Counselling & Therapy Team Leader

will provide accessible leadership and line management to designated members of

the therapy workforce. You will chair team meetings, encourage shared

decision-making and ensure that agreed actions are communicated and progressed.

You will allocate referrals and clinical work

fairly, considering individual need, risk, practitioner competence, capacity

and continuity of care. You will also monitor waiting lists, caseload

distribution and service pressures, taking appropriate action within your

delegated authority and escalating significant or sustained concerns when

necessary.

Supporting and developing others will be an

important part of the role. You will coordinate local induction arrangements,

provide mentoring and practice guidance, contribute to recruitment and

selection, and help identify learning and development needs across the team.

You will also ensure that appraisals, objectives, wellbeing conversations,

attendance processes and development plans are completed in line with

organisational policy.

Overall purpose

To provide

visible, day to day operational and practice leadership for the therapy team,

ensuring that referrals, waiting lists, clinical allocation, team capacity and

safe working are coordinated effectively. The post holder will line manage

designated members of the therapy workforce, support consistent standards of

therapeutic practice and implement the strategic direction set by the Clinical

Lead / Service Manager.

This post leads day to day team delivery and

professional practice within the agreed service model. It does not hold overall

strategic accountability for the service, budget ownership, organisational

governance assurance or final authority for major service redesign. These

remain with the Clinical Lead or Service Manager.

Provide

accessible day to day leadership to counsellors, therapists, trainees and

volunteers within the agreed team structure.

Translate

service priorities, policies and agreed developments into clear operational

arrangements for the therapy team.

Allocate

referrals and clinical work fairly, taking account of need, risk, practitioner

competence, capacity and continuity of care.

Monitor

waiting lists, caseload distribution and team capacity, take proportionate

action within delegated authority and escalate sustained pressures or risks.

Chair

regular therapy team meetings, support shared decision-making and communicate

agreed actions.

Promote

an inclusive, compassionate and psychologically safe team culture.

Line management and workforce

support

Provide

line management to designated paid staff and ensure that objectives,

appraisals, wellbeing conversations, attendance processes and development plans

are completed in line with organisational policy.

Coordinate

the induction and local orientation of new staff, trainees and volunteers.

Contribute

to recruitment and selection processes led or authorised by the Clinical Lead or Service Manager.

Provide

mentoring, guidance and practice support; ensure any distinction between line

management and independent clinical supervision is understood.

Identify

learning needs and arrange team-based skills development within the agreed

training plan and resources.

Escalate

formal employee relations, capability, disciplinary or significant workforce

matters to the Clinical Lead / Service Manager and People team.

Clinical practice and

professional leadership

Undertake

assessments and provide individual or group therapy within the post holders

competence and agreed job plan.

Support

consistent, evidence informed and ethically sound therapeutic practice across

the team.

Offer

consultation on complex allocation, risk and practice issues, while recognising

when advice or decisions are required from the Clinical Lead, safeguarding lead

or another specialist service.

Maintain

professional registration, continuing professional development and clinical

supervision in accordance with the requirements of the relevant professional

body.

Support

accurate, timely and confidential clinical records in line with organisational

policy, professional standards and legal requirements.

equitable access and culturally responsive practice for children, adults,

carers and bereaved family members, according to the service remit.

Safeguarding and risk

Act as

an accessible first point of practice advice for day to day safeguarding and

clinical risk concerns within the therapy team.

Ensure

concerns are identified, recorded, discussed and escalated promptly in

accordance with Trinity policies and local procedures.

Maintain

the required level of safeguarding training and support team compliance with

mandatory training.

The

post holder does not replace the organisations designated safeguarding

leadership or hold sole accountability for high-risk decisions.

Quality, data and service

improvement

Ensure

the team completes agreed outcome measures, activity recording and data

collection accurately and within required timescales.

Review

operational information with the Clinical Lead or Service Manager and highlight

emerging themes, gaps, pressures and risks.

Contribute

practice expertise to audits, evaluation, pathway review and improvement work.

Lead

delegated, time limited improvement projects within agreed scope, resources and

governance arrangements.

Implement

approved changes and provide feedback on their impact on clients, staff and

service delivery.

Partnership working

Work

closely with the Clinical Lead or Service Manager, Clinical Psychologist and

other professional and service leads.

Liaise

with hospice teams, hospitals, primary care, schools, social care, mental

health services and community partners where this supports safe and coordinated

care.

Provide

information, advice and education within the post holders competence and

delegated remit.

Represent

the therapy team at agreed internal and external meetings, reporting back and

escalating matters requiring strategic decision.

Limits of delegated authority

make day to day decisions about referral allocation, caseload coordination,

meeting arrangements and deployment within the agreed service model.

address routine operational issues and agree short term adjustments within

approved policy and resources.

seek approval for changes to service scope, establishment, budget, policy,

strategic partnerships, eligibility criteria or material redesign.

escalate serious incidents, significant safeguarding concerns, unresolved

clinical risk, sustained capacity problems and matters with organisational or

reputational implications.

General responsibilities

Work

in accordance with Trinity policies, values, statutory requirements and

relevant professional codes.

Complete

mandatory training and participate in supervision, appraisal and continuing

professional development.

Protect

the health, safety, dignity and confidentiality of service users, colleagues

and volunteers.

Undertake

reasonable duties consistent with the purpose, level and scope of the role.

This is a rewarding opportunity to influence

the day-to-day quality and responsiveness of our therapy services while

continuing to contribute directly to clinical practice. You will support a

committed multidisciplinary team and help ensure that people accessing our

services receive coordinated, compassionate and professionally sound care.

If you are an approachable and thoughtful

practitioner who can balance clinical work, people leadership and service

coordination, we would be delighted to hear from you.

38 days annual leave (pro rata, inclusive of Bank Holidays) Health and wellbeing support Free on-site parking Professional registration fee reimbursement Pension scheme, with NHS Pension transfer options available Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits

Qualifications

Desirable: - Additional leadership, management, supervision or practice education qualification.

Experience

Knowledge

Desirable: - Understanding of the needs of people affected by life-limiting illness, loss and bereavement.

Skills and Abilities

Values and Personal Approach

Other Requirements