Robert Gordon University (RGU) – Aberdeen’s university of choice for thousands of staff and students - has a well-established reputation as an innovative and modern workplace, with multiple awards and recognition of our courses and Schools. Our mission is to transform lives and communities, celebrating the values of collaboration, ambition, and respectfulness.
RGU is on a bold journey to become the UK’s leading work-integrated university by 2030. We are committed to delivering a flexible, future-focused curriculum that attracts students, employers, and industry partners, and to providing an exceptional student experience that enhances individual growth, skills development and employability.
At the heart of this vision is the Student Life Directorate; a vibrant, student-centred team dedicated to supporting every student’s journey through and beyond their time at RGU. Student Life at RGU is about more than support; we are focused on empowering students to thrive academically, personally, and professionally and developing them into highly employable graduates. We foster a welcoming, inclusive environment where students are encouraged to develop their skills, embrace new opportunities, and prepare for successful, fulfilling futures.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced mental health or inclusion professional to support students with complex needs and play a key role in promoting wellbeing and safeguarding across the University. You will manage complex student cases, lead on risk assessment and urgent referrals, provide expert advice to colleagues, and work closely with external agencies to ensure students receive appropriate support.
You will hold a relevant professional qualification and have significant experience supporting individuals experiencing mental health difficulties, distress or crisis. You will have strong risk assessment and case management skills, experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, and the ability to lead and support staff while delivering compassionate, student-centred support.
In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week, but you must be in a position to deliver teaching on campus to meet the requirements of the course. You also will benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave, onsite nursery, sports centre as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.
We are committed to attracting and engaging a diverse range of staff and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome, comfortable to express their ideas, and can reach their full potential. For more information, please visit Our Diverse Workforce pages.
JOB DESCRIPTION
RESPONSIBLE TO: Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Inclusion Mentors
PURPOSE OF POST: It is recognised that some students must navigate university life whilst managing disabilities or challenges to their physical or mental health and, at times, some students experience extremes of stress and distress that impact on their studies and overall university experience.
The Student Complex Case Manager/Mental Health Adviser will provide a coordinated professional approach to the provision of support for students with moderate to severe difficulties and complex needs. They will be responsible for assessing and managing risk for students with complex needs, including those with mental health conditions. They will coordinate the support that is needed for individual students, including with other university staff and external agencies as part of a Team Around A Student approach. The Mental Health and Complex Case Manager will also be responsible for managing a team of Inclusion Mentors who support students with mental health conditions, and those who are neurodivergent (e.g. have ADHD or autism).
PRINCIPAL DUTIES:
- To manage a caseload of students who present with complex support needs. This will include students with mental health conditions, those who are neurodivergent, and those who are experiencing extremes of stress and distress.
- To risk assess new and ongoing student cases, operating within university policies and frameworks for dynamic risk assessment. To advise senior management about emerging and ongoing risks and propose or take actions to mitigate risk and safeguard students and the wider community.
- To manage the university’s urgent referrals process, overseeing the receipt, triage and allocation of urgent referrals received from staff across the university who are concerned about a student and/or require advice regarding student mental health or complex concerns.
- To provide high quality advice to senior staff and colleagues on complex student cases and recommended actions, ensuring the university remains compliant with statutory requirements e.g. Equality Act 2010 and sector guidance.
- To be a key point of contact with statutory agencies involved in the provision of support to students, including NHS, Police and Social Work. To provide initial contact and ongoing engagement with student’s trusted/emergency contacts, in line with university procedures.
- To support the Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager and the Head of Student Support and Safeguarding in responding to serious student incidents, or the death of a student, in accordance with university policy and protocols.
- To participate in and provide professional advice to Fitness to Study, Fitness to Practice and non-academic misconduct panels.
- To line manage and provide day to day support and guidance to a team of Inclusion Mentors who provide 1-1 ongoing support to students with disabilities, participating those with mental health conditions or who are neurodiverse.
- To participate in weekly Student Life Risk Management Review Group meetings and provide advice on individual student cases.
- To be part of the Student Life management team duty rota and to participate on the Out of Hours duty rota (note: the Out of Hours rota attracts an additional on call payment).
- To support the Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager and the Head of Student Support and Safeguarding to develop and review policies, procedures and guidance to assist colleagues who provide support to students.
- To support the Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager and the Head of Student Support and Safeguarding to develop and deliver training to academic and professional services staff on student support and the university’s Team Around A Student approach.
- To pay regard to and maintain a sound knowledge of statutory requirements e.g. Equality Act 2010 and recognised sector guidance and best practice in the field of student support
- To deputise for the Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager as necessary
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications and Professional Memberships
- Degree in relevant discipline or equivalent professional experience.
- Professional qualification in a related field e.g. Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Occupational Therapy.
Knowledge
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the management of complex disabilities, including mental health conditions and neurodiversity.
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of risk management and mitigation.
- Demonstrable understanding of mental health conditions facing a typical university student population.
- Sound knowledge of legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and student support frameworks and guidance.
Experience
- Significant experience of assessing and taking action to mitigate risk, including experience of decision making regarding people with serious mental health conditions to keep them or third parties safe.
- Significant experience of supporting people who are in mental health crisis/are suicidal.
- Significant experience of developing support plans with clients.
- Demonstrable experience of working in partnership to provide support to people experiencing mental health challenges or significant distress, including with colleagues at different levels of seniority, and external and statutory agencies.
- Experience of building excellent relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- Experience of line managing teams of people involved in the provision of clinical or professional support to individuals.
- Experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds with complex needs.
- Experience of managing difficult conversations with compassion.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure and to prioritise effectively, maintaining clear professional boundaries at all times.
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge
- Understanding of university structures and the difference between those within the NHS or within private practice.
Experience
- Experience of operating as a mental health/inclusion lead in a university or educational setting.
- Specialist training or significant professional experience in working with clients with Severe Mental Illnesses e.g. eating disorders, extreme generalised anxiety disorder, OCD, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and suicidality.
- Experience of making recommendations for reasonable adjustments in a university or educational setting.
Behaviour 1: Pastoral Care and Welfare - Experience of calming and reassuring those with work/study related problems who may be experiencing distress, dealing with difficult welfare
Behaviour 2: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner
Behaviour 3: Team Development - Experience of providing advice or guidance to new starts, delivering training or instruction to others on specific tasks or activities and identifying the training and development needs of the team and carrying out performance appraisals
Behaviour 4: Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards
Behaviour 5: Team Work and Motivation - Experience of being a team leader, agreeing clear team objectives and organising and delegating tasks according to individual abilities
Behaviour 6: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information
