CANDIDATE BRIEF

Overview of the Role

Do you want to enhance the employability prospects of students and graduates? Can you work across the University providing advice and guidance to students through the curriculum, group work and one-to-one interactions? Have you got a particular interest in advising Taught Post-graduate students? 

As a Career Consultant, you will make an active contribution to the personal and professional development of our students  (undergraduate and taught postgraduate ) and  graduates – delivering a high standard of support to help them progress in their professional development. With a pro-active approach to student and graduate engagement, you will develop initiatives to enhance employability prospects and inspire broad cohorts to engage with the Careers Service. You will also have a specialism in providing support for PGT students and be responsible for running events across the University for that specific cohort of students.

Initially working as part of the Leeds University Business School team, you will deliver high quality careers information, advice, and guidance to students and graduates in all faculties  through online and face to face sessions for individuals and groups. You will support the development and delivery of curriculum career development modules, working closely with academics. You will be expected to manage competing priorities, and to build professional relationships with key colleagues in the business school  and with employer partners. Further, you will be expected to work innovatively, collaboratively, and flexibly, within a culture of continuous improvement. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

As a Careers Consultant, your main duties will include: 

• Providing innovative and reflective approaches to careers advice and guidance practice with a focus on future trends;
• Being the lead Careers Consultant for Postgraduate work;
• Teaching and assessing on careers related modules and contributing to the development of new modules; 
• Developing and delivering new programmes of group work; 
• Identifying, establishing, and developing excellent relationships across the University and working in partnership with employability teams, academic and professional services colleagues to influence discussions/decisions around employability across the University; 
• Working with academic leads and wider programme teams to embed employability into programmes in line with the Leeds Curriculum, providing specialist careers and business development support; 
• Keeping up to date and providing consultancy to academic colleagues on all employability and career management issues including data on graduate destinations and student engagement, key policy developments and external drivers affecting the HE sector; 
• Representing the Careers Service on internal/external working groups and employer events; 
• Maintaining and developing key employer relationships working in partnership with the faculty to engage employers for careers and employability activity and contributing to employer events; 
• Contributing towards the achievement of Institutional, Student Careers and Faculty employability strategies, ensuring that initiatives and interventions support related Key Performance Indicators and objectives; 
• Through membership of relevant associations such as AGCAS, and via other means, developing expertise and contacts and sharing good practice and professional updates with colleagues; 
• Using technology enhanced learning and social media to engage with students, graduates, and employers; 
• Having a collaborative approach and commitment to continuous professional development; 
• Participating fully in any committees/forums/working groups within the Careers Service and Faculty, taking on responsibility for tasks, which may involve coordinating small teams and/or taking a lead on an area of specialist interest to the service dependent on business needs. 

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.  

Qualifications and Skills

• Professional Commitment to Employability: Demonstrated through a relevant qualification and/or substantial practical work experience (e.g., guidance/recruitment/placements), preferably within higher education (HE).
• Careers Guidance Expertise: Substantial experience in delivering career guidance services to students in one-to-one and group settings, with evidence of involvement in careers education.
• Effective Educator: Experience in developing and delivering engaging training, presentations, lectures, or workshops to diverse groups, both in-person and remotely. Capable of developing accredited teaching and learning materials and activities.
• HE Careers Education Insight: Good understanding of current policy, developments, and issues in HE careers education, information, advice and guidance, employability, and the graduate recruitment market.
• Business Development: Ability to liaise confidently with employers to develop opportunities for our students to make connections and to develop authentic in curriculum activities
• Digital Technology Proficiency: Confident and experienced user of digital technologies, particularly as they relate to education, career development, and student engagement.
• Project Leadership and Team Collaboration: Evidence of effectively leading, managing, and delivering on multiple projects, with a high degree of independence and organisation. Ability to work as a team player, collaborate across the institution and beyond, and inspire and influence others.

• Professional Body : Active membership of appropriate professional bodies e.g., AGCAS, CDI, CIPD, ASET, ISE.

Additional Information

Working at Leeds 

We are a campus based community and regular interaction with campus is an expectation of all roles in line with academic and service needs and the requirements of the role. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements. To find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Leeds area visit our Working at Leeds information page. 

Our University  

At the University of Leeds, we are committed to providing a culture of inclusion, respect and equity of opportunity that attracts, supports, and retains the best students and staff from all backgrounds. Whatever role we recruit for we are always striving to increase the diversity of our community, which each individual helps enrich and cultivate.  We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, those who belong to a minority ethnic community; people who identify as LGBT+; and disabled people. Candidates will always be selected based on merit and ability. 

Information for disabled candidates

Information for disabled candidates, impairments or health conditions, including requesting alternative formats, can be found on our Accessibility information page or by getting in touch with us at hr@leeds.ac.uk

Criminal Records

A criminal record check is not required for this position. However, all applicants will be required to declare if they have any ‘unspent’ criminal offences, including those pending.

Visa Eligibility

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa. 

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/global-talent.