Senior Officer, Student Life (Student Support) and Counsellor

University of Southampton Malaysia; Iskandar Puteri; On-site; MYR 67,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southampton Malaysia is seeking a Senior Officer, Student Life (Student Support) and Counsellor to provide professional counselling, mental health and wellbeing support to students and contribute to a safe, inclusive campus environment. The role involves confidential counselling, intake and risk assessments, developing support plans, and timely referrals.

It also supports wellbeing programmes and collaborates with university teams to promote resilience and positive student

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Counselling or related discipline.
• 3–5 years of relevant experience in counselling, student wellbeing or related field.
• Registered with the Board of Counsellors Malaysia (Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience in higher education or student support is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide confidential individual counselling and emotional support to students experiencing personal, academic or mental health challenges.
• Conduct intake and risk assessments and develop tailored support plans.
• Deliver short‑term interventions and referrals to specialists or emergency services when needed.
• Develop and deliver mental health and wellbeing programmes, campaigns and outreach activities.
• Coordinate with academic and professional services teams to promote wellbeing and student support.

Skills

Counselling

Risk assessment

Case management

Mental health support

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Counselling or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Senior Officer, Student Life (Student Support) and Counsellor

The University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM) is seeking a Senior Officer, Student Life (Student Support) and Counsellor to provide professional counselling, mental health and wellbeing support to students and contribute to a safe, inclusive and supportive campus environment.

The role provides confidential counselling and case management for students experiencing personal, emotional, behavioural, psychological or other wellbeing challenges that may affect their academic progress and overall student experience. The role holder will conduct appropriate intake and risk assessments, develop support plans, provide short-term interventions and make timely referrals to specialist or emergency services where required.

In addition to individual student support, the role will contribute to the development and delivery of mental health, wellbeing and preventive programmes, including awareness campaigns, workshops, outreach activities and early intervention initiatives. The role will work closely with academic and professional services teams to promote mental health awareness, resilience, help‑seeking and positive wellbeing across the student community.

Reporting to the relevant Student Life leadership, the Senior Officer will act as a key contact point for students requiring support and will work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders on student welfare, safeguarding, crisis response and wellbeing matters. The role requires strong professional judgement, cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, empathy and the ability to manage sensitive and complex situations appropriately.

Key Responsibilities

Student Counselling and Psychological Support

Provide confidential individual counselling and emotional support to students experiencing personal, academic, behavioural, social or mental health‑related challenges.

Conduct appropriate intake and risk assessments and develop support plans based on students' individual needs.

Provide short‑term intervention and practical strategies to help students manage stress, anxiety, adjustment difficulties, interpersonal challenges, grief, crisis situations and other wellbeing concerns.

Maintain accurate, confidential and timely case records in accordance with professional and institutional standards.

Identify situations requiring specialist intervention and make appropriate referrals to external mental health professionals, healthcare providers or emergency services.

Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality throughout the counselling and referral process.

Mental Health, Wellbeing and Preventive Programmes

Plan, coordinate and deliver mental health and wellbeing initiatives that promote resilience, emotional wellbeing, healthy coping strategies and self‑care.

Organise workshops, awareness campaigns, student engagement activities, peer support initiatives and wellbeing events aligned with institutional priorities and student needs.

Develop appropriate wellbeing resources and communications to encourage students to seek support when needed.

Work with academic and professional services teams to promote wellbeing and mental health awareness as part of the wider student experience.

Identify emerging wellbeing needs and recommend appropriate preventive or early intervention initiatives.

Student Welfare, Safeguarding and Crisis Management

Support students experiencing welfare concerns, including emotional distress, family difficulties, financial hardship, adjustment challenges, discrimination, harassment or other personal circumstances affecting their wellbeing.

Respond appropriately and calmly to students experiencing significant distress or crisis situations.

Conduct appropriate risk assessments and follow established procedures for cases involving self‑harm, suicidal ideation, safeguarding concerns or other safety risks.

Coordinate with relevant University departments and external agencies to ensure appropriate support, safeguarding measures and referrals are implemented.

Maintain appropriate documentation and ensure significant welfare and safeguarding matters are escalated through the relevant University processes.

Support the development and continuous improvement of student crisis response and safeguarding practices.

Case Management and Student Support Coordination

Manage student wellbeing cases through appropriate follow‑up, monitoring, documentation and coordination of support services.

Maintain accurate and confidential records of counselling sessions, interventions, referrals and welfare cases.

Work collaboratively with academic staff, Student Life teams, disability support services and other relevant University teams to provide coordinated support.

Liaise with external support providers and professional services where specialist intervention or additional support is required.

Monitor student cases appropriately and ensure agreed follow‑up actions and referrals are completed in a timely manner.

Balance effective information sharing with professional confidentiality and applicable data protection requirements.

Wellbeing Outreach, Engagement and Early Intervention

Proactively engage with students to encourage help‑seeking behaviours and reduce stigma associated with mental health and counselling support.

Conduct outreach activities and student engagement initiatives to promote awareness of available support services.

Identify emerging student wellbeing concerns through student interactions, engagement activities and collaboration with University stakeholders.

Support early intervention by engaging students who may be at risk academically, socially or emotionally and connecting them with appropriate support pathways.

Monitor emerging trends in student wellbeing and contribute to initiatives that respond to identified needs.

Administrative Support and Operational Assistance

Provide administrative and operational support related to student wellbeing services, including appointment scheduling, case coordination, maintenance of wellbeing resources, preparation of communication materials, and responding to student enquiries.

Maintain appropriate counselling and wellbeing resources, communication materials and service information.

Prepare relevant reports, records and information to support service monitoring and continuous improvement while maintaining confidentiality.

Provide guidance or awareness briefings to staff on student wellbeing concerns, referral pathways and appropriate support practices where required.

Work collaboratively with academic schools, professional services teams and external stakeholders to strengthen student support and wellbeing practices.

Contribute to departmental initiatives and wider Student Life activities as required.

Strong inclination to use and apply artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools within daily work processes to enhance efficiency, service quality, data accuracy, and decision‑making, in compliance with organisational policies, data protection requirements, and ethical standards.

Perform any other duties as allocated by the line manager in consultation with the post holder, including supporting institutional events and compliance with University procedures.

Key Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification in Counselling or a related discipline.

Valid professional registration with the Board of Counsellors Malaysia (Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia).

3–5 years of relevant experience in counselling, student wellbeing, mental health support, student welfare or a related student‑facing environment.

Strong knowledge of student mental health, counselling ethics, confidentiality, professional boundaries, safeguarding and wellbeing practices.

Demonstrated experience in counselling, intake and risk assessments, short‑term interventions and appropriate referrals.

Ability to respond appropriately to sensitive, complex or crisis situations, including safeguarding concerns and students at risk.

Experience in planning and delivering wellbeing programmes, workshops, awareness campaigns or student outreach activities would be an advantage.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work sensitively with students from diverse and multicultural backgrounds.

Good organisational and case management skills, including maintaining accurate and confidential student records and managing multiple cases and priorities.

Experience working in a higher education or student support environment would be an advantage.

Proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable using digital systems for communication, record‑keeping, reporting and administration.

Willingness to work flexibly, including outside normal office hours when required to support student wellbeing and operational needs.

The University is committed to equality of opportunity, diversity, and inclusion.

The University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM) is an international branch campus of the University of Southampton, a founding member of the Russell Group and one of the UK’s leading research‑intensive universities. Established in 2012 and located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, UoSM offers foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, providing students with a globally recognised UK education in Malaysia.

As part of a globally connected university with campuses in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and India, UoSM is committed to academic excellence, research, innovation and industry engagement, preparing graduates to make a positive impact in an increasingly interconnected world.