Counselling Service Manager

Contract: 16-20 hours per week - to include full working days on Thursday and Friday

Salary: £40,000 FTE pa (pro rata dependent on hours worked)

Reports to: Counselling Service Clinical Lead

Location: Home working – one day per quarter at Petals Office, Cambridgeshire.

Petals is the leading UK charity providing specialist counselling for parents experiencing trauma and grief following baby loss. Our mission is to ensure that every parent affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, or neonatal loss receives compassionate, high-quality psychological support at the time they need it most.

We work in close partnership with NHS Trusts, healthcare professionals and bereaved families to deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed counselling that is safe, timely and rooted in best practice.

As one of our Counselling Service Managers you will work within a small team of Counselling Managers. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring bereaved parents receive safe, compassionate and high-quality counselling throughout their time with Petals. Positioned at the heart of our counselling service, the role provides clinical leadership, oversight and coordination across our network of counsellors, ensuring consistent delivery of the Petals Counselling Model.

You will be responsible for supporting counsellors to work ethically and effectively with complex client presentations, including safeguarding and risk management, while fostering reflective practice and professional development. Through strong service oversight and collaboration with the Clinical Lead, Triage Counselling Managers and operations team, your work will help maintain the clinical integrity of the Petals model and support the safe, sustainable growth of the counselling service.

We are looking for an experienced, thoughtful and clinically confident counsellor who is able to hold complexity with warmth and professionalism. You will be highly organised, calm under pressure and comfortable working across a varied and fast-moving caseload.

You will understand the importance of accuracy, confidentiality and reflective practice when working with highly sensitive information and will bring a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to every interaction. Strong communication skills, sound clinical judgement and the ability to prioritise effectively are essential.

This is a role for someone who takes pride in supporting both parents and colleagues, enjoys working within clear clinical frameworks and wants to make a meaningful contribution to a charity delivering specialist care at one of the most difficult times in people’s lives.

You’ll be joining a small, ambitious and supportive team where your expertise will be valued and your voice heard. You will work closely with the Clinical Lead, Head of Partnerships and Operation, Counsellors and the wider Counselling Operations Team, and you will see the direct impact of your work on parents and families across the UK.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

• Lead online counsellor case management sessions, ensuring safe, ethical, and effective practice across the counselling team.
• Support counsellors with complex cases, including risk management, safeguarding, and reflective clinical practice.
• Contribute to triage delivery as required, including covering for the Triage Counselling Manager during periods of leave.

• Oversee delivery of Petals’ counselling service across the subcontracted counsellor network, ensuring consistent, high-quality provision.
• Monitor performance against agreed KPIs, addressing any concerns proactively and constructively.
• Provide guidance and oversight to ensure counsellors meet contractual, professional, and clinical framework requirements.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with counsellors through clear communication and responsive service management.
• Attend monthly meetings with the Clinical Lead and the monthly…