Programme Officer (Welfare & Immigration), Chevening Scholarships

Programme Officer (Welfare & Immigration), Chevening Scholarships

The Role

The Chevening Welfare and Immigration team supports scholars and fellows by offering immigration advice and welfare assistance throughout their UK stay. They guide visa processes for awardees and British Embassies worldwide, ensuring a smooth transition and positive experience. Reporting to the Programme Manager, the role also involves developing stakeholder guidance and may extend to supporting the Marshall scholarship team and broader Chevening activities.

Accountabilities

• Acting as a point of contact to provide relevant, timely and appropriate immigration advice and welfare support to Scholars, Fellows and colleagues.
• Dealing with day‑to‑day enquiries that are referred by team members and responding to Scholars and Fellows.
• Working with Programme Manager to draft advice and guidance for Awardees, to be issued via a variety of media and in person throughout the awards process, as required.
• Contributing to the collation, recording and analysis of relevant data as requested.
• Monitoring and updating the internal scholar welfare log accurately and in a timely manner.
• Working towards becoming an accredited IAA immigration adviser if not already, under supervision of an accredited Programme Manager.
• Establishing and maintaining excellent communication with other support services, academic departments and outside agencies.
• Working closely with colleagues in other teams the Programme, International and Communications teams on a variety of immigration, welfare and other appropriate issues and providing absence cover as appropriate.

Role Specific Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of working within the field of international student immigration advice and/or student support, possessing a strong knowledge of the area with specific experience of advising on Student visas. Ideally you will hold current IAA (Immigration Advice Authority) accreditation or would be prepared to work towards acquiring it within a timeframe agreed.
• Relevant experience of working in an HE environment with an interest in/experience of the higher education sector and public diplomacy.
• IAA accreditation at Level 1.

Role Specific Skills

• Ability to apply Chevening policy appropriately and consistently, and to refer any areas of existing policy that may need reviewing with senior colleagues.
• An understanding and commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and to embedding these into working practices.

Education: Graduate

Closing Date: Applications will close at 23:59 IST/18:29 UK Time on Monday, 10 November 2025

You must have the legal right to work in UK at the time of application.

Department: Arts sectors and programmes

Contract Hours: Full time – 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Pay Band: 6

Country/Location: London, Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh | UK (Please note, you will be required to work from the office for 3 days per week.)

Starting Salary: £25,520 (Plus an additional £3,300 per annum London Market Allowance if you are based in London area only)

Benefits for the UK include, but are not limited to:

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays.
• 3 days volunteering leave.
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme.

Note:

• Frequent attendance in London for internal team meetings and for client meetings and events is required.
• The postholder must be willing to travel within the UK to attend team meetings, to visit scholars and to support the delivery of in‑person events.
• Attendance at events and travel requirements above will require some evening and weekend work.

Requirements

Please note that candidates must have the pre‑existing, legal right to work in UK.

Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided.

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to full approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.