Post: Senior Counsellor/Psychotherapist
Salary: £56,071 per annum
Grade: FRS F
Salary range: £56,071 – £72,807 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Application closing date: 4 PM on Wednesday 06 May 2026
London Fire Brigade (LFB) is London’s fire and rescue service – one of the largest firefighting and rescue organisations in the world. We are here to make London a safer city. Employing over 5000 people across our operational team (our firefighters), control (our call handlers who answer 999 calls), fire safety and our non-operational team (our team who work behind the scenes to support our front-line services, which includes Fleet, IT, HR, Finance, Procurement, Communications team and many more).
An exciting vacancy has arisen in the LFB for a second Senior Staff Counsellor/Psychotherapist to join our Counselling and Trauma Service on a permanent basis. We provide a comprehensive counselling service covering all areas of work-related and personal issues to the staff of a large emergency service.
Are you a qualified Counsellor or Psychotherapist with accredited or senior accredited status in the BACP or equivalent?
Do you have a qualification and proven experience in delivering clinical supervision?
Do you have experience of managing aspects of an established counselling service?
Do you possess the expertise, skills and enthusiasm to join a well-established team?
You will have the skills to develop effective counselling /supervisory relationships with a wide range of staff/staff counsellors from a variety of cultural backgrounds and possess an understanding of the role of counselling in an organisational setting.
Specialist skills in using CBT, expertise in working with trauma-related issues and experience in management of a counselling service.
Further information about the main duties and responsibilities of the role are detailed in the job description. If you are unable to see the job description, salary range or the full advert, please visit our jobs pages at https://jobs-london-fire-gov-uk.jobsmarket.site/pages/en-gb/jobs to access the full advert.
Please note: Our application system has recently changed.
After you submit your application, you’ll receive an email asking you to confirm your email address. This is a quick security step and is required for your application to be successfully submitted.
Once you’ve confirmed your email address, you’ll receive a confirmation email letting you know we’ve received your application. This email will also include your applicant number for future reference.
If you’ve submitted your application but haven’t received the email acknowledging receipt of your application, please check that you’ve confirmed your email address as soon as possible and before the closing date. Look out for an email from our recruitment system with a confirmation link. If you can’t see it, please check your junk or spam folder and add the sender to your safe senders list.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
hold a minimum Post-Graduate Diploma in Counselling and be currently accredited by the BACP or equivalent organisation.
hold a Diploma in clinical supervision and have substantial experience of providing clinical supervision to staff.
Assessment Overview
Stage 1
To apply, please complete the online application, upload a copy of your up-to-date CV and provide evidence to address the following selection criteria:
1. Substantial post qualification experience of providing workplace trauma-informed counselling.
2. Experience of managing aspects of a busy counselling service.
3. Maintaining information and record systems efficiently and developing improvements.
4. Organisational: be able to prioritise and plan own and other workloads to ensure that targets and service requirements are met and to cope with changing demands.
Please note that we will score the evidence you provide based on the competencies listed in the selection criteria above.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend stage 2.
Please ensure you give yourself enough time to complete and submit your application. Late or un-submitted applications cannot be accepted.
Please note any correspondence received from us will be via e-mail and sent to the address you provide on your application form.
Stage 2
Assessment for this role is due to take place 4th and 5th June 2026. Please be advised that if you are unable to make the scheduled assessment date, we may not be able to make alternative arrangements.
Additional Information
We value the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across London. The London Fire Commissioner is an Equal Opportunities Employer and we positively welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people’s age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.
Benefits of working for the London Fire Brigade
• 26 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Additional leave between Christmas Day and New Year
• Family (including maternity) leave and emergency support leave
• Hybrid working is available, subject to business need.
• Free access to the Brigade gym
• Use of the Brigade’s Medical Adviser/physios/fitness advisers
• Free counselling
• Season ticket loan
• Join social networks including our Equality Support Groups
• Contributory pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff discount scheme including access to Blue Light Card retail and hospitality discounts
• Opportunity to access affordable accommodation
Criminal records check
In line with the Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) employment checks will be completed by successful candidates, which will include a criminal records check. Successful candidate will be required to declare any convictions for offences which are not spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and any offer of employment is subject to the LFC receiving a criminal records disclosure which it considers satisfactory. A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced check will be undertaken on the successful person before an appointment is confirmed.