Mental Health Adviser

Salary : 35608 to 37694 with progression to 46049 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date : 29 September 2025

The Role

The Wellbeing Consultancy team acts as an initial point of contact for students parents academics and other stakeholders to disclose welfare or safety concerns about any Newcastle University student. The team offers responsive support and signposting for students experiencing high distress and mental health concern as well as guidance and consultancy to university colleagues.

This vital role would suit a candidate with experience of working in dynamic and fast-paced settings with a passion for working in Higher Education. Experience of working in mental health or safeguarding with high distress and complex presentations is essential.

The workload model is split between duty working where the work is to assess and manage risk and complex mental health presentations - and short-term follow ups. The role is student-facing requiring proactive engagement via in-person support telephone calls and online meetings.

You will work closely as part of a duty team supporting colleagues and sharing responsibility for promoting student welfare responding to concerns and ensuring a safe and supportive environment. A strong team ethos and commitment to working together are essential.

The role is campus based. There may be some flexible hybrid working dependent on service need. The fixed working hours are Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Confident employer which means that we offer an interview to any applicant applying under the scheme that meets the essential criteria for a role.

Applications must be submitted by Monday 29th September.

To apply please submit a CV and cover letter outlining how you meet the criteria in The Person.

Interviews to be held on Thursday 9th and Monday 13th October.

Please contact Welfare and Counselling Service Manager Kirsty Hutchinson on with any questions or for an informal discussion about the role.

We have both full and part time opportunities available.

• Key Accountabilities

To act as a central point of contact for students with varied complex and sensitive mental health and wellbeing difficulties or vulnerabilities :

o discuss support requirements

o provide advice guidance and information on relevant internal and external services

o provide assessment and short-term support to students experiencing a range of welfare concerns including safety planning

o refer to other agencies as appropriate

o manage risk appropriately initiating safeguarding processes where necessary

Presenting concerns may include; complex mental health high distress and crisis housing and welfare police and crime matters (where students may be the alleged reporter or responder) such as allegations of assault discrimination and sexual violence etc

To offer proactive appointments to students to discuss relevant support requirements and to facilitate any ensuing communication and liaison with academic schools and other University departments

To manage safeguarding student crisis and follow up Out of Hours incidents. This may include but is not exclusive to missing students hospitalisations students being at risk to themselves or others etc

To act as a consultant and trainer to university staff to provide support and clinical reasoning working together to support students with a range of mental health and wellbeing vulnerabilities

To work in a multi-disciplinary team fashion liaising with both external bodies and internal colleagues to assist in providing adequate support for students

To undertake regular training and CPD keeping up to date with changes in legislation Government policy research etc. and act as an information resource to the University on matters relating to emotional and psychological difficulties and mental health

To maintain memberships and accreditations under appropriate national bodies and relevant accreditations

To participate in promotion of SHWS activity open days receptions Welcome Week which from time to time may require working out-of-hours i.e. evenings and weekends (only very occasional)

To complete and maintain the electronic notes adhering to the Service policy and data protection requirements

The Person

Knowledge Skills and Experience

Knowledge and understanding of the implications of a range of mental health difficulties on individuals and potential impact on the University experience

Strong experience of crisis management safeguarding and coping with sometimes life-threatening situations

A highly flexible working style duty-style working

Excellent communication advice and guidance skills

Ability to exercise initiative and judgement in relation to decision making

Ability to manage time and resources effectively by prioritising and organising a high volume complex and varied workload

Evidence of experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team

Evidence of commitment to principles of equal opportunities and diversity

Competent IT skills : Word Excel Email Internet Databases

Attributes and Behaviour

Takes the initiative to ensure future success of the University and area by presenting new ideas and approaches

Recognises urgency and takes decisive action when required

Accepts the reality and requirements of change as part of achieving organisational goals

Anticipates change and prepares for it. Accepts change and runs with it

Establishes effective time management and workload systems planning tasks in a systematic way in conjunction with team and area objectives

Confidently deals with and considers large amounts of complex information quickly and identifies key issues

Qualifications

A relevant professional qualification such as Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker and substantial demonstrable expertise in mental health

Desirable

Qualifications in or experience of working in a safeguarding or crisis management role

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silverAthena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID : 28534

#LI-SS1

Required Experience :

Unclear Seniority

Key Skills

Facilities Management,Copy Editing,Cloud Services,Electronics,Interpretation,Accident Investigation

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1

Monthly Salary Salary : 35608 - 37694