Aspiring Professionals Programme Coordinator (Glasgow)

Job Title: Aspiring Professionals Programme Coordinator 

Location: Glasgow x1. SMF staff are currently working with a mix of home and office working for staff across all cities and so it is expected that you would travel to these locations to support with student delivery.

Contract Type: 12-month Fixed Term contract (with potential to extend)

Closing Date: 23:59pm on Thursday 30th November 2023

Reporting line: Senior Aspiring Professionals Programme Coordinator

Salary band: £24,900-£29,900 per annum. It is our usual practice to offer at the bottom of the salary band.  

Annual leave and Benefits: 25 days annual leave; time off in lieu for work outside contractual hours; 5% employer pension contribution after a satisfactory completion of a four-month probation period and flexible working hours.  

Hours: Full time (37.5 hours) 9am-5.30pm (flexible working hours available)  

The Organisation  

The Social Mobility Foundation is a high profile charity with offices across the UK. We help young people from low income backgrounds enter universities and professions through our flagship programme of mentoring, internships, university application support and skills development, the Aspiring Professionals Programme. We also advocate and influence for social mobility through our work with employers, including the Social Mobility Employers Index, and our campaigns and advocacy arm, the Department for Opportunities.    

We strive for excellence in everything we do: the right candidate will be joining an enthusiastic, committed and successful team, which has high expectations for the young people we support.  

The Opportunity

The Aspiring Professionals Programme (APP) Coordinator role will be well-suited to someone who is focused on the best ways they can help the aims of the charity as well as those of our participants and partners. The APP Coordinator is responsible for supporting the delivery and development of the Social Mobility Foundation’s programme of activities for young people through their S5-6/sixth form and university years.   

The SMF offers online support and opportunities, and so this role will involve providing virtual support to students across the UK as well as working face to face with our students and employers in and around our target city offices.   

Person Specification   

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills   
• Strong administration skills and confidence with using IT   
• Confidence in preparing and delivering presentations in a face to face and virtual setting  
• Experience of relationship management and customer service   
• Excellent attention to detail when undertaking tasks   
• Ability to work as part of a small team   
• Hard-working and efficient   
• Self-starter with ability to prioritise tasks   
• Ability to adapt to new situations that may arise and problem solve effectively   
• Committed to the aims of the charity   

We value ability and potential more than specific experience, and we are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities. We actively encourage applications from people from low socio-economic backgrounds, from people who are care-experienced, and from people who are Black, Asian or of minoritised ethnicity.  

Main Responsibilities

1. Achieving Results   

• Organising and supporting skills sessions, supporter events, university trips, both in person or virtually  
• Coordinating logistics for virtual and in person events, including securing venues and speakers, producing webinars and video calls, collating responses, attendee lists and feedback/evaluation
• Allocation of internships and liaison with students and employers in allocated career sectors  
• Support the running of the Social Mobility Foundation’s Mentoring Programme in allocated sector and region in question, including monitoring the relationship of participants and their mentors in assigned sectors   
• Liaise with employers to support students in their applications for internships and graduate jobs   
• Assisting with the organisation and delivery of in person residential programmes for students from across the country 
• Building relationships with schools and employers to promote and gain support for SMF’s programmes, including visiting schools in the coordinator’s region and engaging virtually with schools and employers across the UK  

2. Self-management   

• Taking a problem-solving approach to the role, escalating issues as needed   
• Developing a strong understanding of the SMF’s work and social mobility across the UK  Demonstrating SMF values in all work   
• Using initiative to ensure effective liaison between the SMF and its student participants and target schools and colleges
• Using initiative to ensure effective liaison between the SMF and its employer partners   

3. Delivering Excellence   

• Maintaining excellent monitoring, evaluation and tracking procedures for student progress and the effectiveness of activities and events; compiling reports as required   
• Undertaking all relevant activities to ensure the stakeholder relationships are well maintained, including meetings and email/letter correspondence, general admin tasks, and the resolution of any complaints   

4. Collaboration   

• Primary point of contact with students in designated region   
• Other duties, as required by the management team, to assist the operation of the SMF’s activities   

Application Process  

Interested candidates should apply to our application portal Breathe by submitting the following information by 23.59pm, on Thursday 30th November.

• A letter outlining your suitability for the post along with specific examples from past experience. Please ensure a contact number is included.  
• A short statement answering the question: What do you think are the main concerns that the young people, that SMF target, face regarding access to universities and professions? (500 words maximum) 

Please note that generic applications and CV’s will not be considered. 

Interviews: 1st round interviews will take place from 7th December. Interview candidates may be asked to complete online tests. This will be arranged after interview.