HOC description | Sevenoaks Counselling

Head of Counselling Job summary:

As the Head of Counselling the post holder will:

Lead and manage a team of part-time self-employed professional therapists who are Christians and a team of volunteer administrative staff.
Act as line manager for Business Support Manager (BSM) and Bookkeeper.
Develop the management arrangements for volunteers in the office alongside the BSM
Lead the service, which seeks to benefit the whole community, in line with Sevenoaks Counselling charitable objectives.
Work flexibly and in accordance with the needs of the service up to 15 hours a week over 4 days.
Be involved in the recruitment of new staff.
Maintain the professional standards of the service.
Represent and promote the service to external agencies, church and civic leaders, and members of the wider community.
Work collaboratively with the Trustees of Sevenoaks Counselling to develop the organisation.

An Occupational Requirement exists for the post-holder to be a Christian in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

The post holder will be expected to consent to an enhanced DBS check.

Main duties and responsibilities:

1. Leadership & Management

To lead and manage a team of approximately 16 self-employed qualified therapists and students who uphold Christian values and beliefs.
To offer professional counselling to clients so as to provide an affordable professional counselling service which seeks to benefit the whole local community in line with Sevenoaks Counselling’s (SC) charitable objectives.
To act as line manager for Business Support Manager and Bookkeeper. HOC Job Description 041025.doc 1

To liaise with the BSM and bookkeeper over management of finances, dealings with counsellors on MAC submissions.
Follow up with clients over nonpayment of fees in liaison with BSM
To lead and manage a small team of administration volunteers.
In conjunction with BSM provide data and other information as required by Trustees to

enable external grant applications to be processed.
To meet annually, as a minimum, with each member of the counselling

team and administration volunteers individually to provide pastoral care and to review and

discuss professional, administration and other issues as appropriate.
To facilitate an informal, “open door” policy for the management of counsellors and

administration volunteers.
To produce an agenda for, and chair bi- monthly therapists’ meetings and bi-monthly team

meetings.
To attend Trustees meetings (usually 5 times a year), having submitted a written update in

advance.
To maintain records, monitoring and evaluation systems as required and provide accurate

up to date management information to the Trustees.
To develop and document new systems together with updating existing policies and

processes as appropriate.
To maintain general awareness of SC’s financial position, seeking to maintain an appropriate

balance between clients able and unable to afford the recommended contribution, and referring any non-routine expenditure proposals to the Treasurer.
2. Clinical

To manage the client waiting list, and refer clients to therapists as appropriate.
To deal appropriately with informal complaints and handle any formal client complaints in

accordance with SC policies and procedures and the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice.
To receive, monitor and pass on to Trustees the end-of-therapy feedback questionnaires and to

be active in improving client satisfaction.
To keep up to date with current external policies and developments in relation to the delivery of

clinical services.
To promote whole team working and positive communication.
To liaise with other services where referrals are inappropriate.

3. Supervision

To ensure that all clinical staff, students and volunteers obtain appropriate, regular clinical supervision and support.
To monitor three way clinical supervision arrangements with external supervisors for team therapists.
To receive, review, and maintain files of supervisors’ annual reports.
To provide an informal, “open door” supervision arrangement with therapists as required.
To attend his or her own personal supervision and provide evidence of this to the Trustees.

4. Training

To maintain his or her own training in accordance with the BACP or UKCP requirements and show evidence of this to the Trustees.
To encourage therapists to maintain their own professional development and monitor their progress.

5. Policy/Service Improvement & Development

To require and encourage a professional standard of work by SC therapists.
To write, review, update and ensure compliance with policies and procedures relating to

therapeutic work and the service, as necessary, including those for safeguarding (in liaison with a

Safeguarding Officer).
Work with trustee safeguarding lead to ensure all safeguarding policies are followed and record

keeping is both current, secure and relevant bodies are contacted as deemed necessary.
Regularly update data held on clients to ensure that it is GDPR compliant.
To introduce and carry through service developments, in liaison with the Trustees and all

therapists and volunteers.

6. Financial, Building and Contents

Together with bookkeeper set up and maintain appropriate procedures for receipt, recording and safe-keeping of fee income from client sessions, courses, donations and other income.
Together with Business Support Manager ensure that both administrative staff and therapists comply with data recording procedures.
To organise or delegate buildings and grounds repairs and maintenance.

7. External Representation

To promote the work of the service in the community – delegating as appropriate – and publicise it at medical centres, counselling agencies, mental health organisations, churches and schools in order to enhance funding.
To represent the service at the annual Open Public Meeting and any other external events as required.
Together with Business Support Manager help to arrange the Open Public Meeting in liaison with the Trustees.
To respond to speaking invitations in churches and elsewhere.
Through mailings invite newly-appointed and existing clergy to visit the service.

8. Recruitment

• Monitor the need for and recruit new therapists and students and manage the interview process in liaison with the Chair of Trustees.