Regional Student Support Officer South

The Role

This is an exciting oppotunity to join our impactful Student Support Team (within Operations). Regional Student Support Officers provide specialist advice and support to colleagues across the business guiding them on their approach to Student Support related matters. The Student Support Team provide indirect support to our customers by upholding our processes and Support to Stay framework, delivered by property teams, in order to manage the breadth of student wellbeing cases.

Under the line management of the Regional Student Support Managers, the Regional Student Support Officers provide day to day advice, guidance and where needed, `on the ground` support to city teams, including delivering training and coaching to address specific challenges in delivery. Balancing their knowledge of the nuances of the cities within their region and their knowledge of national best practice, they are the primary Officer on operational implementation of intervention, legal compliance and consistency of approach to Student Support throughout the region and nationally. The service aim is to provide a consistent proactive and reactive response to student wellbeing matters, maximise student belonging and success, and to facilitate timely access to appropriate supportin partnership with their university and other relevant services.

What You`ll Be Doing

• Ensure that all student-facing employees are able to report and escalate student wellbeing concerns appropriately and have a thorough understanding of appropriate referral pathways (internally and externally)
• Operating as a point of escalation and advice to Student Experience staff; and escalating up to Regional Student Support Managers appropriately
• Provide peer to peer supervision and communication with Student Experience Teams (including Team Leaders and Managers), identifying training and development needs and offering `coaching` style support to aid their development
• Supporting the work of Regional Student Support Managers to establish and maintain excellent working relationships and networks with Student Services professionals in universities and relevant community organisations, including participation in multi-stakeholder committees (e.g. student safety committees)
• A committed and strategic approach to balancing safeguarding responsibilities and reasonable duty of care, within the limitations associated with being an accommodation provider - trained as a Designated Safeguarding Officer for the region, you will be alert to concerns, liaising with the Regional Student Support Manager (Safeguarding Lead) to be responsive to safeguarding risks
• Develop and contribute to content and resources which address trends and concerns that impact on the student population, taking responsibility for your own learning and understanding of the key issues
• Support the wider team to build greater awareness of student wellbeing issues across the region, and its relevance to the national picture, including sharing data and learnings, updating on new policy and cascading training as required
• Support the Head of Student Support in implementing a national best practice approach and contribute to the future development of Student Support
• Working closely with other teams i.e H&S and Regional Estates teams to be responsive too the additional needs of students and accommodating reasonable adjustment processes.
• Having a routine and responsive in-person presence, and a strong virtual presence connecting with teams, in order to maintain a reasonable level of visibility throughout the region i.e. attending in person where needed, alongside a routine city presence month on month

What We`re Looking for in You

• A good working knowledge of the issues facing students
• An understanding of disabilities and barriers to education
• The ability to empathise with a variety of welfare issues and understand the impact these have on young people
• An understanding of the challenges of working within a geographically dispersed organisation
• A good working knowledge of University, NHS and community services
• Strong communications skills with the ability to present an inclusive and engaging training session to a range of key stakeholders
• A clear commitment to personal development
• Demonstrable experience of indpendent working - able to make your own schedule
• Experience of working in or with students / student accommodation or young people aged 18-25 years old
• Experience of community build and wellbeing iniatives
• Experience of managing high risk student cases and an ability to identify and prioritise concerns
• MHFA Trainer qualificationor similar and /or a willingness to undertake training as required is desirable
• Flexibility to work unsociable or extended hours due to business needs, or in response to incidents as required
• Flexibility to travel within region but also on occasion to travel outside region for team meetings

What You`ll Get in Return

• An annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
• 25 days` paid holiday
• Pension - based on how much you save, we`ll contribute 1% more
• Flexible working opportunities
• Shared Parental Leave - 18 weeks full pay
• Other benefits include, ShareSave, Bike to Work, Charity Match, amazing discounts and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is a FTSE 250 business and the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 25 leading university towns and cities, with 74,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.