Counsellor & Learning Support Advisor

Position Title:Counsellor & Learning Support Advisor (Full-time position)

Location: Murdoch University Dubai

Position Purpose

The Counsellor & Learning Support Advisor provides confidential psychological support, short-term counselling, learning-skills support, and wellbeing interventions to students at Murdoch University Dubai. The role delivers individual sessions, group workshops, crisis intervention, and preventative wellbeing programs, helping students manage personal, psychological, academic, and adjustment challenges.

The post-holder contributes to a proactive, student-centred support environment, strengthens academic retention, and supports the mental health and learning needs of a diverse domestic and international student body.

Key Responsibilities

1. Counselling & Psychological Support

• Provide short-term individual counselling, and group sessions addressing wellbeing, stress, adjustment, anxiety, relationships, and study difficulties.
• Deliver psychological assessments using appropriate screening tools where required.
• Provide crisis management, including immediate risk assessment, safety planning, and coordinated follow-up.
• Refer students to external mental-health professionals when specialist or long-term support is required.
• Maintain accurate electronic case notes, reports, and records in line with confidentiality, legal requirements, and university and regulatory requirements.

2. Learning Support & Academic Skills Development

• Develop and deliver workshops on academic resilience, motivation, procrastination, exam stress, and effective learning strategies.
• Support students with learning difficulties, including referrals for external assessments or internal academic adjustments.
• Work with Academic Success/Library teams to coordinate learning skills interventions, and at-risk student support.
• Contribute to student retention strategies by helping students overcome barriers to academic success, including health conditions, disability, and neurodiversity

3. Wellbeing, Prevention & Outreach

• Design and deliver workshops, campaigns, and preventative mental health initiatives (e.g., stress management, mindfulness, emotional regulation).
• Lead wellbeing initiatives aligned with Murdoch's Student Wellbeing Strategic Plan, adjusting for Dubai context.
• Contribute to community-building events and student-life programmes.
• Develop and maintain strong networks with internal teams (academics, student life, registry, Perth Access Team) and external health partners.

4. Professional Collaboration & Case Management

• Participate in case reviews, cross-functional meetings, and student-risk meetings.
• Liaise with families (when appropriate), academic staff, and external health professionals.
• Provide expert advice to staff regarding student psychological concerns, boundaries, and referral pathways.
• Maintain professional development, supervision, and practice currency.
• Work with the Perth-based Student Wellbeing Services to design and implement workshops, and other wellbeing initiatives, as well as a point of contact for support with practice (counselling or creation of support plans)

5. Administration, Compliance & Reporting

• Maintain case notes, risk-management documentation, and incident records in accordance with university policy.
• Assist with wellbeing analytics, reporting trends, and highlighting emerging risks to the University.
• Ensure adherence to Murdoch's Code of Conduct, Ethics, Equity & Diversity, and Safety requirements.

Selection Criteria

Essential

1. A minimum Masters qualification in psychology, counselling, social work, or a related field, and licensed by the Dubai Health Authority to perform counselling services.

2.Demonstrated experience (minimum 3 years) providing counselling interventions, crisis support, and psycho-educational sessions.

1. Experience providing trauma informed support to people from a range of backgrounds, including international students, young adults, and people from diverse communities.
2. Strong skills in academic or learning support, or willingness to upskill in academic-skills development.
3. High-level interpersonal and communication skills, including note-keeping, clinical writing, and consultation.
4. Demonstrated experience in managing mental health crisis incidents, conduct risk assessments, and support students in distress.
5. Strong organizational skills, time management, and functional computer literacy.
6. Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, wellbeing, and student-centred practice.

Desirable

1. Experience working in a university or higher education.
2. Experience working in multicultural or international settings, especially cross-cultural counselling.
3. Familiarity with learning-disability assessment pathways (ADHD, dyslexia, etc.).
4. Knowledge of UAE safeguarding, wellbeing, and data-privacy frameworks.

Work Requirements

• Criminal record check.
• Evidence of professional registration or membership.
• Maintenance of continuing professional development and supervision.
• Occasional evening/weekend work for events or crisis response.