Senior Psychologist (Maternity Cover)

Are you a values-driven, innovative psychologist, passionate about improving the lived experience of people using services and staff, aspiring to promote positive system change? If so, taking your next career step at Second Step, could be the right move for you.

Second Step is a leading mental health charity in the South-West offering housing, support and hope to thousands of people with mental health and other needs. We promote wellbeing by supporting people and communities to build brighter futures. We value relationships and making sense of what has happened to those accessing our services, rather than labelling what is wrong with them.

This is a unique opportunity to step in to provide maternity cover for our senior psychologist who is responsible for leading our trailblazing and successful ‘PAT pioneer facilitators programme’ which upskills staff to provide group reflective practice spaces across the organisation. In addition, you will be responsible for providing psychological input to an allocated set of services (dependent on skillset) and supporting delivery of our psychological, adversity and trauma (PAT) informed strategy. Your expertise will shape a culture of learning and build resilience of staff across our services.

What we’re looking for:

• Practitioner Psychologist with applied doctorate or equivalent post-graduate qualification enabling registration with the HCPC.
• Extensive experience in developing and delivering staff support and development initiatives that drive real change.
• Experience of evaluation and audit
• A dynamic trainer and motivator with the ability to engage diverse teams and tailor learning approaches to different sectors.
• A passionate advocate for system change, with a deep understanding of trauma-informed principles and organisational transformation.

What we offer:

• Investment in your professional development, including training and robust supervision.
• A flexible, supportive, and innovative environment where your ideas and leadership will be valued.

Senior Psychologist (skills and responsibilities comparable to NHS afc 8a role profile)

Salary: £57,008 pro-rata per annum

Job Type: 0.6 WTE Maternity cover. Fixed Term 12 months.

Location: Office base Bristol – working from home/travel to offices across Second Step.

Closing date: Sunday 1st November 2026

Interview dates(s): Friday 13th November 2026

Second Step is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community and from people who have personal experience of using mental health services. Unfortunately, Second Step is unable to sponsor applicants from outside the UK.