Lead Counsellor

St Peter & St James Hospice; Lewes; Presencial; GBP 42.000 - 52.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

27 days holiday

Enhanced maternity/adoption pay

Monthly occupational health clinics

20% discount in charity shops

Descripción de la vacante

St Peter & St James Hospice is seeking an experienced Lead Counsellor to shape and drive our counselling and bereavement services. You will provide clinical leadership to the counselling team, supervise staff and volunteers, and work with multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure high-quality psychosocial support for patients and families.

We welcome accredited counsellors with leadership experience, committed to person-centred care and ongoing professional development.

Formación

• Diploma/degree/master's in counselling required.
• BACP or UKCP accreditation, or working towards accreditation.
• Excellent counselling, supervision and interpersonal skills.
• Significant experience supporting individuals affected by loss, grief or life-limiting illness.
• Experience managing/supervising staff or volunteers.
• Strong understanding of bereavement and its impact on families.
• Ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsabilidades

• Provide counselling and psychosocial support to patients, families and the bereaved.
• Manage referrals and assessment processes in line with KPIs.
• Triage incoming referrals and allocate support across the team.
• Lead, supervise and support qualified and volunteer counsellors.
• Recruit, train and develop volunteer counsellors.
• Provide counselling supervision and professional guidance to the team.
• Oversee bereavement support groups and develop services.
• Participate in MDT meetings and care planning.
• Deliver psychosocial and counselling training to colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate records in designated electronic systems.
• Ensure counselling practice adheres to standards and procedures.
• Lead service development initiatives and review clinical guidelines.
• Work with Head of Supportive Care to monitor service performance.
• Support audits, evaluations and research.

Conocimientos

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Independent worker

Educación

Diploma/degree/master's in Counselling

Accreditation (BACP/UKCP) or in progress

Herramientas

SystmOne / clinical records

Descripción del empleo

Are you an experienced and compassionate counsellor with a passion for supporting people facing life-limiting illness, loss and bereavement?

As our Lead Counsellor, you will lead and develop our counselling service, ensuring patients, families, friends and the bereaved receive timely, responsive and high-quality psychosocial support. You will provide clinical leadership to our counselling team, supervise staff and volunteers, and play a key role in shaping and developing counselling and bereavement services across the hospice. If you are an accredited counsellor with leadership experience and a commitment to person-centred care, we would love to hear from you.

• Location: St Peter & St James Hospice, North Common Road, North Chailey, East Sussex, BN8 4ED
• Hours:37.5 (Mon -Fri)
• Contract: Permanent full‑time
• Closing Date: We will shortlist and interview as applications are received, so early applications are encouraged.

What you'll be doing

• Provide counselling and psychosocial support to patients, families, friends and those who are bereaved.
• Manage counselling referrals and assessment processes, ensuring a timely and effective response in line with organisational standards and key performance indicators.
• Triage incoming referrals and allocate support appropriately across the counselling team.
• Lead, supervise and support qualified counsellors and volunteer counsellors.
• Recruit, train and develop volunteer counsellors to meet service needs.
• Provide counselling supervision and professional guidance to members of the counselling team.
• Oversee the coordination and ongoing development of bereavement support groups and identify opportunities for additional group services.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to holistic patient care planning.
• Deliver psychosocial and counselling‑related training to colleagues and external stakeholders as required.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records using designated electronic systems.
• Ensure counselling practice adheres to professional standards, codes of conduct, policies and procedures.
• Lead on service development initiatives and contribute to the review of clinical guidelines and working practices.
• Work closely with the Head of Supportive Care to monitor service performance and development.
• Support audit, evaluation and research activities to promote evidence‑based practice.
• Demonstrate the hospice's values in all aspects of service delivery and leadership.

What we're looking for

• Diploma, Degree or Master's qualification in Counselling.
• BACP or UKCP accreditation, or working towards accreditation.
• Excellent counselling, supervision and interpersonal skills.
• Significant experience supporting individuals affected by loss, grief, bereavement, attachment difficulties or life‑limiting illness.
• Experience of managing, supervising or supporting staff and/or volunteers.
• Strong understanding of bereavement, grief and loss and their impact on individuals and families.
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing positively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Confidence using IT systems and electronic client record systems.
• Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to effectively manage competing priorities.
• Flexible, compassionate and professional approach to service delivery.
• Current driving licence and access to a vehicle for community visits.

The following would be advantageous but are not essential

• Experience working within a hospice, palliative care, healthcare or social care setting.
• Experience of providing counselling services within specialist palliative care.
• Experience delivering counselling‑related training to others.
• Experience working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Experience using SystmOne or similar clinical record systems.
• Experience participating in audits, service evaluations or research projects.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to patients, families and those experiencing bereavement.
• A rewarding leadership role within a highly respected hospice and supportive multidisciplinary team.
• The opportunity to shape and develop counselling and bereavement services.
• Regular clinical supervision, professional support and continuing professional development opportunities.
• A values‑led organisation committed to compassion, respect, excellence and teamwork.
• The chance to contribute to innovative, person‑centred psychosocial and supportive care services.

If you are an experienced counsellor who is passionate about delivering high‑quality psychosocial support and leading compassionate services for patients and families, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact PhillippaJones Head of Supportive Careby emailing [e-mail].

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The Organisation

St Peter & St James Hospice is a leading provider of specialist palliative and end of life care for our Mid‑Sussex community. People affected by life‑limiting illness are central to everything we do and it is our mission to ensure they receive the best possible care, in the right place, at the right time. Our services are free of charge and can be accessed at home, in a care setting, or at the Hospice in North Chailey.

We achieve our goals through the organisation’s talented people, by attracting, retaining and developing a highly skilled, diverse and engaged workforce. Over 150 employees and 400 volunteers work in a variety of roles across our Clinical Services, Retail and Support Functions.

The Benefits

27 days holiday

Enhanced maternity/adoption pay

Monthly occupational health clinics

20% discount in our charity shops

Our people

• Vrishali Pawar
• People Services Assistant

"If you have the appetite to develop your skills, you are encouraged and empowered to learn and grow within the organisation."

• Jon Anderson
• Community Clinical Nurse Specialist

"Being a part of someone’s end of life care and supporting their loved ones through their grieving process is a real privilege."

"Every pound raised for our hospice brings comfort and dignity to those facing life's most challenging moments, making every effort deeply meaningful."

• Data & Admin Team Officer

"Helping to change people's perception of specialist palliative and end of life care by sharing how we support patients and their loved ones is a privilege."

• Gavin Carby & James Dickens
• Facilities Manager & Maintenance Technician

"We love that we get discounts in our shops and can benefit from the Blue Light Card like NHS workers do."

• Retail Manager

"It's great to know that each day is an opportunity to make a difference for our local community."

Our people are our strength. We value diversity and inclusion so encourage applications from everyone, regardless of race, national origin, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability or age.

Please ensure you have your own means of transport as the hospice is not accessible by bus and is located on a main road without public footpath. Our precise location can be found here: https://stpjhospice.org/contact-us/

If you have any questions about this vacancy or require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please contact us on [e-mail].

Please note we may shortlist and interview candidates as applications are received. Offers of employment are subject to satisfactory results from pre‑employment checks (right to work, references, Occupational Health, and DBS if applicable).