Schools & Colleges Engagement Officer (Widening Access)

About ARU

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

About the Role

The UK Schools and Colleges Engagement team, based in the Corporate Marketing Directorate are recruiting for a Schools & Colleges Engagement Officer (Widening Access) on a permeant contract to help the delivery of our Access and Participation Plan and Widening Access strategy.

Your primary responsibility will be to work alongside the team to develop a range of face-to-face activities that engage core target groups of primary, secondary and Further Education students both on and off campus. This includes but is not limited to, students from Gypsy / Roma / Traveller Communities, care leaver/experienced students, students with SEND and students from Military Families. Most activity programmes will be progressive, and all will focus on raising attainment.

To be successful in this role you will need to be educated to degree level and have experience of, and be passionate about, working with diverse groups of people from primary age students to mature students, as well as their parents/carers and teachers/advisors. You will be well-informed about progression routes to higher education and interested in supporting young people and mature learners take their next steps from school or college with confidence.

You will need to be an innovative, creative thinker who is enthusiastic, proactive, patient and highly organised. You will need to demonstrate excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills and you must be able to engage and enthuse those around you. It is important that you can develop and maintain relationships with a wide range of colleagues, partners, and external stakeholders. Confidence with organising and presenting group activities is essential.

The successful applicant will be based our Chelmsford. Regular travel to schools and colleges, occasional travel between campuses, and occasional work outside of normal office hours is expected.

Informal enquiries can be made to Georgia Downs, Senior Schools and Colleges Engagement Manager at ***email_hidden***

Find out more about working with us and how we recruit.

We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our benefits page for full details.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that ARU will carry out online searches as part of the due diligence on short listed candidates.

This appointment is subject to an enhanced level children's barred list disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further information can be obtained from Shortlisted candidates will be required to disclose any prior disciplinary action or investigation related to sexual misconduct or abuse.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK and will conduct Right to Work checks in line with UKVI’s Right to Work policy and our own institutional policy. Furthermore, we must note:

• Applicants applying from outside the UK: At this time, ARU is unable to sponsor applicants applying from overseas for a Worker Route visa.

• Applicants already in the UK: ARU is unable to offer Worker Route visa sponsorship to applicants whose salary does not meet our minimum sponsorship threshold, which aligns with roles at Grade 6 and above.

Committed to being inclusive and open to discuss flexible working.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.

Guidance Notes

Please download the Job Description Person Specification for key requirements. To apply, demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the criteria.