Schools and Colleges Regional Assistant

**Job details**

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**Responsible to**

Schools and Colleges Engagement Regional Lead

**Location**

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

**Closing date**

Monday 30 March 2026

**Salary**

£26,981 to £28,213 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £32,445 per annum)

**Job grade**

ATOS 4

**Reference**

0052-26

**Contract type**

Permanent

**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**

Our External Relations team is responsible for promoting and raising awareness of our University’s brand in the UK and overseas. From creating all messaging and content for external campaigns and our website, to social media, and managing events – ours is a highly complex and expert marketing, PR and Internal Comms environment, key to making the University shine.

**Schools and Colleges Liaison**

The Schools and Colleges Liaison team works closely with schools and colleges to provide a direct link to the University of Derby.

We offer an exciting and inspirational programme of activities designed to showcase the wide range of options available to students at the University.

**About the role**

In this exciting and dynamic role, you will be crucial to the delivery of our Schools and Colleges Engagement Strategy. As Schools and Colleges Regional Assistant, you will be raising awareness of the University of Derby and progression routes into Higher Education through a range of activities, including on-campus or in-school workshops, presentations, experience days and recruitment fairs, as well as virtual activities and events across a variety of digital platforms.

The role will require frequent and extensive travel to schools, colleges and events venues across the country. It requires evening and weekend working; the successful candidate must, therefore, be flexible, have excellent time management skills, and be confident in using their own initiative.

**About You**

We are seeking a motivated individual who is passionate about higher education and supporting the progression of prospective students. Strong communication skills, experience of customer service and the ability to engage creatively with prospective students using effective interpersonal and presentation skills are essential.

In this busy and fast-paced role, you will demonstrate excellent organisation skills and reliability, alongside a flexible and adaptive approach due to the requirement for some evening and weekend work as well as travel across the UK.

**Principal accountabilities**

Be an outstanding, knowledgeable and professional representative of the University at recruitment events, exhibitions, school and college Higher Education (HE) fairs, visits and other relevant events, liaising appropriately with staff, students and parents in a variety of settings.

Maintain full and detailed knowledge of all progression opportunities, including the University of Derby portfolio of courses, application and admission processes and student funding in order to provide HE-related information, advice and guidance.

Support the Schools and Colleges Liaison team to prepare, co-ordinate and deliver high quality, innovative recruitment activities in identified schools and colleges.

Work collaboratively with the University’s college marketing teams, widening access team, digital, events, campaigns and design teams to coordinate and deliver recruitment activity via online, social media, on and off campus and in-school/college methods as required.

Support University Open Day events and other key University of Derby marketing/recruitment events and activity.

Support the Head of Schools and Colleges Engagement and Schools and Colleges Regional Leads in developing strategies to meet recruitment targets to University of Derby.

Provide general administrative support to the team such as carrying out occasional research projects to support intel gathering and updating CRM data.

Support Schools and Colleges Regional Leads with planning, development and delivery of schools and colleges marketing plan; including support for social media, website, email communications and digital resource content.

Supervise and provide guidance to student employees when requested to do so by a member of the Schools and Colleges Liaison Team.

Support the training of student employees in regard to the needs of the work of the Schools and Colleges Liaison Team.

Log and evaluate all Schools and Colleges Liaison activity through the CRM system, record feedback and analyse the results to inform continuous improvement. Circulate feedback and recommendations for future.

Carry out duties in a safe and proper manner to comply with the University’s Health & Safety Policy and Equal Opportunities Policy.

**Person specification**

### **Essential Criteria**

#### **Qualifications**

• Honours degree or equivalent

#### **Experience**

• Demonstrable experience of delivering complex information in a creative and engaging way
• Experience in a customer service role
• Recent personal experience of higher education study

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

• Demonstrate a commitment to an excellent standard of customer service
• Evidence of excellent presentation skills
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Evidence of excellent IT skills, including use of social media and video conferencing platforms
• Evidence of good written and report writing skills
• Attention to detail
• Up to date knowledge of current issues affecting progression to HE
• Ability to work using your own initiative and as part of a team
• Ability to manage complex and conflicting demands
• Team player
• Innovative and creative thinker
• Flexible and adaptable in approach to work
• Consistent and reliable

#### **Business requirements**

• Undertake an Enhanced DBS disclosure
• Flexibility to working hours – with prior notice, must be willing to work evenings, weekend and some overnight work as appropriate
• Extensive local and some regional UK travel
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner

### **Desirable Criteria**

#### **Qualifications**

• Full driving licence

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

• Up to date knowledge of HE student funding, recruitment and qualifications

**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 Liam Dowson, Head of Schools and Colleges Engagement via l.dowson@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.

**Seize the opportunity to shape the future, 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.