Head of Careers & Future

• Position:Head of Careers & Future
• Location: Near Potters Bar, Herts
• Salary: £40,000 per annum
• Contract: Permanent, Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
• * Full-time, term-time plus two weeks, to include A-Level results days and the subsequent Clearing period.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

This role will suit a dynamic and proactive person who would run and develop the Careers and Futures programme for the school. Our principal aim is to ensure that our pupils are ready for life beyond the school, in terms of higher education and the skills essential for their professional lives, and whilst our focus is on next steps (through the school, to higher education and early career), our programme aims to instil a lifelong approach to successful learning and career management.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

To manage our programme of Careers guidance, ensuring that we address the needs of each pupil, in all year groups. This will include developing activities relating to the Gatsby Benchmarks, managing the process of delivering careers interviews, providing ongoing guidance regarding careers and higher education, and planning curriculum and tutorial guidance, including delivering relevant PSHCEE lessons, across the whole school

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Deliver a Careers Programme

• Work closely with Heads of Year to develop an exciting Careers Programme to run in each year group
• Work closely with the Head of PSHCEE on the Careers element of that programme and deliver relevant parts of the course
• Develop a programme of encounters with employers, work-related learning, work visits and work experience
• Organise careers lunches, the annual Careers Convention and other relevant activities
• Organise trips to university fairs and to other Higher Education providers as required
• Manage support for applications to degree apprenticeships, gap years, work experience programmes or jobs
• Design and deliver activities to help pupils develop career management skills, such as CV writing, interviews etc.
• Work with the Sixth Form team to inspire, equip and manage pupils through all aspects of the university application process.

Advice

• Provide advice to pupils and parents on all career, higher education, apprenticeship, work experience, internships and other options available at appropriate points in their journey
• Offer consultation appointments at parents' meetings to confirm careers guidance to parents
• Organise psychometric profiles and careers interviews for pupils
• Provide advice on A-Level choices relevant for a chosen career
• Be available for guidance and support to both parents and pupils during the A-Level results period
• Provide advice, guidance and support for those considering a Gap Year
• Provide advice, guidance and support for those who are making university applications.

Communication

• Work with the Old School Association to foster useful careers links and work experience
• Work with the Head of PR and Publicity in marketing the schools Careers Programme
• In conjunction with the Head of PR and Publicity, produce careers publications (physical and electronic)

Events

• Organise an annual Careers Convention
• In conjunction with the Head of PSHCEE and the Head of Sixth Form, organise visiting speakers in a range of Careers
• Organise appropriate lunches focused on careers of interest to students with those established in a particular industry
• For the Sixth Form, organise and coordinate a range of events and workshops, including a presentation skills workshop, and an enhancing employability skills workshop
• Think of new and innovative ways to support our students embarking on a particular career

Strategic

• Take responsibility for the delivery of Careers across the whole school in line with the Independent Schools Standards
• Keep abreast of developments in careers and disseminate information as necessary
• Keep in touch with the careers market to enable relevant and accurate support to our pupils
• Establish contacts with people in a wide range of industries and professions
• Take initiative, and promote change where it is necessary
• Gain a recognised Careers Education quality mark.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Core competencies

• A thorough understanding of the statutory framework regarding safeguarding
• A clear commitment to the school's strategic vision and its ethos
• A clear commitment to our pupils and their learning, wellbeing and safety
• The ability to apply school policies and practices professionally.

Qualifications

• A good honours degree is essential.

Experience

• Evidence of further professional development
• Experience and ability to lead, direct and manage staff
• Proven ability to operate at a strategic level, leading and embedding change
• Experience of Careers guidance for young people.

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE:

• Ability to think strategically and creatively
• Comfortable and effective communicating with pupils, parents and governors as well as colleagues, orally and in writing
• Excellent organisational skills
• Knowledge of the Gatsby benchmarks and the Career Development Institute's Career Development Framework
• Excellent, current IT skills.

Thank you for your interest in this vacancy, which is being advertised by Smart10 Recruitment Group, who are acting as an employment agency / business. Your application will be considered in competition with others and we will contact you within 3 working days if you have been shortlisted.
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