Psychology Jobs

We are excited to be advertising the role of Psychotherapy Service Manager at Respond, to lead our team and the development of our psychotherapy services with autistic people and people with learning disabilities who have experienced trauma and their families.  Many of our clients may have experienced complex or multiple traumatic experiences including sexual violence, domestic abuse and neglect.

The Psychotherapy Service provides predominantly longer-term therapeutic support of a year or more, depending on how the work is funded, to an average of 130 unique individuals per year.  The current team of 10 are made up of 4 senior therapists (reporting to the postholder), 4 therapists and 2 honoraries in training, the majority of whom are Arts therapists and work within a psychodynamic and/or systemic model.

We welcome applications from experienced Psychodynamic Counsellor/Psychotherapists, Arts therapists, Psychologists or Family Therapists who are passionate about our work. You will work psychodynamically, champion our trauma informed approach including our reflective practice model and have the opportunity to influence and shape the development of the psychotherapy service.  Leading the small team, you will provide clinical leadership and be Safeguarding lead, ensuring we continue to provide high quality psychotherapy services.  We are offering the role at 4-5 days per week, working in a hybrid manner flexibly. You can also hold your own small case load of clients, supervisees and/or consultancy work within the role.

This is a unique and specialist role and we recognise that you may have more experience in one clinical area or client group than another, given the breadth of our work and whilst you may be experienced in working psychodynamically as a therapist and as a line manager, you may be newer to leading a service for example. Or you may have a great deal of other experience and understanding of the needs of our clients from other work.  We are flexible to develop the right candidate who is passionate about improving the lives of autistic people, people with learning disabilities and their family members.  

If this sounds like the kind of role that would interest you, we’d really welcome your application. Please also get in touch if you have any questions.

Further information about Respond     

Respond is entering the last year of our three-year strategy, in which we will continue to be focusing on our psychotherapy service, which is a core part of Respond’s offer as a charity for now thirty-four years.   Our mission is to reduce the impact of trauma in the lives of people with learning disabilities and autistic people, by developing trusting relationships, through psychotherapeutically informed services which include advocacy, training and consultation.

An important part of our work at Respond is working in a trauma-informed way. What this means for us is that we hold in mind the impact of trauma at all levels of the organisation, and all staff take part in reflective practice or team dynamics.     

We provide a range of trauma-informed services for children, young people, adults and professionals. These include psychotherapy, advocacy, training and other support services. The work we do is generally long term in recognition of research that clients with autism and learning disabilities who have experienced abuse and trauma take longer to process their trauma and to recover. 

We are keen to encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates including people with lived experience, who are both interested in working in partnership to provide support, as well as supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people who have experienced trauma.    

We are committed to the furthering of human rights, equality, and positive social change through our therapeutic and advocacy work and are committed to anti-racism and other forms of anti-discriminatory practice. We recognise that we need to continually keep this as a focus in our work and as an integral part of our organisational strategy.      

We celebrate diversity as an employer and as a provider of services to people who often experience multiple discriminations because of (but not limited to) being autistic or having a learning disability and experiences of trauma.   

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement in the person specification, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable for this role.  You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles within the organisation. 

Respond Benefits package (all per financial year)

We offer a generous and comprehensive package of flexible benefits to all of our staff.

• Hybrid working model, which means that if you’re full time you make a commitment to be working in the office at least two days a week, with the remainder working from home.  Part time hours are altered accordingly.   

• Generous paid leave benefits including 28.5 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays), with some to be taken between Christmas and New year.

• Up to 4 weeks paid sickness leave at full pay and a further 4 weeks at half pay,

• Discretionary study leave to support training relevant to your role. 

• Paid leave to employees who may need to take one day off a year when a religious festival falls on a workday.

• Up to 5 days paid time off for dependents per financial year.

• Opportunity to apply for up to 2 days (14 hours) paid leave per year to participate in volunteering activities relevant to the role.      

• Access to a workplace pension scheme, administered by NEST, with a minimum 5% employee contribution and 3% employer contribution from commencement of employment. 

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which includes 24/7 telephone service and counselling.     

Note all of the above days per annum stated are pro rata’d for part time employees.    

If you’d like to find out more about this role, please read through the job description and person specification.

When you apply, please send a CV and Supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4. In your supporting statement ensure that you address the key competencies in the person specification.  

Interviews will be in person in London.

DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
12 month Fixed Term Contract to Cover Maternity Leave
Full Time (35 Hours per week)
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Salary £24,500 - £27,000 per annum depending on experience
Based at The Frances Hay Centre, Banbury, Oxfordshire

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development work of Dogs for Good, and is an interesting and varied role, working closely with the Research & Development Manager and members of the training department teams, as well as external collaborators.  The Development Officer supports the inclusion of research and evaluation into the development of all projects as well as current services to enable an evidence-based approach to service delivery and development.  Here the role involves assisting with the evaluation of current services, gathering and analysing data to assess effectiveness, and contributing to the creation of new initiatives.  The Development Officer may also research potential new development opportunities and services, which may involve collaboration with other organisations.

In addition to the research component, the Development Officer can be involved in practical trialling and testing of new ideas, which can mean working hands-on with dogs, volunteers, and clients who have a range of needs.  These projects may be based around any of the services currently offered by Dogs for Good.  The role may also assist in training and supporting staff to deliver new projects, as well as supporting them in applying research findings and evidence-based practice.

Applications will be considered from people who are able to demonstrate research experience including data collection and analysis, as well as experience working with people with varying needs, showing a commitment to a person-centred approach.  Ideally applicants will also have some practical dog training and handling experience and be able to demonstrate knowledge of the field of Assistance Dogs and Animal Assisted Services.  Personally, the successful candidate will be creative, keen to learn and challenge their own thinking, analytical, self-disciplined and have a flexible approach.  They must be a strong team player, demonstrate good people skills, and enjoy a varied role.

The role can be home based, ideally within an hour’s travel to our Banbury centre, and available to attend on average once a week.  The role will also involve regular travel to other project locations.

Accompanying dogs in the charity’s vehicles is part of the job, so a full driving licence is preferred but, where applicable, we will work with the chosen candidate to find alternative solutions where reasonable adjustments are required.

Dogs for Good have a generous contributory pension scheme, death in service benefit and an income protection plan, after a qualifying period.  Employees are entitled to 25 days holiday per year (plus Bank Holidays), which increases with every five years’ service completed up to a maximum of 31 days holiday after 20 years’ service.  Dogs for Good is committed to staff continuing their learning and CPD is regularly reviewed.

If you are interested in the role, please visit the Current Vacancies page on the Dogs for Good website, where full application instructions can be found.

Applications for the vacancy will close at noon on Thursday 31 October 2024.

In person interviews will take place on Monday 11 November 2024.  These will be at our Banbury site and will involve a formal interview and practical elements.

The interview date cannot be altered, so please ensure you are available for interview on this date.