Head of Employer Engagement

About The Aziz Foundation        

We at The Aziz Foundation are a family charitable foundation established to support British Muslim communities to flourish and give back to our country. Through our flagship Masters Scholarships programme, the Foundation has invested over £8 million into more than 700 scholarships for British Muslims pursuing postgraduate degrees as well as working with employers to facilitate work experience and internships for young British Muslims.  We have also supported a wide range of charitable initiatives, including funding of historic buildings, community sports, research into discrimination, interfaith activities and the engagement of British Muslims in the democratic process of our country. 

Job Purpose 

This is a new and vital role for the Foundation, involving developing our work around employment, which will support British Muslims to access employment and develop their careers in fields in which we are currently under-represented.  You will be part of a matrix-working team that will collectively develop this piece of work, so you will not be simply implementing an existing plan; you’ll be there from the start with key input into how this should be designed and implemented. 

Your key role will be to engage with employers in target industries of journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI.  This will involve direct engagement with employers with whom we have no existing engagement, building on relationships we already have and working with third-party ‘intermediary bodies’ and organisations representing employers across entire sectors.  The role seeks to achieve a clear impact by getting people into good quality roles with leading employers. 

Internal relationships 

You will report to the Director of the Foundation, who will work closely with you in the development of this new programme.  The Foundation currently has five staff, now growing to eight.  We are a tight-knit team that goes over and above to support one another.  

This role will work closely with the role we are advertising in parallel, the Head of Careers & Talent Development.  That role is more at the “supply” end – identifying and engaging graduates and other potential candidates to engage with employers. 

Key Responsibilities 

Broadly, the main duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Build and manage employer partnerships across all target sectors: journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 

• Ensure our CRM system is maintained to track all external and internal communication for your area of work 

• Convene roundtables and sector networks. 

• Deliver employer engagement on employment practices that will support the recruitment and retention of 

the best British Muslim young people 

• Collaborate with internal colleagues to align employer needs with graduate pathways. 

• Collaborate with the Communications function to ensure internal and external promotion 

Person Specification 

When completing the cover letter in the process of applying for the role, ensure that you address how you meet each of the “essential” criteria in the person specification and, where relevant, how you meet the “desirable” criteria. 

1. Experience 

Essential 

• Minimum five years’ professional experience in a related role 
• Experience in employer engagement or partnership management 
• Understanding of recruitment practices and workplace culture within British employers 
• Commitment to equity and supporting underrepresented communities.

Desirable

• Specific experience working in one of the target fields: journalism, law, arts, public policy, and tech/AI 

2. Skills and Abilities

Essential 

• Strong communication and facilitation skills 
• Solutions-focused – the ability to find ways to make things work rather than to find problems 
• An understanding of the challenges facing the British Muslim community