Kaiwhakamahereora | Counsellor (Piki Programme)

• Have you got experience in psychology, psychotherapy, social work, or counselling?

• Can you support people from a range of backgrounds and cultures, particularly young adults?

• Do you have a degree or postgraduate qualification in a mental health- or counselling-related discipline?

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a qualified and experienced Counsellor, Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Psychotherapist, or Mental Health Nurse to join our passionate and motivated team on a permanent, full-time basis.

You will have a strong passion for working with young adults. If you are interested, read on.

Mauri Ora - Student Health and Counselling at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is seeking an experienced mental health clinician to join our team. This exciting opportunity is to be part of our Counselling Team, which provides short-term counselling or therapeutic support to university students aged 18 to 25 as part of the Piki Programme.

Counsellors support students’ wellbeing and academic success through short-term counselling or therapy. The Student Counselling Service works in a holistic and collaborative manner with our medical and nursing team and other student services, including Disability Services, Student Learning, Wellington International, and Student Interest and Conflict Resolution.

We are a collegial team from a variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. We cultivate regular professional and social connections to foster a supportive and warm atmosphere. We offer a competitive salary, and our team benefits include:

• 5 professional development days and individual professional development budget (FTE pro rata).
• In-house professional development sessions on cultural and clinical topics.
• Fortnightly external clinical supervision (FTE pro rata) & fortnightly in-house peer supervision.    
• Professional indemnity insurance and annual registration (FTE pro rata).

Ō pūmanawa - About you

You must have the following:  

• Be a fully registered member of a relevant professional board or organisation in New Zealand regulated by the Health Practitioners Competency Act (2003) or Social Workers Registration Act (2003) and hold a current practising certificate. For NZAC registered counsellors, Te Whatu Ora accreditation is a requirement for this role.
• University degree or postgraduate qualification in a mental health- or counselling-related discipline.
• Proven/demonstrated experience in psychology, psychotherapy, social work, or counselling, and supporting people from a range of backgrounds and cultures, particularly young adults.
• Experience in providing holistic mental health assessments and delivering a range of solution-focused, short-term models of counselling or therapy.
• Experience in mental health crisis management and intervention.
• Proven understanding of issues relating to late adolescence and early adulthood. 
• Experience and interest in working in a culturally safe way with Māori and Pasifika students and applying cultural models of wellbeing.
• Proven ability to counsel using an approach that is non-judgemental, flexible, empathic, and sensitive to cultural and religious differences, gender, and sexual orientation.
• Familiarity with client record software and Microsoft Suite.
• Ability to work in a flexible manner across different campus locations.

Desirable:

• Understanding of the Pastoral Care Code and responsibilities. 
• Knowledge and experience in the university/tertiary education sector.
• Experience in the provision of consultation and mental health promotion/preventative services.
• Knowledge of the support and developmental needs of university students and of equity issues. 

Role Description: Click here to see further information, including salary details. 

If this link is not available, click 'apply' to view this on the University careers page. 

Close date for vacancy: 18 October 2026.

Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role, please get in touch with Emma Brown ([email protected]).

How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. Candidates must submit supporting documents along with their resume, such as a cover letter.

We can only consider applicants who are citizens or residents of New Zealand or Australia, or who hold a current working visa. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we may progress with suitable applicants before the application closing date. Applications from recruitment agencies are not accepted.