Schools Engagement Assistant

Job Summary

Robert Gordon University (RGU) – Aberdeen’s university of choice for thousands of staff and students - has a well-established reputation as an innovative and modern workplace, with multiple awards and recognition of our courses and Schools.

A School Engagement Assistant is required to join the Widening Access Department to support the University in delivering its ambition and strategy of widening access to education. You will act as a key part of the widening access team, which has recently undergone extensive review in its strategy, presenting an exciting time and opportunity to join the department.

You will actively engage and deliver our re-developed schools engagement programme and will support the vast range of access and articulation suite of programmes. You will join a small team, and will work to support and deliver wider access programmes ensuring they run smoothly.

The role will be particularly attractive to individuals who enjoy contributing to a variety of projects at any given time, having an opportunity to apply their creativity and ambition to ensure success.

For informal enquiries please contact Connor Anderson, Regional Schools Engagement Manager at c.anderson7@rgu.ac.uk

To apply, please submit your CV and covering letter, detailing your suitability for the role as set out in the person specification below.

This post is subject to the individual being required to join the PVG scheme. For more information, visit: https://www.mygov.scot/pvg-scheme/

 

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Regional Schools Engagement Manager

RESPONSIBLE FOR: No supervisory responsibility

PURPOSE OF POST: To assist in the co-ordination and delivery of wider access programmes and assist in the development of the University's links with local partners such as schools and colleges.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

• To assist with the co-ordination and delivery of wider access programmes, predominantly focused on secondary school engagement but will be required to assist with articulation programmes at various points throughout the academic year.
• Develop and maintain internal and external stakeholder relationships, with good operational links to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
• Assist with the facilitation of meetings with internal and external partners to agree the scope of projects and review progress.
• Co-ordination of orientation and support activities to ensure these are delivered and evaluated successfully.
• Maintaining notes of meetings and project files, ensuring these remain up-to-date.
• Monitoring and tracking students to identify relevant issues and inform future work.
• Delivery of Wider Access programmes and activities, ensuring these are delivered as agreed within the Wider Access strategy.
• Assist the co-ordination and deliver the ACES activities and programmes throughout the academic year, liaising with university stakeholders, school pupils & external key partners to ensure a successful delivery.
• Develop and deliver key resources for workshops and presentations in relation to the ACES programme and the wider schools engagement portfolio of events/workshops.
• Evaluating activities for wider access students, working with other members of the Wider Access Unit team to ensure these are delivered and evaluated successfully.
• Develop positive working relationships with students and school pupils.
• Ensuring programmes run smoothly, with all necessary logistical arrangements made in good time.
• Promotion of opportunities for study and engagement with the University, including via routes such as Degree Link and other Wider Access programmes and initiatives.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Degree in relevant subject area or relevant experience

Knowledge and skills

An understanding of higher education

An awareness of the remit of the Wider Access Department

An ability to use standard IT packages (e.g. Word, PowerPoint)

Commitment to the personal development of young people

Ability to create and build positive individual relationships with young people across all secondary school year groups.

Experience

Daily management and co-ordination of projects and events

Setting up meetings and preparing formal notes

Creating and maintaining accurate records

Experience of working with young people

Experience of working as part of a team to deliver success

Experience of delivering presentations

Travel

Travel will be required to discharge duties

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Experience

Creative experience or practice within a creative field

Other

UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

Behaviour 1 - Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standard

Behaviour 2 - Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey both straightforward information, and information requiring careful explanation, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 3 - Initiative and Problem Solving - Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, identifying practical and suitable solutions.

Behaviour 4 - Liaison and Networking - Experience of circulating information in an accurate and timely manner and working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships