Academic Registry & Student Success | Grade 8 | 0.2 FTE | Permanent
Help students feel supported, understood and empowered to thrive.
The Royal College of Art (RCA), the world's leading university of art and design, is looking for a compassionate and experienced Mandarin-speaking Mental Health Advisor to join our Academic Registry & Student Success team.
This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled mental health professional who is fluent in both Mandarin and English and understands the importance of culturally sensitive student support. You will play a vital role in supporting students experiencing complex mental health and wellbeing challenges, helping them navigate difficulties and make the most of their experience at the RCA.
Working as part of our Clinical & Specialist Team, you will provide specialist advice, guidance and interventions, with a particular focus on supporting Mandarin-speaking students and understanding the cultural nuances that can influence how individuals experience and approach mental health.
About the role
You will provide responsive, professional and compassionate support to students, helping them manage challenging circumstances and remain engaged with their studies and wider student experience.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Providing individual support, initial assessments, risk triage and ongoing interventions in Mandarin and English.
- Supporting students experiencing complex mental health and welfare concerns, including responding to crisis situations and assessing risk.
- Building effective relationships with academic departments and professional services to coordinate appropriate support and adjustments.
- Advising and supporting RCA colleagues in responding positively and effectively to student mental health concerns.
- Delivering mental health and wellbeing information, guidance and proactive group sessions.
- Working collaboratively with internal colleagues and external health and mental health services to ensure students receive appropriate, joined-up support.
- Contributing to wellbeing initiatives, awareness campaigns and the continued development of an inclusive and supportive student community.
About you
You will be an experienced mental health professional with a strong background in student support, ideally within higher education. You will bring significant experience of managing complex caseloads, undertaking mental health assessments and responding to crisis situations, including the assessment and management of risk.
Fluency in spoken and written Mandarin and English is essential, alongside the ability to communicate with sensitivity, professionalism and diplomacy.
You will have an excellent understanding of mental health services and the cultural factors that can influence attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking. An appreciation of the particular challenges experienced by postgraduate art and design students, including international students, will be important.
Above all, you will be resilient, empathetic and collaborative, with the confidence to work independently, exercise sound professional judgement and contribute positively to a busy student support environment.
A relevant professional qualification, such as Mental Health Nursing, Occupational Therapy or Mental Health Social Work, would be desirable, as would CBT skills, coaching experience or experience of delivering group wellbeing activities.
Why join the RCA?
The RCA is a truly international and creative community, bringing together talented students and staff from across the world. As part of our Student Success team, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to students' lives, helping ensure that everyone feels supported, included and able to fulfil their potential.
Join us and help shape a positive, inclusive and supportive student experience at the world's No. 1 university for art and design.
Please see Information Pack for further details.
Closing for applications at 11.59pm on 4 December 2026 with interview expected to take place w/c 4 January 2027.
Please note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we attract significant numbers, 24 hours’ notice will be given to those pending applications via our recruitment system.
RCA Benefits available here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/work-at-the-rca/staff-benefits/
The Royal College of Art (RCA) aims to foster an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students and stakeholders are respected.
We recognise the broad range of experiences that a diverse staff and student body brings and how this strengthens our research and enhances our teaching. In order for RCA to remain a world-leading institution we are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles throughout all of our processes, from application through to appointment.
Please tell us if you need any assistance in applying or if you need the information in a different format. In your message to resourcing@rca.ac.uk include:
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