NTU SINGAPORE

Senior Counsellor / Counsellor (BEACON)

NTU Main Campus, Singapore Full time

Student wellbeing and support is a top priority and a key foundation for NTU Education 2025. It enables NTU students to thrive and flourish in their educational journey. As a Counsellor in NTU, you will play a crucial role to enable NTU to fulfil its mission for student wellbeing and support. As a team member of the University Counselling Centre, you will provide counselling for undergraduate and graduate students and engage with various internal and external stakeholders to promote a NTU campus community approach to mental health.

BEACON is a satellite counselling service provided by the University Counselling Centre, designed to make professional counselling more accessible and convenient for students. The BEACON Counsellor provides short-term counselling support to students experiencing mild mental health issues, academic stress and interpersonal issues within the assigned colleges and/or schools. This includes provision of clinical services through different modes of counselling, i.e. face-to-face or online, developing strategies, planning and implementing counselling-related programmes, including referrals to relevant agencies. The Senior Counsellor / Counsellor will conduct practice-based research and facilitates outreach, trainings and programmes for the NTU community. A proactive, resourceful and compassionate professional, the BEACON Counsellor works under supervision as part of a collaborative team.

The key responsibilities include:

Counselling assessments and interventions

  • Provide short-term professional counselling services, including conducting risk and need assessments and delivering intervention plans over a variety of modes and approaches such as in person or online, within the assigned colleges and/or schools

  • Facilitate case formulation, including preparation of assessment reports, delivery of case presentations, and referrals to relevant organisations in social services ecosystem

  • Provide guidance to less experienced BEACON counsellors to guide them in challenging cases in alignment with protocol for escalation of emergency cases

  • Escalate and co-lead sensitive crisis cases with more experienced mental health practitioners

  • Provide consultation to staff on concerns they have regarding students at-risk

  • Identify gaps in counselling tools and frameworks for local contexts and propose recommendations for greater cultural contextualisation to supervisors

  • Provide inputs for improvements in counselling programmes and services

  • Document and maintain proper clinical records in accordance with policies and procedures of the University Counselling Centre.

  • Design, develop and/or facilitate wellbeing training initiatives and wellbeing portfolio / project annually

Maintain professional, legal and ethical standards

  • Adhere to professional standards in clinical, legal and ethical practices, ensuring client consent and confidentiality and proper data privacy protocol in counselling

  • Monitor staff adherence to professional standards in clinical, legal and ethical practices and assist in the development of clear data privacy protocol

  • Assist in development of quality improvement projects to improve client care and services

  • Document and maintain proper clinical records in accordance with policies and procedures of the University Counselling Centre.

  • Use data-driven insights to identify gaps and drive improvements to counselling in line with the organisation's strategic direction

  • Demonstrate expertise in counselling, pursuing additional trainings in specialised areas and developing point of view

Community approach to case intervention

  • Work collaboratively with and make recommendations to schools, student service offices, Halls of Residence, Support and Care Team, etc. to facilitate a campus community approach towards managing students with mild to moderate mental health issues

  • Work in inter-disciplinary teams (e.g. Educational/Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist, Counsellor) to provide evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions/treatment to students with mild to moderate mental health issues and/or co-morbid issues (e.g. Special Education Needs and mental health issues)

  • Leads NTU community, i.e. colleges and schools, outreach initiatives

  • Liaise with other professionals (e.g. psychiatrists, doctors) and Social Service Agencies to mobilise community resources to provide care and support for the students

  • Refer and/or recommend external service interventions (e.g. family therapy) as part of the student’s overall treatment plan

Administrative support in University Counselling Centre (UCC)

  • Support the daily operations of UCC, ensuring efficient and effective functioning

  • Engage in data analysis and collation

  • Perform additional duties as assigned by Head, UCC or Director, UWO

The requirements include:

  • Master’s degree in counselling

  • Clinical member and registered counsellor with the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)

  • At least five (5) years of professional counselling experience

  • Proficiency in professional counselling approaches and tools to help clients with diverse issues and conditions

  • Experience in working with young adults, preferably in an educational setting

  • Experience in working in a multi-disciplinary team is advantageous

  • Strong attention to details and commitment to maintaining accuracy in all operational aspects

  • Strong organisational and multitasking skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks and responsibilities

  • Possess professional values that are in line with the Code of Ethics of SAC

  • Possess good interpersonal and communication skills

  • Proficiency in IT skills (e.g. Microsoft 365, use of Apps, appointment booking systems, case management systems)

  • A good team player who is able to work independently

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Hiring Institution: NTU