Job vacancy

Head of Careers and Employability

You will drive the creation and delivery of the University’s Careers and Employability Strategy, ensuring that the University is a transformational experience for students leading to graduate success and high skilled outcomes.

Job details

Department

Business Engagement & Employability

Responsible to

Associate Provost - Industry Engagement

Location

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

Salary

£67,298 to £84,122 per annum (For exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £96,740 per annum)

Closing date

Monday 16 September 2024

Contract type

Permanent

Post type

Full-time

Adaptive working type

Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.

Reference

0351-24

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Under the leadership of the Associate Provost – Industry Engagement, the Head of Careers and Employability will drive the creation and delivery of the University’s Careers and Employability Strategy, ensuring that the University is a transformational experience for students leading to graduate success and high skilled outcomes. Leading collaboratively, the post holder will be responsible for the delivery, quality and impact of careers and employability services for students, graduates, colleges, employers and community organisations.

Acting as the institutional figurehead in this area, the Head of Careers and Employability will provide expert advice and guidance to leadership and senior University stakeholders on all matters relating to careers and employability and lead on the creation, development and implementation of strategy aimed at increasing student engagement in employability activities both inside and outside the curriculum.

The post holder will ensure effective delivery of high-profile projects and other related strategies to optimise efficiency and embed a transformational student experience across all areas of work-based learning at the University. This will involve collaboration and engagement with the Provost – Learning and Teaching, employers, and alumni to develop a new Careers and Employability strategy, which will include the establishment of Industrial Advisory Boards across all Colleges.

Interview date - 7th October 2024

As the institutional figurehead, driving the University’s strategy to embed careers and employability across all areas of the institution, the University of Derby is seeking a subject-matter expert and innovative and experienced strategic leader of careers services, graduate recruitment or talent development as their next Head of Careers and Employability.

You will bring a track record of creating and delivering improvements to student and graduate outcomes in a higher education setting that meet the needs of the market and stakeholders. You will have a strong understanding of the changing dynamics of the graduate labour market and employer recruitment practices, underpinned by knowledge of relevant legislation. With up-to-date and relevant knowledge of current issues, trends and future developments in careers and employability, you will lead and inspire a high-performance team and build long lasting relationships with key stakeholders across the University and within industry that will support the development and delivery of a dynamic strategy that will have a significant and measurable impact on our students and graduates. With your knowledge and experience, you will be able to assimilate changes in the sector which may impact on the service and determine new partners for the University.

  1. Act as the institutional figurehead for careers and employability, providing expert knowledge to set strategy and influence the university Executive Board.
  2. Provide strategic leadership and operational management of a dynamic and responsive careers and employability service which is adaptive to demand and prioritise and delivers against the University’s strategic aims and Institutional Success Measures (ISMs).
  3. Lead the creation, development and implementation of strategic interventions, across the University, for increasing student engagement in employability through activities embedded and outside of the curriculum.
  4. Provide relevant labour market intelligence to the Provost – Learning and Teaching to inform decisions about the creation of new programmes and relevance of existing programmes in relation to changing job markets.
  5. Lead and implement strategies and activities for work-based experience (e.g. placements, internships and experiential learning), across the University, with a focus on increasing the number of placements available to students.
  6. Lead the employer and alumni engagement in the development and delivery of the Careers and Employability strategy, including the establishment of a network of Industrial Advisory Boards across all Colleges.
  7. Lead and manage the careers and employability team to create a business partnering approach with academic colleges and professional services to provide a collaborative model for student support in careers and employability.
  8. Develop robust business and project plans and be accountable for implementation, achievement of targets and standards.
  9. Evaluate the impact of strategic interventions and business procedures and ensure practice is in line with appropriate professional quality standards.
  10. Devise and implement service development plans and adopt continuous improvement opportunities to achievement effective standards of service.
  11. Ensure systems and process for recording and reporting of student and graduate employment progress provide assurance to the key senior stakeholders.
  12. Establish the service as a credible source of business intelligence regarding the needs of employers, the graduate labour market and employers’ experiences of recruiting Derby students and graduates.
  13. Provide expert insight to develop sector leading practice in employability curriculum and services and employer engagement.
  14. In collaboration with External Relations, develop a strategy for effective communication with students and graduates.
  15. Lead engagement with the student community on careers and employability strategies and initiatives, including collaboration with the Union of Students on activities to support and encourage better student engagement in co-curricular activities.
  16. Support the development and delivery of the University’s policies and processes and lead on the development of new policies and processes where required.
  17. Undertake horizon scanning and sector benchmarking in the field of careers and employability, using this knowledge to create sector leading careers and employability strategies and initiatives.
  18. Research, interpret and analyse complex data, report on key findings and advise the University on risks, opportunities and recommended actions.
  19. Take accountability for the financial management of the service, investing agreed budget to make maximum impact on agreed strategic targets and identifying opportunities for innovation.
  20. Seek to extend income generation through commercial use of services such as the Student Employment Agency, and externally funded projects, to enhance the quality of our services.
  21. Promote equality and diversity for students and staff and sustain an inclusive environment.
  22. Develop and maintain an external profile. Engage with relevant national and international debates and with professional institutes and practitioner societies, including the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service (AGCAS)

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

  • A post-graduate qualification or equivalent combination of professional experience and education/training.
  • Membership of The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (ACGAS).

Experience

  • Significant senior leadership experience in a relevant field such as careers, graduate/corporate recruitment, or talent development.
  • A track record of improving student and graduate outcomes through developing and embedding effective careers and employability strategies in Higher Education.
  • Proven delivery of operational targets derived from wider strategy.
  • Experience in designing solutions, which meet market/client needs.
  • Significant experience of effective liaison and networking, and the building of successful working relationships within and between organisations.
  • Demonstrable experience of managing and motivating careers/employability teams to achieve impact targets.
  • Experience of effectively managing budgets and determining and monitoring appropriate financial arrangements between partner institutions.

Skills, knowledge & abilities

  • An understanding of the changing dynamics of the graduate labour market, recruitment practices of employers and implications of relevant legislation.
  • Comprehensive understanding of the current issues and future developments related to Careers and Employability, with awareness of key upcoming challenges and opportunities.
  • Demonstrable knowledge of the region with a thorough understanding of key employers from across all sectors and industries.
  • Excellent people leader with a proven ability to develop a high-performance culture and lead by example.
  • Significant ability to identify and build long lasting and productive relationships with key stakeholders within industry.
  • Ability to promote employer and community engagement at a strategic level.
  • Ability to represent the University and the Service externally to employers and community organisations; to build productive, quality relationships.
  • Ability to assimilate changes in the sector which impact on the service and respond appropriately.
  • Excellent communication (written and verbal), including strong negotiation and influencing skills.
  • The ability to determine new partners based on sector knowledge.
  • Commitment to outstanding customer service and continuous quality improvement.
  • Ability to use and interpret numerical and statistical data to inform decisions and contribute to institutional decision making.
  • The ability to set appropriate service targets and monitor implementation of development plans to achieve desired impact.
  • Ability to strategically analyse and interpret data, policy documents and guidance and assess its impact on the University.
  • Strong business skills and commercial acumen and ability to manage budgets.
  • A good understanding of, and ability to work with, relevant online resources and social media.

Business requirements

  • Ability to travel nationally for University.
  • Undertake work outside of normal office hours.

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

  • Membership of relevant professional bodies.
  • Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
  • Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
  • Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
  • Discounted onsite gym
  • Discounted access to Devonshire Spa
  • Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance
  • Holiday trading
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • A flexible working environment
  • A commitment to personal and professional development

Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Dr Sophie Carney, Managing Consultant via sophie@peridotpartners.co.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

Lead with purpose, apply now to make an impact.

How to apply

Peridot Partners have been exclusively retained for this appointment. For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.peridotpartners.co.uk/jobs/head-of-careers-and-employability-university-of-derby/?apply.

Informal enquiries regarding this opportunity are welcome, and should be made to Dr Sophie Carney via sophie@peridotpartners.co.uk or call 07399 528307.

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility

This role is eligible for sponsorship by the University, however, your individual circumstances must meet the criteria set out by UKVI; this includes meeting the English Language requirement and earning a salary that meets the highest of either the going rate for the SOC code or the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker route (£38,700 per annum).

If the role is eligible, but the offered salary is less that the going rate for the role, you may still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa if:

  • Your job is on the Immigration Salary List

  • You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training

  • You have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job

  • The role you are applying for is a postdoctoral position

Please note that the University cannot confirm your eligibility for sponsorship until an offer is made and your individual circumstances have been considered.

For more information, visit Applying from Overseas.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

A university that celebrates you

Environmental Sustainability

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2040.

Environment and sustainability

 

Further details

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The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.