Senior Counsellor (Star Shelter)

The Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) was established in 1980 as the national coordinating body of women’s organisations in Singapore. SCWO has more than 60-member organisations, which represent over 600,000 women, and it serves to unite them to work toward ideals of ‘Equal Space, Equal Voice and Equal Worth’ for women in Singapore. 

The Star Shelter is a service by the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO). It provides temporary refuge for women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Through trauma-informed and survivor-centred care, the Shelter offers holistic support, including safe accommodation, counselling, case management, financial assistance, and educational and recreational programmes to help clients heal from abuse and rebuild their lives free from violence.

Star Shelter is seeking an experienced and compassionate Senior Counsellor to provide clinical leadership while supporting the strategic development and daily operations of the Shelter.

The Senior Counsellor will lead the delivery of high-quality counselling and case management services for survivors of domestic violence, while providing clinical supervision, mentoring and guidance to the counselling team. Working closely with the Deputy CEO, the Senior Counsellor will contribute to service planning, programme development, quality assurance and stakeholder engagement to strengthen the Shelter's impact and ensure excellence in service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Practice

·      Provide professional counselling, psychosocial assessments, case management, crisis intervention and group work for women and children residing at the Shelter.

·      Develop, implement and review intervention and treatment plans based on clients' needs and therapeutic goals.

·      Monitor and evaluate case progress to ensure effective outcomes and continuity of care.

·      Maintain accurate, timely and confidential client documentation, including assessment reports, progress notes and statutory records, in accordance with organizational and regulatory requirements.

Clinical Leadership and Supervision

·      Provide clinical supervision, consultation and mentorship to counsellors and other frontline staff.

·      Guide staff in complex case management, risk assessment and intervention planning.

·      Promote trauma-informed, survivor-centred and evidence-based practices across the Shelter.

·      Support continuous professional development through coaching, reflective practice and knowledge sharing.

Operations and Service Excellence

·      Assist the Deputy CEO in the strategic planning, administration and continuous development of Star Shelter.

·       Support the day-to-day operations of the Shelter and provide leadership to ensure high-quality, client-centred service delivery.

·       Review and strengthen policies, standard operating procedures and service protocols to ensure quality assurance, compliance and continuous improvement.

·      Monitor service outcomes and contribute to programme evaluation and reporting.

Partnerships, Outreach and Advocacy

·      Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with government agencies, community organisations, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to support clients' recovery and reintegration.

·      Design and facilitate talks, workshops, training programmes and capacity-building initiatives for professionals, volunteers and community partners.

·      Represent SCWO-Star Shelter in outreach, networking and advocacy efforts to raise awareness of domestic violence and available support services.

Research and Programme Development

·      Co-lead or contribute to research, service evaluation and data collection initiatives to strengthen evidence-based practice.

·      Identify emerging needs and recommend enhancements to programmes and service delivery.

·      Support the planning, implementation and evaluation of new initiatives that improve outcomes for survivors of domestic violence.

Other Responsibilities

·      Support organisational initiatives and undertake other duties as assigned by SCWO.

Job Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Counselling or equivalent recognised qualification.

• Minimum 5 years of relevant counselling experience within the social service sector.

• Experience working with survivors of domestic violence, trauma, family violence or other complex psychosocial issues is highly preferred.

•  Prior experience providing clinical supervision or leading counselling teams will be an advantage.

•  Good understanding of Singapore's social service ecosystem and community resources.

• Singaporean and PR only.

Technical Competencies:

·      Strong clinical counselling, psychosocial assessment and case management skills.

·      Demonstrated ability to supervise, coach and develop counselling professionals.

·      Strong leadership and team management capabilities.

·      Excellent communication, facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.

·      Strong analytical, organisational and strategic thinking skills.

·      Effectively bilingual with excellent spoken and written English.

·      Proficient in documentation, report writing and case management systems.

Core Competencies:

·      Demonstrates empathy, professionalism and sound clinical judgement.

·      Builds trusting therapeutic relationships with clients while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

·      Leads with integrity and fosters a collaborative, supportive and high-performing team culture.

·      Ability to manage complex cases and make informed decisions in crisis situations.

·      Strong partnership-building, networking and stakeholder management skills.

·      Committed to trauma-informed, survivor-centred practice and continuous service improvement.

·      Passionate about advancing the safety, recovery and empowerment of women and children affected by domestic violence.