Key information

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne (Hybrid)

Hours: 20 hours p/w (Occasional availability from 5-6pm for events and webinars a few times a year will be required, with reasonable notice given)

Start date: 27th November (we are happy to work with you and your notice period)

Duration: 12 Month Contract

Salary: £25,800 - £26,750 pa, pro rata, (Actual salary: £13,760 - £14,267), plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: Thursday 26th October 2023, 12pm (noon)

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?  

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

Our values

upReach upholds the following values:

• Perseverance

• Integrity

• Advocacy

• Aspiration

• Proactivity 
  

Role Overview

We are seeking to hire a part-time Aspire Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity to work on a growing area of the charity, assisting under 18s to explore their career options within a close and supportive team. 

This individual will work alongside the Delivery Project Manager and Aspire Programme Leader to expand upReach’s Aspire resources across the UK, with a particular focus on the North East of England. They will deliver on-demand and live webinars, as well as in-person sessions to promote Aspire resources and actively empower state schooled students to make more informed decisions about their post-18 options. 

Responsibilities 

Aspire Coordinator: This person will contribute to upReach's mission, by working on upReach’s pre-18-focussed programme, Aspire.

You will be leading on the creating, distributing and promoting of upReach’s free Aspire resources to sixth form students across the UK, and will report directly to the Delivery Project Manager. You will also work alongside various teams, including the National Development Manager (to promote the resources outside London and the South East, with a particular focus on the North East), the Alumni team to recruit volunteers for programme delivery, and the Aspire Programme Leader to manage key relationships with pre-18 collaborators.

The Core responsibilities include: 

• Assist in the production and distribution of the annual Aspire Guide, ensuring it contains information that is up-to-date, inclusive and informative. 

• Take the lead on the Aspire Webinar Series by agreeing themes, setting agendas, recruiting appropriate speakers, hosting sessions and assessing impact and effectiveness.

• Produce, deliver and monitor the effectiveness of Aspire’s quarterly teacher newsletter. 

• Manage the registration and reminder process for the Aspire Webinar series. 

• Take the lead on the Aspire on-demand resources, including creation and effective marketing, alongside the Aspire Programme Leader.

• Assist the Aspire Programme Leader in delivering in-person sessions, focussed in the North East.

Please note that it is not possible for the job description to cover the exhaustive list of responsibilities of your role due to the varied nature of the role. The job description aims to provide an overview of your remit. 

Skills 

The ideal candidate for Aspire Coordinator should display these skills: 

• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to prioritise a varied workload, manage multiple priorities and deliver to tight deadlines.

• Excellent communication skills and strong written English with the ability to communicate with students and volunteers.

• Ability to engage confidently with upReach stakeholders, such as beneficiaries, funders, representatives of partner organisations and all levels of employees across the charity.

• Strong problem-solving skills.

• Awareness of social mobility issues in the UK, as well as the education system,  university landscape and graduate recruitment.

• Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as independently.

• Critical thinking skills to enhance problem solving and reporting.

Experience

This position would be suited to someone who is committed to upReach’s mission. We are looking for people who are passionate about social mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. 

To be successful, it is anticipated that this you would have previous experience creating engaging content and webinars to inform and inspire young people. You should also have knowledge of the social mobility challenges that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds might face in terms of accessing career information and opportunities.

You should be proactive, resilient and used to managing multiple priorities within a varied workload. You should also be flexible and willing to perform varying duties according to the shifting needs of a mid-sized charity. Therefore, experience working in a fast-paced environment and working independently to find solutions is highly desirable. 

The nature of the role requires a high standard of Maths and English, and the ability to quickly review a large amount of information and identify and present key themes clearly. Applicants may demonstrate this through the academic qualifications shown above and/or other relevant experience. 

Desirable Experience:

• Experience coordinating with third party organisations (eg colleges and charities)

• Experience managing large databases of information, including sending mail merges and/or Excel, with the ability to accurately track and regularly update.

• Awareness of social mobility issues in the UK, as well as the education system,.  university landscape and graduate recruitment.

• Good knowledge of how to use a Customer Relationship Management system (CRM).

• Familiarity with Canva, Mailchimp, G Suite, and/or Zoom video conferencing software.

• Good knowledge of GDPR legislation and regulations.

• Good knowledge of safeguarding for a pre-18 audience.

• Good comprehension of how to use data to demonstrate impact and tell a story.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are committed to assissting you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave.

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• Monthly socials.

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Ethnic Minorities Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network 

Ready to apply?

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you have particular needs or requirements, please get in touch using recruitment@upReach.org.uk.

Applications close at 12pm (noon) on Thursday 26th October.

Early applications are encouraged as we will be scheduling interviews on an ongoing basis. 

If you have any questions regarding the role please email us at recruitment@upReach.org.uk. 

Equal Opportunities

upReach is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We promote workplace diversity and believe it creates dynamic and effective organisations. We are working hard to increase diversity in our team and would particularly welcome applications from ethnic minority candidates.