Lead Counsellor - Al Hamra Campus - Required Immediately

Lead Counsellor - Al Hamra Campus - Required Immediately Important dates Closing date of applications 27th September 2026 Start date 1st November 2026 Date Contract Ends Unknown Job details Subject School Counsellor Role Counsellor Level Ages 11-18 / Secondary Curriculum English National Positions available 1 Contract type Permanent Vacancy type Full Time Salary Teachers Pay scale M1-M6 + Annual Allowance Requirements 2 or more years experience The British International School Riyadh (BISR) has provided high-quality education to the expatriate community since 1979. As a well-regarded, not-for-profit, co-educational institution in the Middle East, we serve students aged 3-18 across multiple campuses. Our school is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and as a British School Overseas (BSO). Additionally, BISR is a member of the British Schools of the Middle East (BSME), the Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO), the Heads Conference (HMC), and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). Following the English curriculum, which is greatly enriched by the local and international context, BISR offers a holistic learning experience. Our broad co-curricular program includes extra-curricular activities, student leadership opportunities, service learning initiatives, and residential trips. We are also committed to strong pastoral care to support student well-being. The role of Lead Counsellor is an opportunity to lead and further develop a whole-school counselling service in a leading international school. We are seeking an experienced Counsellor to lead the development of counselling provision at our Al Hamra Campus. This is a specialist role for an experienced counselling professional. The postholder will initially be the sole on-site counsellor, delivering high-quality counselling support to students while holding responsibility for counselling systems, ethical practice and quality assurance within the school’s Student Support Services framework. Working in a highly supportive, multidisciplinary environment, alongside Safeguarding, Support for Learning (SEND), nursing and pastoral colleagues, the Counsellor will also benefit from close professional collaboration with counsellor colleagues across the wider BISR group, ensuring shared practice, supervision and professional dialogue. In addition to responsive counselling provision, the role contributes to proactive and preventative wellbeing work. This includes advising and supporting teachers and tutors, contributing to transition and onboarding processes for new students and families, and supporting the development of whole-school wellbeing and peer-support initiatives (such as buddy or mentoring programmes). This work is collaborative and system-focused, complementing pastoral provision rather than replacing it. The Job Description is available here: Lead Counsellor JD - Jan 2026 The successful candidate will: Bring extensive experience in counselling children and young people, strong safeguarding judgement, and possess the ability to work confidently as a sole practitioner while influencing practice across the wider school community. Hold a recognised professional qualification in counselling or psychotherapy appropriate for work with children and young people. Have active and ongoing registration with an appropriate professional body e.g. BACP or equivalent Have significant experience delivering counselling to children and/or adolescents, ideally within a school or educational context. Demonstrate a strong working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection, including thresholds, escalation and information-sharing. Have experience managing complex cases and working within multidisciplinary teams. Show evidence of sound professional judgement, ethical practice and reflective working. Be committed to ongoing clinical supervision and professional development. Possess outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with students, staff, parents, and external stakeholders. We can offer: Highly motivated and engaged students A school with a strong sense of community A learning focused school committed to staff development Motivated, hard-working and dedicated colleagues, who are committed to high quality learning, student well-being and the school's enrichment programmes The opportunity to live, work and travel in a unique, beautiful and fast changing country. Key Dates: Closing date for applications: Sunday, 27 September 2026. Important Notes: Application guidelines are available here: Guidelines To apply, please follow the application link: https://inteachers.net/job/4262 and provide a supporting statement of application following the provided guidelines. For non-teaching roles, applicants will need to register as a qualified teacher on the application tracking system (InTeachers) to complete the application. BISR reserves the right to make an earlier appointme

2 or more years experience. The successful candidate will: bring extensive experience in counselling children and young people, strong safeguarding judgement, and the ability to work confidently as a sole practitioner while influencing practice across the wider school community; hold a recognised professional qualification in counselling or psychotherapy appropriate for work with children and young people; have active and ongoing registration with an appropriate professional body (e.g. BACP or equivalent); have significant experience delivering counselling to children and/or adolescents, ideally within a school or educational context; demonstrate strong working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection, including thresholds, escalation and information-sharing; have experience managing complex cases and working within multidisciplinary teams; show evidence of sound professional judgement, ethical practice and reflective working; be committed to ongoing clinical supervision and professional development; possess outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with students, staff, parents, and external stakeholders.

Lead the development of counselling provision at Al Hamra Campus as the sole on-site counsellor, delivering high-quality counselling support to students; oversee counselling systems, ethical practice, and quality assurance within the school’s Student Support Services framework; collaborate with Safeguarding, SEND, nursing and pastoral colleagues; work with counsellor colleagues across the wider BISR group to share practice and participate in supervision and professional dialogue; contribute to proactive wellbeing work, including advising and supporting teachers and tutors; assist with transition and onboarding processes for new students and families; contribute to the development of whole-school wellbeing initiatives and peer-support programs (e.g., buddying or mentoring); align counselling activities with the broader pastoral provision and school wellbeing strategy.