Mental Health Clinician

The University of Auckland; Auckland; On-site; NZD 93,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible employment practices

6.75% company superannuation scheme

Five weeks’ annual leave

Career development programmes

Discounted car parking

Parental leave allowance

Job summary

The University of Auckland is seeking an experienced Mental Health Clinician to join the Health and Counselling Team in Auckland. You will work directly with students, assess needs, identify support pathways and connect students with the right services.

We value strong clinical expertise, sound judgement and a genuine commitment to supporting young people. This is a full-time, fixed‑term role for 18 months with a salary between NZ$93,201 and NZ$107,500 per annum.

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent in mental health, social work, nursing, OT or other relevant field.
• Must have Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act registration (NCNZ or Social Worker).
• At least four years' experience working with or supporting students or young people.

Responsibilities

• Manage and triage referrals and concerns from students and staff.
• Gather information, assess risk, and develop appropriate support plans and referrals.
• Connect students with the right support, from self-help to specialist services.
• Maintain accurate case notes, reports and confidential records.
• Build relationships with university teams and external providers for access to help.
• Contribute to service improvement by identifying trends and barriers.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Risk assessment

Communication

Relationship-building

Cultural competence

Microsoft Office

Education

Tertiary qualification in mental health / social work / nursing / OT or equivalent

Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act registration (NCNZ) or Social Worker Registration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The University of AucklandThe University of Auckland is New Zealand’s pre-eminent research-led University. Established in 1883, it is an international centre of learning and academic excellence. With just over 5,200 staff and more than...

We are looking for an experienced Mental Health Clinician to join our Health and Counselling Team

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a genuine difference to students who may be experiencing complex personal, wellbeing, or mental health challenges.

As a Mental Health Clinician, you’ll work directly with students, who present on the day seeking support and assistance or with deteriorating mental health concerns. You will, assess needs, identify appropriate support pathways and connect students with the right support.

This role is ideal for an experienced practitioner who brings strong clinical expertise, excellent judgement, and a genuine commitment to supporting young people and assisting them with their mental health needs and concerns.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing and triaging referrals and concerns from students and staff
• Gathering information, assessing risk, and developing appropriate support plans and referral pathways.
• Connecting students with the right support, from self-help resources through to specialist internal and external services.
• Maintaining accurate case notes, reports, and confidential records while ensuring information is handled appropriately.
• Building strong relationships with university teams and community support providers to ensure students can access the right help.
• Contributing to continuous improvement by identifying trends, barriers, and opportunities to strengthen the service.

This is a full-time, 37.5 hours per week, on a fixed-term contract for 18 months.

Remuneration is $93,201 - $107,500 per annum, depending on skills and experience.

• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent in mental health, social work, nursing, Occupational Therapy or other relevant field - must have valid Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act registration such as NCNZ or Social Worker Registration
• At least four years' experience working with or providing mental health support to students or young people.
• Strong understanding of issues affecting students and young people, with the ability to work confidently with sensitive matters.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, listening, and problem-solving skills.
• Cultural competence and an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implications for professional practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and learning new University systems.

The following would be beneficial:

• Experience working within a tertiary environment and an understanding of student needs.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What we offer

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading university and maintains significant computational, laboratory and analytic facilities. Auckland itself is frequently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities.

The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment through:

• Flexible employment practices
• Up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme
• A competitive salary with five weeks’ annual leave

In addition, we also offer career development programmes, discounted car parking, a generous parental leave allowance, childcare and several other discounts on internal and external services.

We will begin reviewing applications as they come in and may close this advert early if a suitable candidate is found.