"Counsellor"

Job Description:

Te Whare Hauora o UC | UC Health Centre
Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearahi | New Zealand

• 5 weeks annual leave + 5 days university holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• Generous superannuation provisions (up to 6.75% employer contribution)
• Permanent position (Up to 30 hours per week, 0.8 FTE)

Kia hiwa rā, kia hiwa rā!
He hiahia, he pūkenga nōu ki te mahi a te Counsellor? Nāia te pōwhiri nā Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha kia tono mai i te tūranga nei.

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

Drawing on your counselling experience with diverse clients, you will deliver timely, student-centred counselling services that support student wellbeing and academic success. Working within professional and ethical standards, you will assess presenting concerns, provide brief and solution-focused interventions, and develop appropriate care plans.
You will also manage risk where students may present with complex or urgent needs, maintain accurate clinical records, and consult or refer to other health professionals and specialist services when required.

In addition, you will contribute to the promotion of counselling services across the UC community, support wellbeing initiatives, and assist in the development and delivery of workshops, programmes, or group interventions that enhance student awareness and resilience.

Mōu | Who You Are

You are a qualified and registered counselling professional with experience supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds. You bring a collaborative and culturally responsive approach to practice and are comfortable working in a multidisciplinary environment.

You will also bring:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher in Counselling, or a related discipline
• Current professional registration or membership with a relevant professional body
• Strong clinical documentation skills, including case notes and report writing
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a consultative team environment
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations (e.g., Health and Disability Code, privacy requirements)
• Experience using clinical or medical databases (e.g., Medtech) would be an advantage
• An alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

The Health Centre is a clinic devoted to providing excellent Medical, Counselling and Related Services to the Students and wider community of the University of Canterbury, enhancing the identity and wellbeing of that Community and comprises doctors, nurses, counsellors, health coach services.

For more information about our clinic, please visit us at the UC Health Centre.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued.

UC’s Benefits approach is shaped by Ngā Uara | Our Values Whanaungatanga, Tiakitanga, and Manaakitanga. They are designed to be relevant, support and inspire our people, they include:

• 5 weeks annual leave +5 days university holidays
• UC Parental Leave (up to 9 weeks paid) + 26 weeks Government paid parental leave and onsite childcare facility
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• flexible working arrangements
• professional development and study opportunities
• supportive working environment
• a wide range of retail discounts across shopping, entertainment and travel
• on-campus staff discounts including UC RecCentre
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

Visit us for more information at: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc

For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/

The closing date for this position is: 31 March 2026 (midnight, NZ time)*Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the close date.*

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency to be considered for this role.