Widening Participation Officer (Professions)

11994BR

Communications & Marketing

Managerial, Professional and Specialist Staff – MPSS

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Widening Participation Officer (Professions)

You will be responsible for developing, managing and implementing programmes that align to the Cardiff University Widening Participation (WP) strategy 2020-2025.

Specifically, you will lead on ‘Access to the Professions’ - a programme to support young people into specific careers such as Medicine, Dentistry, Healthcare professions and Law, primarily working in partnership with the Sutton Trust to deliver these programmes.

In response to COVID-19, you will take responsibility for exploring and developing new methods of engagement. You will also contribute to other projects including the development of digital outreach activities. 

This is a full-time (35 hours a week) fixed term contract for 10 months to cover a period of secondment. 

Salary: £27,511 - £31,866 per annum (Grade 5)

Date advert posted: Thursday, 5 August 2021

Closing date: Sunday, 22 August 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

• Manage WP programmes for the University, with a specific focus on engaging and inspiring students from under-represented groups, helping them to gain an understanding of the benefits of higher education and the opportunities available to them.
• Further develop relationships with relevant partners (such as schools, colleges and charities) (particularly those who work with under-represented groups) through regular engagement activities and on-going communication.
• Contribute to the development and expansion of the key university WP programmes, designed to inspire, raise attainment and provide information, advice and guidance for WP students, with a particular focus on supporting under-represented students with a specific focus on supporting their transition to university.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of, and to provide to potential applicants, accurate information concerning all aspects of Cardiff University, including study opportunities, entry requirements and processes, student fees and finances, teaching methods, accommodation, student life and support.
• Provide professional advice and guidance on WP processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood.
• Investigate and analyse specific issues within WP, supporting the WP Strategy and Evaluation Manager to create recommendation reports for WP programmes.
• Ensure that the provision of WP and outreach activities are delivered, proactively changing the delivery according to customer requirements. This will include the Access to Professions and summer school programmes, as well as other support for WP students. Note: 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. 
• Collaborate with others in order to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures, with a specific focus on the on-going evaluation of WP programmes. This includes consultation with key stakeholder to identify changes needed to our programmes.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
• Create specific working groups from colleagues across the University to achieve WP objectives.
• Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the department.
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University within WP as 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.
• Flexible working is essential for this role, as there are often events taking place during evenings and weekends. Overnight stays are sometimes required as part of this role when visiting schools or delivering summer schools.
• This role will involve travel to visit schools across Wales.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education
1.    Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent Professional membership/experience

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
2.    A full, valid UK/EU driving licence
3.    Able to demonstrate a strong commitment to social justice with knowledge and awareness of the importance of Widening Participation
4.    Substantial experience of delivering engaging activities for school pupils, including awareness of safeguarding and risk management considerations
5.    Substantial experience of managing and organising events, including the ability to demonstrate outcomes and impact

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working
6.    Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing, to a wide range of people. This includes, for example, the ability to deliver talks to school pupils, write content for web and communications, and writing or presenting reports for senior managers.
7.    Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving
8.    Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with range of potential outcomes
9.    Evidence of demonstrable knowledge of key advances within higher education, specifically in widening participation and outreach – for example, this might include ability to provide advice on UCAS and personal statements
10.    Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress.

Desirable Criteria

1.    Postgraduate/Professional qualification / experience of undertaking research to demonstrate impact
2.    Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
3.    Fluency in Welsh, written and oral.

Additional Information

A satisfactory enhanced DBS check is required for this post as it involved regular work with vulnerable young people.

The role will include some evening and weekend working. 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