Principal Applied Psychologist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Applied Psychologist (Band 8b) to join Walsall CAMHS in a permanent, part-time (0.71 WTE) senior leadership role.

The post holder will deliver highly specialist psychological care for children and young people with complex mental health needs and act as clinical and strategic lead for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), ensuring high-quality, evidence-based delivery within CAMHS.

The role includes clinical leadership, supervision, service development and quality improvement, working closely with senior clinicians and managers to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

Main duties of the job

Provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for children and young people with complex, high-risk and enduring mental health presentations.

Act as the clinical and strategic lead for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) within Walsall CAMHS, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based delivery aligned with best practice.

Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the DBT pathway, including oversight of referrals, care pathways, clinical governance and outcomes.

Provide expert consultation, supervision and leadership to staff delivering DBT, promoting fidelity to the model and workforce capability.

Hold professional and clinical supervisory responsibility for applied psychologists, assistant psychologists and trainees, contributing to psychologically informed MDT supervision.

Work collaboratively within the MDT to ensure psychological input informs risk assessment, care planning, safeguarding and service delivery.

Lead and contribute to multi-disciplinary training, including DBT, trauma-informed care and complex presentations.

Play a key role in service development, quality improvement, audit and research, supporting NICE compliance, outcome monitoring and continuous improvement.

Work with service managers and senior clinicians to support service redesign and strategic priorities, promoting a compassionate, inclusive and psychologically informed service aligned with governance and Trust values.

Working for our organisation means being part of a values-driven NHS Trust that places staff wellbeing, compassion and professional development at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive working environment where staff feel valued, listened to and able to thrive. We offer a strong focus on psychological safety, reflective practice and high-quality supervision, alongside a range of wellbeing supports, including access to staff wellbeing services, peer support networks and flexible working options where possible. We actively encourage learning, innovation and career development, recognising that caring for our staff is essential to delivering the best outcomes for children, young people and families.