Careers Coach

Principal accountabilities

1. To provide relevant careers information, advice and guidance to the Division and University colleagues on issues concerning careers and employability.
2. To develop and implement employability related strategies and operational priority plans across disciplines to increase ISMs relating to Graduate Outcomes.
3. To support the development, implementation, evaluation and monitoring of the Careers Service’s strategy, policies and procedures.
4. To provide professional careers information, advice and guidance across a number of platforms including social media to students and graduates.
5. To deliver interactive and engaging workshops, seminars, presentations and masterclasses to large groups
6. To proactively increase engagement of students and graduates with the Careers and Employment Service.
7. To conduct one-to-one guidance interviews in various formats.
8. To develop student and graduate skills in career choice, job search and career progression.
9. To work with the College Careers Partners in fostering close working relationships with Colleges, Schools and disciplines, supporting them with the career development of current students, attracting prospective students and providing consultancy regarding quality audits.
10. Develop innovative professional practice in designing and delivering employability in a variety for formats, including workshops, programmes and resources, in the curriculum, extra-curricula and valuing learning from life-wide opportunities.
11. To contribute to the employability of students, postgraduates and graduates by planning, and delivering School/discipline based career management skills courses and centrally delivered careers education/transferable skills training.
12. To produce careers-related material for publication online, through social media and in paper publications.
13. To be accountable for the collection and return of the annual Careers Registration.
14. To contribute to relevant professional bodies particularly AGCAS the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS).
15. To contribute to the collection and return of the statutory Graduate Outcomes Survey, and provision of labour market intelligence.
16. To develop a knowledge base that reflects the needs of clients within a specific caseload including work with professional bodies such as AGCAS and employer-specific organisations.
17. To work as part of a professional coaching team supporting each other to achieve aims set out in the university’s employability agenda.
18. To promote a culture of excellent customer service.
19. To support a performance culture within the team.
20. To ensure that confidentiality of information is maintained in line with data protection requirements and University Policy.
21. To ensure compliance with University Health and Safety requirements.
22. To undertake such other duties as may be required by the Division, commensurate with the level of responsibility of the role in support of enhancing the student experience.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in the area of careers guidance.
• Possess a professional post graduate qualification in Careers Guidance or equivalent in Training, Coaching, or similar.

Experience

• Significant experience in a graduate recruitment/training and/or careers guidance type role.
• Up-to-date knowledge of using social media in a professional environment and current labour market trends and higher education.
• Demonstrable experience of meeting operational requirements, with excellent planning and organisational skills.
• A constructive team player demonstrating an ability to work collaboratively.
• Experience of policy development and implementation.
• Project management experience.
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), demonstrate empathy, able to present information clearly and explain complex issues to a range of audiences with varying levels of understanding.
• Experience of working in a customer-focused environment and delivering exceptional customer service.
• Sound analytical, creative and pragmatic problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate a high level of computer literacy, with knowledge and familiarity with Microsoft Office.

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage and influence colleagues.
• Ability to represent the Careers Service externally.
• Focussed and driven to achieve excellence and takes ownership and responsibility for themselves and the team.
• Ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries, with the capacity to be a constructive team player.
• Consistently act as a positive role model to the team and strive for all team members to perform to their highest potential by inspiring and motivating others, sharing ideas and knowledge for the benefit of the team.
• Display bigger picture thinking, informed by awareness of practice in the sector and an understanding of the changing needs of service users.
• Ability to look at things from all perspectives to produce innovative solutions with the ability to generate new ideas and support change management.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to engage colleagues outside the College Careers Team in the pursuit of the Careers and Employment Service’s and University’s strategies.
• Excellent team building and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of how IT systems can support and enhance service delivery.
• Ability to represent the University externally.
• Demonstrate a commitment to enhancing the student experience, excellent customer service and to the University’s values and behaviours.
• An enthusiasm for, and commitment to, enhancing the student experience.
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to high quality service provision and consistent excellence for all service users. Understands service user needs, responds and evaluates practice; sharing outcomes to deliver continuous improvement.
• Demonstrable personal and professional commitment to the University’s strategy, vision and values