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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic Careers team to empower students in securing meaningful employment.
- Company: GBS, a forward-thinking higher education provider with a mission to change lives through education.
- Benefits: Generous annual leave, flexible benefits, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Join a diverse team dedicated to innovation and student success across multiple campuses.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in students' lives by guiding them towards successful careers.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in career services or related fields.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Department: Graduate Employment and Entrepreneurship
Location: Manchester
Type of Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time - 40hrs Per Week
Salary Range: £45,000-£55,000pa
GBS is a higher education provider offering a range of sector-relevant courses across ten campuses in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare, and more.
Our Vision: Changing lives through education.
What We Do: The Graduate Employment and Entrepreneurship department at GBS is dedicated to preparing students for successful careers and business ventures. It offers tailored one-to-one guidance, a dynamic online Careers Hub via Handshake, and a structured Employability Award that builds critical job-seeking skills through Bronze to Platinum levels. Students gain practical experience in CV building, networking, and real job applications, including tools like ChatGPT.
The Role: The Deputy Head of Careers will assist the Head of Careers to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Careers team members, ensuring their activities align with institutional objectives and industry best practices. The Careers team includes Careers Consultants, Careers Officers, Campus Administrators and Campus Managers.
The role requires someone with a passion for driving student success in securing employment, enabling seamless career transitions, and fostering graduate outcomes that meet institutional B3 Progression targets. The primary focus is helping students and recent alumni who are currently unemployed into paid employment and those who have jobs in posts that are SOC 1-3 grade. This will involve creating a range of career support strategies contextualised to the individual circumstances of each student, including ambitions, personal circumstances, programme of study and location. The successful candidate will help lead a diverse, multi-campus team, driving excellence in programme delivery, innovation, and stakeholder engagement while ensuring the highest standards of quality and impact across all initiatives.
What The Role Involves:
- Strategic Leadership: Work with the Head of Careers to develop and articulate a clear vision and strategic plan for the Careers team, with a focus on providing individualised and contextualised support for students.
- Understand and champion the full breadth of employment ambitions and circumstances for all of our students and recent alumni.
- Understand the local, regional and national job markets and contextualise the team’s careers support activities to align with these.
- Align the team with institutional B3 goals, particularly around getting students into jobs and progressing to more senior, professional-grade roles.
- Advocate for careers initiatives, promoting their value internally and externally.
- Oversee the support for mandatory placements.
- Programme Management: Provide strong leadership, direction, and programme management support to a diverse team across all campuses.
- Support planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Careers team activities to ensure consistency and quality of support to students across locations and maximise graduate outcomes for our students and recent alumni.
- Develop, monitor, and report on KPIs to measure the success and impact of the team’s activities, with an emphasis on securing graduate employment outcomes.
- Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Lead the development and implementation of innovative approaches to enhance the Careers support available to students and alumni.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, incorporating best practices to maintain the programmes’ competitiveness and relevance.
- Oversee feedback collection and evaluation processes to drive continuous improvement in rates of professional-level employment for students and alumni.
Experience/Skills Required:
- Leadership: Experience leading progression, recruitment or employment programmes across multi-campus environments either within the higher education sector or in an industrial setting.
- Data and Performance Analytics: Expertise in using employment data, labour market intelligence, and dashboards to drive institutional decision-making.
- Strategic Change Management: Proven success in implementing large-scale initiatives that transform employment outcomes and support B3 progression metrics.
- External Stakeholder Engagement: Strong track record in building partnerships with employers, professional bodies, and industry networks to enhance student opportunities.
- Innovation in Programme Delivery: Experience designing and implementing innovative progression strategies that improve graduate outcomes and student success.
What We Offer:
- 25 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays
- 1-day extra leave per year of service, up to a maximum of 5 days
- Workplace pension scheme
- Tuition reimbursement for career development courses
- Flexible Benefits: Cycle to Work, Workplace Nursery, Techscheme and much more
- Perks@Work discounts platform, wellbeing centre and much more
- Reward and recognition programme
- £500 award employee referral scheme
- Discretionary annual performance bonus
GBS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities. We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed.
Deputy Head of Careers in Manchester employer: GBS
Contact Detail:
GBS Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Head of Careers in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Networking is key! Get out there and connect with people in your industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to alumni or professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Prepare for interviews by doing mock sessions with friends or mentors. Focus on common questions and tailor your responses to highlight your skills and experiences that align with the role. Confidence is crucial when you’re in front of potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, send a thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity. It shows professionalism and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate your interest in the position.
✨Tip Number 4
Utilise our website for job applications! We’ve got loads of resources and tools to help you land that dream job. From CV tips to interview prep, we’re here to support you every step of the way. So, make sure to check it out and apply through us!
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Head of Careers in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in leading careers programmes and supporting student success. We want to see how your skills align with our mission of changing lives through education!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: In your application, emphasise any previous leadership roles you've held, especially in multi-campus environments. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and manage a diverse team effectively.
Demonstrate Data Savvy: Highlight your experience with data analytics and how you've used it to drive decision-making in previous roles. We love candidates who can leverage employment data to enhance career support strategies!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at GBS
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into GBS's mission and the specifics of the Deputy Head of Careers role. Understand their approach to student success and how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership experience, especially in multi-campus environments. Think about times you've successfully led teams or initiatives that improved employment outcomes. Be ready to discuss how you can inspire and manage a diverse team.
✨Be Data Savvy
Since the role involves using data to drive decisions, brush up on your knowledge of employment data and labour market trends. Be prepared to discuss how you've used analytics in past roles to enhance programme delivery or improve graduate outcomes.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about your experience in building partnerships with employers and industry networks. Prepare to share specific examples of how you've engaged external stakeholders to create opportunities for students. This will demonstrate your ability to advocate for careers initiatives effectively.