Weekly Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Fixed Term (Ends 31 July 2027)
Welsh Language Proficiency: Desirable
Transform Careers, Transform Lives
The Open University (OU) is the UK’s largest university and a global leader in flexible, part-time education. Our mission is to widen access to higher education while driving research excellence, transforming lives through education. You can learn more about us and our values by watching our short video on YouTube (please note, clicking the link will redirect you to YouTube).
About the Role
The successful candidate will join a team of professionally qualified Educational Advisers in a specialist guidance role. The primary objective of the role is to support students in Wales in achieving their academic goals by offering guidance and expertise across multiple communication channels.
The role will involve designing and delivering training to university staff, particularly within the Student Recruitment and Support (SRS) teams, to ensure consistency in delivering high-quality advice and guidance. You will play a pivotal role in promoting Matrix IAG (Information, Advice, and Guidance) principles and ensuring continuous improvement of student services in Wales.
Additionally, the role includes maintaining an in-depth understanding of the OU curriculum to effectively support students and foster the enhancement of student experiences across the university’s digital platforms.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide impartial, equitable, confidential, and student-focused educational guidance, adhering to university policies.
- Offer professional judgment and support for complex or high-risk student cases and escalate safeguarding or welfare concerns appropriately.
- Act as a subject matter expert to support the development of student-facing policies and processes and serve as a referral point for colleagues when required.
- Accurately record student and enquirer interactions within the university’s systems following established best practices.
- Enhance Student Recruitment and Support operations within Wales to drive student retention, progress, and satisfaction.
- Design, develop, and deliver staff training on advice, guidance, and IAG practices, as well as student support processes and policies.
- Refine written and digital resources and systems to meet evolving educational needs and improve operational efficiency.
- Maintain and develop professional skills to align with evolving business practices and improve personal performance.
- Occasionally travel to OU locations for meetings, training, and evaluations.
What We’re Looking For
Essential Criteria:
- Significant experience providing advice and guidance within adult, further, or higher education.
- Strong understanding of factors impacting student success, particularly in part-time and distance learning contexts.
- Proven ability in delivering student-centered guidance that supports informed, ethical, and impartial decision-making.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of translating complex information for diverse audiences.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including networking, negotiation, and teamwork.
- Experience designing, delivering, and evaluating staff training programs.
- Competency in using digital tools to provide effective guidance and support.
- Excellent planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a varied and demanding workload independently.
- Experience managing sensitive or complex student cases while exercising professional judgment in escalating safeguarding or welfare concerns appropriately.
Desirable Criteria:
- NVQ Level 4 in Guidance or a willingness to work toward a professional qualification if not already held.
- Relevant professional qualifications or evidence of training and CPD in the IAG field.
- Fluency in the Welsh language.
- Awareness of external education policy environments and how government priorities affect the university.
Support and Accessibility in Your Application
If you have any questions, require adjustments, or need further assistance with your application or the recruitment process, please contact us by calling 01908 541111 or emailing [email protected], quoting the advert reference number.
Applications can also be submitted in Welsh, and submitting in Welsh will not disadvantage your application in any way. Candidates invited for an interview will equally have the opportunity to use the Welsh language during their interview.
What’s in it for You?
At The Open University, we offer a variety of benefits to recognize and reward your contributions, accompanied by supportive policies for maintaining a great work-life balance. Full details of our benefits can be found on our Staff Benefits page (clicking the link will open in a new window).
Flexible Working Opportunities
We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours, job-sharing, compressed hours, or alternative setups. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss options that might work for you.
Working Location:
This role allows for a hybrid working model, combining remote working and attendance at our Cardiff office. It is expected the successful candidate will spend approximately two days a week in the office, depending on business needs. Candidates may also choose to work full-time from the Cardiff site if they prefer. Note that travel expenses to the Cardiff office will not be reimbursed.
Next Steps
Interview Process:
Dates for interviews are yet to be confirmed.
Early Closure Notice:
While most vacancies remain open until the advertised deadline, applications may be reviewed and closed earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications are received. However, all roles will be advertised for at least one week before any early closure.
If you’ve begun an application and the advert has closed, we encourage you to reach out to us. We’re dedicated to understanding individual circumstances and can provide additional support, including reasonable adjustments where required.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following documents:
- Your CV
- A Supporting Statement (up to 1,000 words) outlining why you’re interested in this role and detailing specific examples of how your skills and experiences align with the essential criteria outlined above.
Attach your statement to the CV field on the application form.
You can track the progress of your application through our recruitment system. For any updates, please also check your spam or junk email folders.
Inclusion and Diversity at The Open University
The Open University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, as reflected in our aim to be open to people, places, methods, and ideas. We foster an inclusive environment to help all members of our community reach their full potential.
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups. Additionally, we strive to create a supportive workplace for everyone through our policies, services, and staff networks.