation experience