Lead consultant jobs in Bishops stortford, hertfordshire

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. We’re determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. We support and fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.

We currently have employees working across four nations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’re in a privileged position to be able to deliver our ambitious new strategy, On a Mission. There are huge challenges facing bowel cancer patients across the UK and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re building a strong and united team to bring us closer to a world where nobody dies of bowel cancer.

Job Summary

As the Senior Public Affairs and Campaigns Officer, and with the support of the Senior Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager you will be responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of public affairs and campaigns activity in order to achieve real change through influencing policy and legislation on health services which impact the lives of people affected by bowel cancer in England, with a particular focus on Westminster.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and at Bowel Cancer UK we are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Successful candidates may be subject to either a satisfactory basic, standard or enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dependent upon the role.

We are recruiting a Sessional Counsellor to join the Children and Young People’s (CYP) Community Counselling service.

Do you want to support children and young people (CYP) with mental health concerns? Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

Can you demonstrate our values of Hope, Together, Courage and Responsive and want to be part of our vision to ensure everyone in Hertfordshire will feel supported with their mental health?

If the answer to all of these is yes, we want to hear from you.

Job title: Sessional Counsellor (CYP)  
Reference Number: 329
Reports to: CYP Senior Counsellor
Salary: £30 per clinical hour
Contract: Freelance / Contractor (Dependent on the schedule of services agreed)
Work Pattern: Variable - to be agreed based on the schedule of service being delivered by the Sessional Counsellor. Work will be completed within the service operational hours of: 7:30am-10:30pm (7 Days a Week, excluding bank holidays). 
Based: Counselling will be delivered from varied venues across Herts county (e.g. HMN wellbeing centres, community venues, schools). Some remote work from home is permitted and to be agreed with your line manager.

About the Project

The Children and Young People’s (CYP) Community Counselling service is a new Herts Mind Network service, whose aim is to provide accessible, timely and high quality countywide counselling to local children and young people. Our CYP Community Counselling Service will deliver a blend of face-to-face, online, 1:1 and group counselling to enable young people to obtain impactful therapeutic support for the mental health difficulties they are facing, in a way that suits them.

The objectives of the CYP Community Counselling Service are:

• To support the emotional wellbeing of children and young people experiencing mental health issues in Hertfordshire.
• To provide high quality counselling, both face-to-face and online that is tailored to the child or young person and incorporates all facets of their life.
• To promote early intervention and prevention through an accessible and flexible counselling service that champions the strengths and self-resilience of children and young people.
• To work actively, inclusively and collaboratively with local children, young people and their families.
• To be a key partner of the Hertfordshire CYP MHS system, offering and increasing access to community-based help regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing.

About the Role

The CYP Sessional Counsellor post is integral to the delivery of this new community-based clinical service, delivering needs-led, robust and flexible counselling to local CYPF. The postholder will work clinically within the service, delivering group and/or 1:1 counselling either in-person or online. The CYP Sessional Counsellor will deliver a minimum of one therapeutic group or 3 x 1:1 counselling sessions per week. The clinical work of the postholder may take place in varied formats/locations, meeting the needs, requirements and preferences of CYPF accessing the service. The postholder will keep timely, detailed and accurate records, following organisational processes diligently. They will also ensure any concerns regarding CYPF accessing the service are escalated and managed efficiently, keeping the CYPF at the centre of their decision making.

The successful candidate will have a Level 4 qualification diploma or above in counselling, psychotherapy or arts/play therapy AND current registered/accredited/full/qualified membership of one of the following relevant professional bodies (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BAAT etc.), competency in working within a recognized theoretical framework or therapeutic modality and a minimum of 1-2 years experience working in a therapeutic or counselling capacity with children, young people and/or families.

Closing date: Ongoing. Please complete and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment
Interviews will take place on a rolling basis, on a first come first served basis.
N.B. Please quote reference number 329 when completing your application for this role. 

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.  ​

• Directorate: Innovation, Policy & Systems Change
• Reporting into: Associate Director of Research, Learning and Systems Change
• Colleagues reporting into role: No direct reports at present. However, coaching and managing of volunteers and/or consultants is expected. 
• Location: You can be home-based anywhere in the UK, with travel for meetings. You can also choose to work from our Bristol or London offices.
• Closing date: Monday 8 June at 12 midday
• Interview dates: Monday 15 June and Tuesday 16 June (please tell us in your application if you cannot attend interview on one of these days)

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.

We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise well-being. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.

About the role

We’re looking for a Head of Research & Evidence to join our ambitious Research, Learning & Systems Change Team. 

Young Lives vs Cancer has a strong and growing commitment to changing the system for children and young people with cancer, and their loved ones. Our North Star vision and Time is Now Strategy focus on influencing how the wider system works – from services and policy to practice on the ground – so that families get the support they need.

The Head of Research and Evidence sits in the Research, Learning & Systems Change team, within our Innovation, Policy & Systems Change Directorate. The role is responsible for ensuring our work is grounded in strong, credible and useful evidence, and that learning is actively used to shape decisions, practice and change across the system.

This is a leadership role within a small but ambitious team. You will set direction and provide thought leadership, but you will also be hands on – designing, commissioning, managing and using research alongside colleagues and partners.

Building trusted relationships and using evidence to influence thinking and action are central. You will work with colleagues, children and young people, families, and partner organisations (such as the North Star Cancer Collective) to learn, strengthen credibility and create change.

This role is subject to a Criminal Record Check. In the event of a successful application, a Basic Criminal Record Check will be completed. A previous conviction is not necessarily a barrier to employment. We encourage qualified applicants to apply, and we will consider each case individually.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. You’ll work as part of a strong internal team, collaborating closely with colleagues across the organisation and with key external partners to generate, use and apply evidence that supports learning, influence and system change. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description and pack:

• You’ll be setting the direction for research and learning, leading a clear and purposeful research programme focused on the psychosocial experiences of children and young people with cancer. You’ll ensure research is high‑quality, ethical and impactful, including commissioning work with partners and contributing to research funding bids.

• You’ll be understanding needs and experiences to grow a strong, credible evidence base, building and using robust evidence on need, inequality, impact and progress to inform strategy, services, policy and system change. You’ll ensure children, young people and families meaningfully shape research and that insight is shared in clear, practical ways.

• You’ll be providing system insight and leadership, analysing how the system works, identifying trends and pressures, and using evidence to guide where change is most needed. You’ll build trusted relationships across the voluntary sector, NHS and research community, sharing learning and strengthening our credibility and influence.

• You’ll be turning learning into action and influence, helping teams apply research to real‑world practice and supporting testing, learning and improvement over time. You’ll put feedback and learning loops in place and assess how research‑informed change is affecting practice and outcomes.

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skill sets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Experience leading and delivering research, including setting direction, choosing methods, commissioning or carrying out research, analysing data, and ensuring high quality and ethical practice.

• Strong research and analytical skills, with confidence working with both qualitative and quantitative data and evidence, and turning insight into practical action.

• Experience using evidence to support change, such as shaping strategy, influencing policy, improving services or supporting system change.

• Experience working across organisations, building trusted relationships with colleagues, partners, and where appropriate, children, young people and families.

• Ability to communicate complex research clearly and accessibly to different audiences, in writing and in conversation.

• A collaborative way of working, with strong people skills, curiosity and a learning mindset, and a clear commitment to equity, inclusion and anti‑oppressive practice.

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Well-being, Thinking & Growth Days: four days a year to to step back from the day-to-day and focus on your own learning and development
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

To hear more about this role, please sign up to one of our informal drop in sessions taking place at 12:30pm on Tuesday 26th May and 17:30pm on Monday 01st June.

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