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About

At Anglia Ruskin University we strive to ensure that our students receive an outstanding academic education and student experience, which supports effective personal and professional development. Our curriculum offers the highest quality of education across a broad range of academic disciplines, which gives our students the opportunity to enhance their employability skills so that they succeed in an ever-changing and competitive graduate labour market.

Excellence

Anglia Ruskin is an innovative global university with students from 185 countries coming to study with us. We've once again been named as one of the top 350 institutions in the world in The Times Higher Education's World University Rankings 2018.

Diversity

We're committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality. We seek to develop our people to be responsive, and equip our students for life in a multicultural and diverse society. Our aim is to provide a supportive environment in which to work and study, where treating others with dignity, courtesy and respect is standard.

Process

SearchHigher has been exclusively retained by Anglia Ruskin as the executive search firm for this appointment and welcome your application and enquiries.

Head of Employability role

The Role

Head of Employability

Job Purpose

To be responsible for the strategic and professional leadership of the service and the provision of the highest quality careers education, information and guidance, ensuring that strategies are in place to deliver the best employment outcomes for our students

To promote the regional, national and international employability of Anglia Ruskin’s students and graduates

Key responsibilities and accountabilities
  1. Provide leadership to the Employability Service which will ensure the delivery of a high quality service that meets the needs of our university and its students and which will be externally recognised to be amongst the best in the sector.
  2. Support the ongoing development and the implementation of our Employability Strategy, so that the highest impact and best employment outcomes are achieved by our students.
  3. Develop effective working relationships with key stakeholders within our university, including senior Faculty colleagues and others needed to deliver our employability aims and objectives, also to ensure that our work with employability contributes to wider institutional goals regarding student engagement, retention and progression.
  4. Build and develop extensive and effective relationships with graduate recruiters to inform our employability related activities.
  5. Ensure that appropriate management, staffing and other structures are in place to enable the Employability Service to deliver and develop high quality services to our students in keeping with our vision, values and goals.
  6. Lead, manage and develop our staff so that they are equipped to deliver our employability and graduate employment targets.
  7. Oversee the management of our in house recruitment agency, the Employment Bureau, ensuring that it meets it financial and placement targets.
  8. Lead on the annual Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, working with Faculty and other colleagues to ensure an effective graduate response, timely reporting of results and development of an appropriate action plan with measurable outcomes.
  9. Utilise and exploit technology to maximise the development of employability skills throughout the student journey.
  10. Ensure that there are appropriate monitoring, feedback and quality processes in place and that these are used to inform current practice, service development and planning.
  11. Commit to the Student Services' vision: to deliver outstanding support and opportunities to our students; promote our students success and increase their satisfaction; champion the student experience in our University and be an exemplar of best practice for the sector.
  12. Ensure that budgets are managed effectively, maximising any sources of income available to contribute to costs.
  13. Comply with Data Protection requirements in all working practices, and maintain confidentiality, as necessary.
  14. Lead on compliance with policies and procedures relating to employment of temporary staff and permanent working, audit and data protection requirements in all working practices.
  15. Effectively contribute to the Student Services Leadership Group and to the work of Student Services as a whole.
  16. Work collaboratively across all areas of Student Services to enhance and develop service delivery as well as to support colleagues at peak times.
  17. Such other duties temporarily or on a continuing basis, as may reasonably be required, commensurate with your grade.

ESSENTIAL skills


EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS

  • Higher Degree or relevant professional qualification at post graduate level (chartered where appropriate)

EXPERIENCE

  • Significant leadership and management experience at a senior level
  • Experience of strategic and operational planning in a complex organisation
  • Proven success as a provider of careers and employability advice and guidance
  • Experience of developing relationships with external partners, employers and businesses
  • Experience of change management and development
  • Experience of effective budget planning and management
  • Demonstrable track record and commitment to continuous customer service excellence
  • Excellent knowledge and current understanding of graduate recruitment trends nationally and internationally

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS

  • Ability to set and meet strategic targets with clear outcomes
  • Strong knowledge of the current issues affecting the provision of employability and careers support and development in Higher Education
  • Knowledge of relevant legislation including employment legislation and immigration regulations (particularly Tier 4 workers)
  • Enhanced knowledge of Data Protection requirements
  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills including the ability to create and analyse management information that includes basic statistics
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
  • Able to interact effectively with both students and staff at all levels and progress work activities as well as work as part of a team

PERSONAL QUALITIES/DISPOSITION

  • Professional with the ability to influence and motivate others
  • Focussed, motivated and possessing exceptional relationship building skills
  • Resilient, with the ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
  • Able to address difficult issues, find solutions and take responsibility for the outcomes
  • Flexible and adaptable approach
  • Supportive of others in pressurised environments
  • Commercially aware

OTHER

  • Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Willing and able to travel between campuses and other locations as required
  • Willing and able to work flexibly to cover events and activities outside of usual working hours
  • Committed to our Health and Safety policies and procedures

DESIRABLE skills


EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS

  • Professional qualification in Careers management
  • Professional qualification in Leadership and Management

EXPERIENCE

  • Management experience in Higher Education
  • Experience of graduate recruitment environment

Application process

SearchHigher has been exclusively retained by Anglia Ruskin University as the executive search firm for this appointment. To apply for this role, please email a CV and supporting statement to m.holleran@searchhigher.com

Head of Employability APPLY

To make an informal enquiry, please contact Mark Holleran

Or call our office on +44 (0)24 76522050