REGISTERED COUNSELLOR & HEAD OF WELLBEING

Job Description: Registered Counsellor & Head of Wellbeing

Location: Gqeberha, South Africa

Designation: Full-Time Staff Member (2-Year Contract), Start Date: ASAP

Salary Range: Market related and commensurate with qualifications and experience

Closing Date: 30 September 2026

Ubuntu School

The Ubuntu School offers students an exceptional education and a transformational pathway out of poverty. Our team instills confidence, creative expression, character growth, and social skills through a flexible, evolving, and child-driven learning model. Through a nurturing environment, high-quality instruction, and world-class wraparound support, we provide everything South Africa's most vulnerable children need to thrive.

Position Overview:

Ubuntu is looking for an experienced, independently registered counsellor to bring professional mental health support to our approximately 250 learners (Grades 1–10) and to lead the school's wellbeing strategy as a member of the senior management team. You will counsel learners, serve as Designated Safeguarding Lead, build staff capability in trauma-informed practice, and investigate behaviour matters with a wellness dimension alongside the Principal. This is not a developmental post: you will be seeing learners from week one. The school provides a retained referral psychologist, HPCSA fees, indemnity cover, a CPD budget and a private consulting room.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Provide short-term individual and group counselling, screening and crisis response within the Registered Counsellor scope, and refer onward when needed
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead: manage disclosures, statutory reporting and liaison with DSD, SAPS, clinics and partner NGOs
• Investigate behaviour matters with a wellness dimension, prepare recommendations for the Principal's decision, and facilitate restorative conferences
• Design and deliver a social and emotional learning (SEL) and prevention programme across the grades
• Train and coach staff in trauma-informed and restorative practice
• Chair the Student Support and Safeguarding Committee and report wellbeing trends to leadership
• Maintain clinical and safeguarding records to HPCSA and audit-ready standards, and work with parents, caregivers and community referral partners

Required Qualifications:

• Current HPCSA registration as a Registered Counsellor (PRC number) for independent practice
• BPsych, BPsych Equivalent, or Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling, incl. the 720-hour practicum (a BA/BSocSci Honours in Psychology does not qualify)
• Minimum three years' post-registration practice, including at least two years working directly with children or adolescents
• Trauma experience and strong record-keeping; able to run your own caseload from day one
• Fluent in English and isiXhosa (or another learner language); clear criminal record and NCPR checks
• Advantageous: safeguarding/DSL training, school experience, and restorative practice or SEL experience

Application Information & Method

• Send your CV (including your HPCSA PRC number), a cover letter (max. two pages), copies of your qualifications and HPCSA registration card, and two professional references (one of whom supervised your clinical work) via Email to: apply@ubuntupathways.org
• In your cover letter, tell us about a young person you could not help as much as you wanted to, and what you did with that. Use “Registered Counsellor & Head of Wellbeing” as your email subject line and save your CV under your name AND surname.
• Shortlisted candidates will meet the Principal and visit the school. Appointment is subject to HPCSA and background checks. If you don’t hear from us within 30 days of closing, your application was unsuccessful.

**Please only apply if you meet the requirements above. Only qualified applicants will be contacted.