Student Mental Health Advisor

Pertemps Open University; Bulwell; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking two experienced Student Mental Health Advisers to provide specialist, one-to-one support to students with enduring or complex mental health conditions. You will manage around 25 students, coordinating with NHS services and internal teams to promote wellbeing and academic success.

Role involves risk assessment, safety planning, and delivering psychoeducation while maintaining accurate records and a strong commitment to safeguarding.

Qualifications

• Degree or professional qualification in Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling or a related field, or equivalent substantial experience supporting adults with complex mental health needs.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, including training in a recognised intervention such as CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, coaching or mindfulness-based approaches.
• Experience supporting adults with complex or enduring mental health conditions.
• Experience carrying out mental health assessments and implementing solution-focused interventions.
• Strong experience managing risk, safeguarding concerns and supporting individuals in crisis.
• Experience managing an independent caseload and prioritising competing demands.
• Experience working within multi-agency environments, including NHS, local authorities or third-sector organisations.
• Knowledge of mental health, equality, safeguarding and data protection legislation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and sensitively.
• Emotional resilience and the ability to remain calm when supporting distressed or vulnerable individuals.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, alongside case management systems.

Responsibilities

• Delivering specialist one-to-one interventionist support to students with enduring or complex mental health conditions.
• Completing comprehensive mental health assessments, identifying risk and protective factors and developing practical support plans.
• Undertaking risk assessments, safety planning and responding appropriately to students experiencing mental health crises or at risk of self-harm.
• Managing an independent caseload, ensuring accurate records, timely escalation and compliance with University policies.
• Providing practical, solution-focused interventions and psychoeducation to help students manage their wellbeing alongside their studies.
• Coordinating support with Student Support Teams, Disability Support, academic colleagues, NHS services and external agencies.
• Supporting the development of effective referral pathways across the University.
• Advising colleagues on complex mental health matters and contributing to a suicide-safer culture.
• Delivering mental health awareness training and providing guidance to colleagues supporting students with mental health needs.
• Maintaining accurate records using CRM systems, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Excel.

Skills

Mental Health Nursing

Social Work

Psychology

Counselling

Related field experience

CBT training

Solution-Focused Therapy

Coaching

Mindfulness

Complex mental health experience

Mental health assessments

Solution-focused interventions

Risk management

Safeguarding

Crisis support

Independent caseload

Prioritisation

Multi-agency collaboration

NHS liaison

Third-sector liaison

Mental health legislation

Equality & safeguarding

Data protection

Communication skills

Emotional resilience

MS Office

Excel

Case management systems

Education

Degree in Mental Health Nursing

Degree in Social Work

Degree in Psychology

Degree in Counselling

Equivalent substantial experience

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Excel

Case management software

Job description

Student Mental Health Adviser
Fixed-Term Contract - 6 Months
Location: Remote Working with monthly agreed days in the office (in one of either Milton Keynes, Nottingham or Manchester campus).
Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday (37 hours per week)
Flexible working between 8:30am-5:00pm
Pay Rate: £20.10 per hour
Start Date: September 2026

The Open University is the UK's largest university, supporting thousands of students studying flexibly across the UK. As part of their Student Wellbeing Team, we are looking for two experienced Student Mental Health Adviser to provide specialist, one-to-one support to students experiencing enduring or complex mental health conditions.

This team sits within the wider Student Wellbeing Team, alongside mental health training, safeguarding, welfare advice and the University's suicide-safer initiatives. The team provides specialist intervention and coordinated support to help students overcome barriers to learning, manage risk and remain engaged with their studies. The service supports students on a referral basis and works closely with Student Support Teams, Disability Support and external agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes.

About the Role

You will provide specialist case management, assessment and intervention for students whose mental health is significantly affecting their ability to study. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across the University, NHS services and third-sector organisations to coordinate appropriate support while promoting student wellbeing and academic success.

You will manage a caseload of approximately 25 students, adjusted where higher-risk cases require additional support, ensuring every student receives appropriate, timely intervention.

Key responsibilities include:

• Delivering specialist one-to-one interventionist support to students with enduring or complex mental health conditions.
• Completing comprehensive mental health assessments, identifying risk and protective factors and developing practical support plans.
• Undertaking risk assessments, safety planning and responding appropriately to students experiencing mental health crises or at risk of self-harm.
• Managing an independent caseload, ensuring accurate records, timely escalation and compliance with University policies.
• Providing practical, solution-focused interventions and psychoeducation to help students manage their wellbeing alongside their studies.
• Coordinating support with Student Support Teams, Disability Support, academic colleagues, NHS services and external agencies.
• Supporting the development of effective referral pathways across the University.
• Advising colleagues on complex mental health matters and contributing to a suicide-safer culture.
• Delivering mental health awareness training and providing guidance to colleagues supporting students with mental health needs.
• Maintaining accurate records using CRM systems, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Excel.

About You

We are looking for a confident and compassionate mental health professional who combines strong clinical judgement with excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach.

Essential

• Degree or professional qualification in Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling or a related field, or equivalent substantial experience supporting adults with complex mental health needs.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, including training in a recognised intervention such as CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, coaching or mindfulness-based approaches.
• Experience supporting adults with complex or enduring mental health conditions.
• Experience carrying out mental health assessments and implementing solution-focused interventions.
• Strong experience managing risk, safeguarding concerns and supporting individuals in crisis.
• Experience managing an independent caseload and prioritising competing demands.
• Experience working within multi-agency environments, including NHS, local authorities or third-sector organisations.
• Knowledge of mental health, equality, safeguarding and data protection legislation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and sensitively.
• Emotional resilience and the ability to remain calm when supporting distressed or vulnerable individuals.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, alongside case management systems.

Desirable

• Experience working within Higher Education.
• Accreditation as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
• Membership of a relevant professional body, such as BACP, BPS, UKCP or UMHAN.
• Applicants with significant relevant experience from the NHS, adult social care, mental health charities or community mental health services are also encouraged to apply.

Successful candidates will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check (Adults and Children).

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.