Schools Outreach Officer (Professions)

11981BR

Communications & Marketing

Administrative Support

Advert

Schools Outreach Officer (Professions)

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work in the Widening Participation and Outreach Team as a Schools Outreach Officer. The post holder will support the delivery of the 'Access to Professions' and Step Up programmes, which aim to inspire school students and promote the benefits of higher education throughout Wales, primarily to school students aged 16 - 18. This will include visiting schools, supporting events and supervising casual staff and students who support the Widening Participation and Outreach events.

This post is open-ended, full-time (35 hours per week) and is available immediately.

Salary: £22,847 - £27,116 per annum (Grade 4)

Date advert posted: Wednesday, 22 September 2021

Closing date: Wednesday, 6 October 2021

This post has previously been advertised to employees of Cardiff University only.  We now invite external applications.

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Description

Key Duties

• Provide detailed advice and guidance on access to the professions and the recruitment of under-represented students to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, contributing to the resolution of more complex issues.
• Collaborate with others in order to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts to help improve the service provided by the Widening Participation and Outreach team, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required, including high schools in Wales and Local Authorities.
• Contribute to a number of key widening participation programmes including the ‘Step Up’ and Access to the Professions programmes and summer school programmes.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department, particularly in relation to school visits and organising on-site events to improve access to the professions. This will involve liaising with academic schools within the University that relate to professional degrees, as well as external partners. 
• Deliver talks on-site and off-site (all Wales) to pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4. Groups will vary in size from small seminar groups of 10-15 pupils to full year groups of roughly 200 pupils in assembly sessions
• Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating reports as appropriate, such as providing social media and web analytics and analysing data on student progression to professional degrees.
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University in relation to widening participation and access to the professions, including co-ordinating staff to run post-16 academic taster sessions in professional areas.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge on courses and opportunities available to students at Cardiff University.
• Please note that travelling to schools is a requirement of this job and as such applicants must have a full and valid UK/EU driving licence. It is not a requirement that applicants have their own vehicle.
•  A flexible approach to working is essential, as the job will require out-of-hours working in order to accommodate school visits.
• Summer school programmes require overnight stays on campus in a supervisory capacity for under 18s classed as ‘vulnerable’, and for this reason an enhanced DBS check is required.

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria 

Qualifications and Education
1.    NVQ 3/A-Levels or equivalent

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2.    A full and valid UK / EU driving licence
3.    A commitment to, and awareness of, the importance of widening participation and equality, diversity, and inclusion
4.    Experience of organising events for school-aged pupils, specifically pupils from widening participation backgrounds
5.    Experience of working in an administrative role, specifically supporting or organising events
6.    Specialist knowledge of the UK schooling system and Higher Education processes and procedures, including UCAS  and access to the professions

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
7.    Ability to communicate information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people, including presenting information to both small and large school groups
8.    Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
9.    Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity; identifying and proposing practical solutions
10.    Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning, setting and monitoring team priorities.

Desirable Criteria

1.    Fluency in Welsh
2.    Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
3.    Degree or an equivalent qualification or equivalent work related experience
4.    Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate.

Additional Information

Appointment of post is subject to a valid DBS check.

It should also be noted that it will not normally be possible to take annual leave during summer schools (July), on undergraduate and postgraduate open days, and over A-level Results week in August.

About the Department
The Communications and Marketing Department is responsible for the University’s reputation and branding as well as UK/International student recruitment operations. It covers five areas: communications, marketing, student recruitment, digital communications and public affairs.

Communications plays an important part in building and maintaining the reputation of the University through effective communication to the public and to external and internal stakeholders. It communicates the achievements and aspirations of the University through a variety of media and includes a film unit. The team represents the University on a corporate level and involves all three academic colleges and constituent schools.

Marketing is responsible for developing a strong brand identity for the University at the corporate level, with an emphasis on better visual branding and market research.

Student recruitment plays an important role in attracting the University's undergraduate and postgraduate students from throughout the UK and Internationally in addition to managing the University’s widening participation activities.

These areas work alongside the digital communications team, which is responsible for the website, and public affairs, which leads on stakeholder relationships locally, nationally and internationally.

Job Category

Education, Marketing, Media and Public Relations