Careers Officer in Croydon, Surrey

Fairfield School of Business (FSB) is an OFS registered private higher education provider founded in 2006 with campuses in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Luton. We provide industry-relevant qualifications in business and healthcare management, in partnership with leading UK universities. Our focus is to offer an open and inclusive learning and teaching environment for both students and staff. We are also committed to providing access to higher education to those who may not have formal qualifications, financial means or can commit to the schedule of a mainstream university.

We are currently seeking to appoint a Career and Employability Officer for our Croydon campus on a Full-time, permanent basis.

Reports to: Head of Student Lifecycle

Responsible for:

• Increasing the visible presence of careers and employability and developing innovative approaches to enhancing the employability and careers aspirations of our student population.

Job purpose:

• Leading FSB Careers and Employability which includes tailoring the programme to the specific needs of our student population.
• To help deliver the Careers and Employability Strategy.
• To promote the extensive range of advice and guidance available from the Employability Team through a diverse range of channels and stakeholders.
• To coordinate projects and initiatives to support students in accessing employability services.
• To take a lead role in driving forward the development and implementation of a differentiated model of service delivery that maximises the use of face to face information, advice and guidance and online services.

In doing so, it is expected that the post holder will be liaising with all relevant departments and colleagues in the School as well as with designated partner University/awarding body colleagues, as agreed with the line manager.

Key Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

• To promote careers and employability service offer to students and graduates maximising overall engagement and directly targeting identified cohorts to maximise impact and graduate success.
• To support the Head of Student Lifecycle and ensure all stakeholders, academic and professional service colleagues have access to and awareness of the service to enable further promotion and reach.
• To contribute to, implement and monitor the Employability service that FSB provides.
• To work collaboratively with Welfare and Advice and Data teams to utilise central knowledge, skills and experience and maximise central channels of communication.
• To lead and coordinate digital projects and initiatives to enhance the employability offer to students and graduates.
• To work with our digital platform/IT departments, ensuring systems are appropriate to the user experience.
• To contribute to the tracking of student engagement including the collation and reporting of data in relation to our digital applications.
• To evaluate and review multiple channels of communication, exploiting all opportunities to innovate and engage students and graduates.
• To support good practice to maximise diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity approaches in all team communications and within our digital platforms.
• Work with marketing to support a culture of improvement within the team; through feedback from students and stakeholders, listening to the student voice and celebrating student and graduate success through stories and case studies.
• To co-ordinate careers support and guidance through effective teamwork and take responsibility for ensuring high quality information, advice, and guidance.
• To support the design of the careers events and job fairs programme provided by the Employability Team and ensure these are promoted in a timely manner through a variety of channels.
• To participate as necessary in the provision of effective student employability and advice.
• To promote a culture of quality enhancement across the department.
• To work with marketing in the production of online resources with regards to careers, employability, and the graduate labour market.
• To participate in relevant committees and panels (for example, Student Support and Welfare).
• Participate and represent the University in conferences and other activities relevant to the work of the department and contribute to the wider mission of the University.
• To take responsibility for their own development and participate in a programme of continuous professional development.

Additional requirements:

• The ability to adopt an ambitious approach using innovation and creativity to realise the Schools vision.
• A demonstrable track record of accepting accountability and taking responsibility for outcomes.
• A commitment to inclusion demonstrating an open, welcoming, and supportive attitude to colleagues and students.
• The ability to act with integrity displaying a fair, open and honest and accountable approach.
• Commitment to the safeguarding of all students in the College and in the workplace.
• Ability and determination to promote equality and diversity throughout all aspects of College life, including employment and service delivery.
• Current knowledge and awareness of academic and social issues affecting recruitment, progression, and continuation of learners.
• Current knowledge and experience of using a range of materials, resources, and assistive technologies for enhancing employability.
• Effective communication skills: ability to communicate with a range of people including staff within the college and external agencies; prepare reports and documents tracking learner progress and quality of the service.
• Ability to maintain a professional outlook while working within a high demand-led environment.
• Be willing to undertake relevant training for continued professional development to ensure knowledge and expertise remains current and up-to-date.
• To take responsibility in retaining the information that is necessary to do your role successfully, all points are requirements of your role and you will be appraised on this annually.
• Demonstrate effective administrative skills; ability to devise learning development plans, maintain accurate and accessible records, complete relevant forms and documentation for support, and comply with existing systems.
• Demonstrate the effective use of Microsoft Office packages and Google, using specialist software for coaching students with specific learning difficulties.
• Evidence of ability to structure strategic and operational plans, meet deadlines and work pro-actively with a team of colleagues.
• Ability to analyse data, evaluate the performance of students and plan an appropriate course of action.
• Ability to chair formal and informal meetings.

You are also expected to:

• Observe the clocking system of the School.
• Give good notice of any absence (on the day of absence to call the line manager or other designated person to notify of absence not later than 8.30 am).
• Keep up to date with developments of the job area.
• Participate in training activities both in School and at external locations in respect of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Adhere to general standards of conduct embodied in School policies and procedures (e.g. health and safety, equality, and diversity etc.).
• Work flexibly and efficiently, maintaining the highest professional standards and promote/implement the policies of the School.
• To manage and develop the role and responsibilities to focus on improving the School services to students and other clients. The postholder should represent and positively market the School at any appropriate opportunity.
• The Schools values have been developed by the staff in the School and are intended to shape, develop, and embed the kind of culture we all want to work within. These values are supported by behavioural statements and you are expected to practice these behaviours at all times and to contribute to their development throughout all parts of the Schools operations, services, and sites.
• Maintain a high level of security and confidentiality of information in your work at all times.
• Travel to other sites of the School.

Schedule: May include evenings and weekends.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Work Location: In person.