Clinical Psychologist

**About Us**

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are the UK’s Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. Working across our vital missions, you’ll deliver impact at the heart of national security, all within a supportive and inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.

**The Roles**

**Role 1 - Consultant Clinical Psychologist (GCHQ and MI5)**

Location: Manchester Full Time (GCHQ) London Part Time (MI5)

**Salary**: £57,570 - £69,018 plus concessionary payment of £2,771.
Full time 37 hours a week / Flexible Working / Part Time

These core roles involve supporting the Personnel Security department in assessing staff suitability to hold security clearance and ability to fulfil demanding roles. In doing so, you will provide expert advice and consult on questions around staff vulnerability, resilience and risk within a rewarding and fast-paced environment.

With plenty of variety and scope for developing your own skills, you can expect to provide clinical advice and guidance on risk management and mitigation to non-psychologist colleagues, alongside supporting the design and delivery of bespoke training courses for a range of different groups. You will contribute to quality improvement and practice-based research projects, and may provide mentoring, supervision and management to other practitioner psychologists and customer groups.

**About You**

You will have a Masters or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or dual registered Clinical/Forensic Psychology (or equivalent, conferring eligibility for chartership with BPS) and be registered with HCPC as a Clinical Psychologist. Experience of working at Principal (NHS Band 8b or equivalent) or Consultant Level (NHS Band 8c/8d or equivalent) is also essential.

**Responsibilities**:

- Consultation to Corporate teams including Recruitment, Personnel Security, Occupational Health, Employee Assistance/Wellbeing on psychological aspects of staff security and wellbeing issues, including complex casework.
- Direct and indirect clinical assessment of applicants and existing staff as appropriate.
- Development, delivery, and evaluation of psychologically informed training sessions.
- Engagement with Corporate Psychology Leads to identify themes and issues of relevance to risk/suitability assessments and training.
- Psychological assessment in support of staff selection for highly sensitive or demanding roles.
- Participation in small scale research and audit projects to inform and develop best practice approaches.
- Engagement with wider Behavioural Science community to facilitate innovation and sharing of ideas and skills.
- Active engagement in regular peer supervision and ethical practice reflection.
- Active engagement in CPD to meet HCPC and local requirements.
- Line Management of practitioner psychologists as appropriate.
- Participation in UK and International Conferences

**Role 2 - Consultant Clinical Psychologist, with strong research background (GCHQ ONLY)**

Location: Based in either Cheltenham, London or Manchester (travel will be expected between locations)

**Salary**: £63,011 (on scale to £69,018) plus concessionary payment of £2,771.
Full time 37 hours a week / Flexible Working / Part Time.

As part of an expansion of the Behavioural Science Capability across the UK Government, we are establishing a new Research Centre. This behavioural-science-led cross-agency centre will undertake research and develop and deliver robust, evidence-based interventions to help the UK Intelligence Community, wider Government and industry partners to better identify and mitigate insider risk.

**About You**

You will have a Masters or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent, conferring eligibility for chartership with BPS) and be registered with the HCPC as a Clinical Psychologist. Experience of working at Principal (NHS Band 8b or equivalent) or Consultant Level (NHS Band 8c/8d or equivalent) is essential, supported by a portfolio of published peer-reviewed research.

You will have a proven background in clinical or clinical and forensic practice, particularly around risk assessment and management, as well as expertise in research/academia.

Using your communication, empathy and listening skills, you will be able to present a psychological perspective confidently and credibly to those from a non-psychology background.

You will thrive in an often fast-paced environment, working under pressure and turning around assessments and advice within short time scales without sacrificing quality. With a commitment to ethical, evidence-based practice and psychological codes of conduct, you will also adopt a pragmatic approach to delivering client solutions.

Your energy, ingenuity and collaborative approach will help develop this exciting new service in support of our broader National Security mission.

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