Professional Skills Instructor/Mentor in Osteopathy

**Job details**

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**Responsible to**

Head of School of Health, Sport and Rehabilitation

**Location**

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

**Closing date**

Sunday 17 May 2026

**Salary**

£32,260 to £36,251 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £41,689 per annum)

**Job grade**

ATOS 6

**Reference**

0072-26

**Contract type**

Fixed term contract 24 Months

**Post type**

Full-time

**Adaptive working type**

Onsite

This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.

**About the University**

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

**About the College/Department**

At the heart of shaping future professionals and creative thinkers, the College of Health and Humanities brings together two dynamic and diverse schools:

**School of Health and Social Care**

Preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals and social care leaders through hands-on learning, expert teaching, and strong industry partnerships. Our courses are designed to meet the demands of real-world practice and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.

The School is made up of a broad range of subjects, reflecting the diversity and complexity of modern health and social care settings:

• Adult Nursing
• Associate and Enhanced Healthcare Practice
• Midwifery, Children’s Nursing and Professional Practice
• Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing
• Public Health and Social Care
• Diagnostics and Clinical Interventions
• Therapy and Rehabilitation

Through an integrated approach to learning and professional development, our students are equipped with the knowledge, values, and skills to thrive in their chosen fields and make a lasting impact.

**School of Humanities, Law and Creative Arts**

Celebrating creativity, critical thinking, and cultural exploration. This school nurtures writers, performers, thinkers and artists, offering opportunities to grow intellectually and creatively across subjects like English, History, Creative Writing, Fine Art, and Media.

Whether exploring the past, shaping future policy, telling powerful stories, or creating inspiring work, our students develop the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to society and the creative industries.

Together, the College of Health and Humanities delivers a rich, interdisciplinary environment where students gain the skills, experience, and inspiration to make a meaningful impact in society.

**About the Discipline**

The University of Derby recently took over the provision of Osteopathic education from its collaborative partner. From 1st August 2026, our Osteopath programme will be part of the School of Health, Sport and Rehabilitation. As part of our provision, the School runs an osteopathic clinic. The clinic is primarily operated by students, who are supervised by academic and instructor/mentor staff.

The team are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and high-quality clinical learning environment, as well as excellent patient care while helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours required for osteopathic practice. Working collaboratively, the team supports students to build confidence and competence through supervised clinical experience with members of the public who access care through the university clinic.

**About the role**

This role will support the clinical education of osteopathy students within the Derby University Osteopathy Clinic by providing mentorship, guidance, and oversight during patient consultations. The role holder will observe student practice, provide timely feedback to support the development of clinical reasoning, professional behaviours, and treatment planning, and help foster a safe and supportive learning environment. This role will work alongside academic staff to help maintain high standards of patient care by monitoring clinical activity, reinforcing clinic protocols, and escalating any concerns where appropriate. Through their presence in clinic sessions, the role will enhance the consistency and quality of student supervision, support the development of student confidence and competence, and contribute to the effective and safe operation of the clinic.

This role is a fixed term contract for 24 months.

**About You**

You will be an experienced and registered Osteopathic practitioner with a strong commitment to supporting the development of future professionals. You will have the ability to guide and mentor students in a clinical environment, offering constructive feedback that supports the development of safe, effective, and reflective practice. You will demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to build positive relationships with students, patients, and academic colleagues. A sound understanding of professional standards, clinical governance, and patient safety will be essential, along with the ability to model high standards of professional behaviour in practice. You will be supportive, approachable, and committed to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where students can develop confidence and competence in their clinical skills. Experience of teaching, mentoring, or supervising students or early-career practitioners would be advantageous.

**Principal accountabilities**

To plan and deliver professional, practical, technical, vocational and associated theoretical learning activities for students and apprentices including training, support for learning and assessment using a variety of methods both on and off the job.

Prepare suitable learning materials for a range of activities to develop the student’s knowledge, skills and behaviours linked to relevant apprenticeship standards or regulatory body frameworks.

Demonstrate tasks and processes to individuals and groups.

Provide instruction to the specified standards and provide feedback to students on progress through written and online methods, coaching for high expectations of progress and attainment.

Provide support and mentoring for students and apprentices in the setting of goals and objectives pertaining to their professional skill development needs.

To deliver advice and support, based on an in-depth knowledge and understanding of your discipline area e.g develop an understanding of course structures, learning outcomes, and PSRB requirements; undertake reviews with students, mentors, external partners and Personal Academic Tutors; review training needs and conduct action planning that support the development of knowledge skills and behaviours in relation to all practice learning opportunities e.g. Virtual, Clinical, Leadership and Management, Education, Research; provide guidance and support to students around setting objectives ahead of practice learning, and identifying gaps/areas for further focus.

Provide individual and group mentoring for students and apprentices to ensure that apprenticeship candidates are selected appropriately and are matched to the needs of the employer.

Supervise groups of apprentices undertaking knowledge and skill acquisition through scheduled off-the-job learning activities, project work or while on work placement.

Assess knowledge and skills acquisition using a variety of assessment methods including individual coaching techniques to accelerate the learning of knowledge, skills, and behaviours.

Provide specific learning support and coaching to students and apprentices as required and ensure that learning support records are kept up to date.

Work with groups of students, apprentices, or individuals to prepare them for external qualification and end-point assessment according to the requirements of the relevant apprenticeship.

Complete all associated internal, employer and external documentation and track the student’s progress, including recording student and apprentice data on attendance and achievement using prescribed records systems, both manual and online.

Ensure that any assessment carried out is completed to the standards laid down by the awarding body and the College Quality Assurance systems.

Integrate the development of English and Mathematics skills, including their integration into broader learning activities linked to both on and off-the-job activities.

Monitor attendance of students and apprentices at prescribed off-the-job learning activities, ensuring that records systems are updated as required and employers are kept informed.

Ensure that students and apprentices are coached to always behave in a professional manner to a high standard of safety in the workplace and during off-the-job activities.

Work with liaison and business development teams and independently to develop new business opportunities and placements to increase employer engagement and apprentice uptake and progression.

To undertake any other duties which may, from time to time, reasonably be required within the general level of responsibility.

Achieve personal and team targets for recruitment, progress, completion and achievement or apprentices within designated durations.

To take an active role in the mentoring and progress of students and apprentices, providing a liaison between the student/apprentice, their employer and the off-the-job training provider.

Take an active part in the College and University’s Staff Development Programmes

Take an active role, when required, in all curriculum management activities, including open days, recruitment events and external moderation activities.

To understand and comply with the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy.

To comply with copyright, software licensing legislation and related University procedures.

To ensure that the College’s quality assurance procedures are adhered to, and additional action is taken where necessary.

To comply with the requirements of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults, Health and Safety, Quality and other University policies including Risk Management.

**Person specification**

### **Essential Criteria**

#### **Qualifications**

• Good Honours Degree in a relevant subject or discipline
• Registration with the General Osteopathic Council as an Osteopath
• Hold or be willing to undertake a teaching qualification
• Level 2 Qualifications (either in Functional Skills or GCSE A-C/4-9) in both English and maths or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale

#### **Experience**

• Experience within and/or knowledge of the health and/or care sectors
• Demonstrable evidence of ability to engage with learners to support high quality learning outcomes

#### **Skills, knowledge and abilities**

• Highly developed communication skills
• Ability to use own initiative
• Ability to work effectively on your own and with a small team
• Well-developed administrative and organisational skills
• Ability to work flexibly within a team
• Good time management skills

#### **Business requirements**

• Evidence of CPD in mentoring, coaching or demonstrating
• A commitment to the principle of widening participation
• A commitment to continued professional development
• A commitment to College and University values and behaviours
• A willingness to work across College sites and externally
• Ability to work evenings, weekends and during holiday periods

### **Desirable Criteria**

#### **Qualifications**

• Postgraduate qualification(s) in a relevant subject area
• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
• Fellowship or Associate Fellowship of Advanced HE (HEA)

#### **Experience**

• Experience or knowledge of higher education and ability to use a range of techniques to inspire and engage students
• Experience of Internal and External verification and moderation processes
• Practical experience of promoting equality and diversity
• Practical experience of promoting Behaviours and attitudes
• Practical experience of promoting Personal development

#### **Skills, knowledge and abilities**

• An appropriate level of digital capability and aptitude with practical experience of applications which aid student learning
• Ability to communicate complex and conceptual ideas to a range of groups
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including networking and relationship building skills, both across the University and externally
• Understanding of the current higher education environment and its implications for the student learning experience

#### **Business requirements**

• Full UK driving licence

**Benefits**

• Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

**Key contact**

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Dr Andy Hooton, Head of School of Health, Sport and Rehabilitation via A.Hooton@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

**Important information**

#### **Visa Sponsorship Eligibility**

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

#### **DBS check**

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

#### **Equity, diversity and inclusion**

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.

We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.

When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.

The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.

However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.

Read more about equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of Derby.

#### **Environmental Sustainability**

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.

**Be part of something extraordinary, apply now.**

**How to apply**

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You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

**The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.**

If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby.ac.uk.

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.