Telephone Counsellor

Are you looking to work for an organisation with a real purpose – one where there is no limit to fresh ideas and discovering what’s next?

Join us at the Retail Trust.

As the industry’s charity, our cause is to create, hope and health and happiness for everyone in retail. Yes, that’s right, everyone. That’s more than three million retail colleagues and their families. And you can help to achieve that mission.

We’re on a journey of transformation, building on what our founders developed nearly 200 years ago and are moving at an astronomical pace. We’re looking for individuals who possess high energy and passion, and are all-in, collaborative and forward-thinking. The opportunity for personal and professional growth is momentous.

If you are interested in working for a dynamic organisation that has been voted as one of The Sunday Times Best Places To Work for three years in a row, we want to hear from you!

£17,860.50 per annum

Part Time, permanent

21 hours per week (days to be confirmed)

Remote working

The team provides wellbeing services to people working in and retired from the retail industry through a confidential, multi-channel helpline. Clients are provided with in-the-moment counselling support, and assessed for ongoing counselling needs, whether short-term or longer-term and referred as appropriate by the Counselling team, overseen by the Counselling Team Leader.

The Telephone Counsellor is responsible for providing supportive counselling via the telephone helpline to clients accessing the wellbeing service, assessing their therapeutic needs and level of associated risk. Where appropriate clients will be referred into a range of short-term therapies including online, face to face, video or telephone counselling depending on their suitability and eligibility for the type of support offered.

• To provide a first point of counselling support from clients accessing the wellbeing service, by means of telephone counselling.
• Effectively risk assess all clients at first contact, which are then updated immediately following any changes, ensuring any changes are acted on according to the content.
• Assess the suitability and eligibility of clients for access to short-term counselling.
• To ensure effective and safe handling of suicidal and other at-risk callers by working within established clinical guidelines.
• To identify appropriate support and provide sigh-posting where short-term counselling is contra-indicated.
• To meet relevant Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in handling calls.
• Ensure full implementation and compliance with Retail Trust policies and procedures.
• Ensure accuracy of for reporting and record keeping using relevant CRM systems, ensuring data input is effective and timely.
• Comply with all legal and regulatory requirements such Data Protection and Health & Safety.
• Comply with all relevant clinical protocols and ethical frameworks in relation to all client engagements.
• Identify agreed treatment plans / goals, keeping the client up to date and using these to guide agreed client treatment options.
• Take action to safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of clients, staff and others.
• Escalate and share issues of concern if a situation is unsafe or presenting a risk. Taking immediate action to address where appropriate.
• Develop constructive professional working relationships with colleagues (internally and externally) and stakeholders.

Service Delivery:

• To act as a client champion by understanding and responding to the needs of clients accessing the wellbeing service.
• To manage an active case load and be available to take calls for a minimum of 50% of working hours, and to be able to take calls identified as high risk when required to support the Wellbeing Operations Manager and Clinical Team Leader in all efforts to promote and market the service/s.
• Ensure the identified Key Performance indicators are met when delivering services to clients through reporting services.

Skills Required

• BACP, BABCP or UKCP registered / accredited
• Experience of telephone-based support within an EAP setting
• Experience of managing client risk and safeguarding
• Experience of brief therapy, single session therapy and assessments.
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to motivate and inspire individuals.
• ·Understanding of Microsoft Office and CRM
• ·Able to use Microsoft Teams

We look after you by providing you with:

• A pension scheme of up to 9% employer contributions.
• Market-leading wellbeing and perks package which includes:
  • Life assurance of four times your salary.
  • A health cash plan, allowing you to claim back on the cost of a number of services such as optical, dental and medical.
  • Access to a confidential free counselling and support phoneline.
  • The day off to celebrate your birthday including a £20 voucher to spend.
  • Enhanced family friendly benefits including up to ten days compassionate leave per year, three months full maternity pay, and two weeks full paternity pay.
  • Additional days of leave for wellbeing, volunteering and personal development.

If you are interested in working for a dynamic organisation that transforms lives for good, we want to hear from you.