Student Life and Wellbeing (SLaW) is part of the Library, Learning, Archives and Wellbeing Directorate at the University of York and works to enhance all aspects of student life and experience at the University. SLAW delivers a wide range of proactive and responsive services for students to navigate the challenges and maximise the opportunities that the University provides them with. Expert and experienced help to thrive is available to all students, regardless of their background, previous experience or form of and level of study.
SLAW has recently undergone a thorough review of our wellbeing and community services which you can read about on this page. This has led to the expansion of the wellbeing teams that are overseen by the role and a greater emphasis on providing local and familiar support to students.
The Open Door Team is made up of registered/accredited mental health professionals who provide brief psychological interventions, case management and duty practitioner work for students experiencing emotional, psychological and mental health difficulties including risk management while they are registered with the university.
The Wellbeing team provides support and information for students who experience everyday difficulties and need non clinical support. The wellbeing work is based in academic departments and in colleges on both campus sites. The Open Door and Wellbeing Teams work together to provide a network of support across the university and work in collaboration with other areas of support and expertise as well as university processes e.g Support to Study.
The Head of Student Mental Health and Wellbeing leads our multidisciplinary Open Door service and Student Wellbeing team. In the role you will be leading on mental health and wellbeing matters for Student Life and Wellbeing and the wider university, as a recognised source of sector and subject expertise.
You will act as the ‘clinical lead’ for the team, providing advice and guidance to others from a specialist professional perspective or through delegation. This may include advising the senior management team of the university, liaising with internal and external departments and working collaboratively with university colleagues for the benefit of current and future students.
In doing this, you will be responsible for managing the mental health and wellbeing management team, ensuring timely and appropriate access to the services so that students have the opportunity to learn to manage their own health and wellbeing.
You will work with others in the section to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the interventions offered to students including the monitoring of risk management interventions via the ‘Duty Practitioner’ role. Taking into account feedback and broader developments in Higher Education and ensuring appropriate developments/innovative solutions are proposed that enhance service quality, efficiency and continuity.
You will be working closely with the Director, Deputy Director and other Heads of Service in Student life and Wellbeing to support student wellbeing, encourage resilience and ensure the right service is available in an appropriate and timely way
A full list is available on the job description but tangible qualifications and previous experience must include:
Interview date: 18 November 2025
For informal enquiries: please contact Martin Crosby, Deputy Director: Student Life and Wellbeing on martin.crosby@york.ac.uk
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Consequently, all applicants will be asked to declare both unspent and spent convictions on their application form.
Appointment of the successful candidate will be conditional on a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.
We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.
We also encourage applications from women for senior roles.
We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork
York is one of the most successful universities in the UK.
With world-class activity across the spectrum from the physical sciences, life sciences, and social sciences to the humanities, we have been recognised as one of the top 100 universities in the world, gaining outstanding results in official assessments of our research and teaching.