Apply Now
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
About Us
MI6 and GCHQ are part of the UKs Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard UK’s people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism and organised crime. Working across our vital missions, youll deliver impact at the heart of national security, all within a supportive and inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.
Job description
The Role
As a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist (Wellbeing), youll work with a number of functions in National Security Government Departments, supporting people who operate in complex, risk-based roles. Providing expert advice and consultations regarding vulnerability, resilience, and risk, this will be highly rewarding and challenging multi-disciplinary work in a fast-paced environment.
Youll provide direct and indirect clinical assessment of individuals, including collaborative health surveillance and impact monitoring, offer consultations to corporate teams on staff wellbeing issues, and work with business partners on the psychological aspects of individual security and wellbeing, including complex casework. Developing, delivering, and evaluating psychologically informed training sessions, and providing psychological assessment in support of the selection and review of highly sensitive or demanding roles, youll participate in small scale research and audit projects to inform and develop best practice approaches.
Youll have a number of additional responsibilities, including engaging with the wider behavioural science community and other government departments to facilitate innovation and the sharing of ideas and skills, and participating in regular peer supervision and ethical practice reflection. Well expect you to engage in continuing professional development to meet Health & Care Professions Council and local requirements, and deliver specialist, evidence-based trauma therapy and post-incident reflection/support interventions. Youll also offer reflective practice to colleagues responsible for managing high-risk roles and attend UK and international conferences relevant to your area of expertise.
Person specification
About You
Youll have a Masters or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent, conferring eligibility for chartership with BPS) and be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council. Its also essential that you possess significant experience of working at NHS Band 7 (or its equivalent) as a Clinical Psychologist.
Skilled at interpreting a range of information from clinical interviews and psychometry, and producing accessible formulation-driven reports, youll be comfortable working autonomously on clinical risk assessments and decision making. Ready to network and work with a wide range of multi-disciplinary colleagues, well also expect you to be open to learning and innovation and to taking on new challenges.
Please do not deselect yourself if you feel you dont have any direct experience of working in Government, Intelligence, or Security. If youre an accomplished Clinical, Forensic or Counselling Psychologist with strong formulation, risk assessment, and interpersonal skills, were keen to receive your application.
Benefits
Training and Development
Were proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment, which is designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, were committed to helping you fulfil your potential.
We offer a wide range of in-house and external opportunities for personal and professional development, and we also actively support training and development in specialist skills related to your role.
Rewards and Benefits
Youll receive a starting salary of £48,104-£58,576 plus other benefits including:
25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
Interest-free season ticket loan
Excellent pension scheme
Cycle to work scheme
Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
Paid parental and adoption leave
Equal Opportunities
At MI6 and GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:
https://www.sis.gov.uk/about-us.html
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html
Were Disability Confident
MI6 and GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWPs Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our Offer of Interview (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:
Passing the eligibility stage
Meeting essential criteria for the role at the application form stage*
*Please see role description to see essential criteria
Things you need to know
Selection process details
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
Initially, we will ask you to complete our pre-screening questions to find out if you meet our initial criteria. If you meet these criteria we will then ask you to begin an application.
You will need to create a login and provide your full name, email address and memorable password. Once you have successfully created a personal account, you will be required to complete a registration form, providing contact details and equal opportunities mentoring information.
You will then be invited to upload your CV and complete an online application form.
If you pass the sift, you may be required to attend a telephone interview which should last approximately 30 minutes and will check that you have the potential skills and motivation to work for us.
Successful applicants will then be invited to a final interview, which will include competency based questions, a role-play and further exploration of your motivation to work for the security agencies.
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 – 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.
Before You Apply
To work at MI6 or GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here:
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/how-to-apply.html
https://www.sis.gov.uk/apply-now.html
This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). Its something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here:
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/how-to-apply.html
https://www.sis.gov.uk/apply-now.html
Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you cant take any recreational drugs and youll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.
Youll need to live within a commutable distance of the location you apply for. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.
Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.
Right to Withdraw Statement:
Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Recruitment Team
- Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk
