£38,285 to £45,738 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £52,605 per annum)
Onsite
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.
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.
The Registry support all aspects of the student journey, right from initial enquiry and application, all the way through to final award and student completion. We strive to provide an outstanding service to all our users and to be thought leaders in our fields of expertise, developing research informed practise. Registry teams work collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver a high-performance culture that promotes wellbeing, diversity and opportunity for all, supporting excellent student experience.
Student Services provides a range of student support, information, guidance and development services across the University including wellbeing, counselling, disability, mental health, financial support and other key services delivered centrally. These teams work closely together (and with other sections of the university) to provide the best possible services to our students, to enhance the student experience, to help students achieve their full potential and to meet the strategic aims of the University. These services central to the student experience they are visible, seamless, effective and tailored to the needs of our student community.
You will provide operational management to a large team of specialist support staff, and will manage and coordinate the delivery of a high volume and expert support service provided to disabled students via the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), in house provision and via partner providers.
You will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the service provision with a view to continuous improvement in the student experience, ensuring that the service is compliant to current Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) and that the support translates into measurable positive impacts upon student outcomes.
This position is offered on a fixed-term basis to cover a period of maternity leave, with the contract due to end in February 2027. There may be the potential for the contract to be extended beyond this date, however this cannot be guaranteed.
We are seeking a proactive, experienced disability support professional with strong leadership and service development skills. You’ll be passionate about inclusive practice, able to manage complex teams, and committed to enhancing student outcomes. A strategic thinker with operational expertise and a collaborative mindset is essential.
You will have a strong track record of achieving results in a service environment and of striving to deliver services which exceed expectations and represent best practice.
You will have demonstrable experience of effectively managing a team of specialist, professional and administrative staff in a complex organisation underpinned by an ability to manage and motivate staff in a dynamic environment.
You will be adept at designing and implementing rigorous processes to maximise service effectiveness, including experience of effectively developing systems, policies and procedures in relation to disability.
You will need to be able to prioritise tasks while working under pressure and have experience of scheduling complex activities to inform planning and decision making.
* To manage the staff of the service, individually and as a team, being responsible for all staffing matters and ensuring effective service delivery through recruitment, supervision and development of a range of support workers.
* To support the Head of Student Services in planning the continuous enhancement of all aspects of the support service, developing its effectiveness and impact and ensuring procedures and practice evolve to meet changing needs.
* To oversee DSA funded Non-Medical Helper (NMH) support (both in-house provision and liaison with partner providers), to support the strategic priorities of the universities, and ensure ongoing alignment with market conditions and regulatory requirements. This will include sustaining the commercial viability and effectiveness of NMH provision through partnerships, effective policies and robust supplier management to minimise costs and maximise income, in conjunction with the Head of Student Services.
* To ensure appropriate levels of service awareness and attractiveness amongst students and staff. In particular, to ensure an appropriate online presence for the service and availability of online self-help resources and tools as well as participation in key student life cycle events.
* The postholder will lead on implementing, monitoring and evaluating activity using an evidence-based approach including Key Performance Indicators for service delivery and student satisfaction, efficiency targets, benchmarks and University ISMs.
* To ensure effective relationships with external agencies (such as the NHS and voluntary sectors) and to develop partnerships as necessary to extend and improve services for students.
* To deliver one to one assessment, advice and case work with students as appropriate, including for escalated or more complex cases, or situations where students need to see a practitioner urgently.
* To ensure that all the activities of the support team is compliant with relevant legislation, regulations, policies and procedures. This will also include compliance with the requirements of Student Loans Company (SLC), Department for Education (DfE) etc.
* To keep abreast of developments in the Non-Medical Helper support arena, including assistive technology, and advising the Head of Student Services accordingly.
* As part of Student Services management team to lead by example and take every opportunity to foster the development of a collaborative, responsive, transparent and service orientated culture.
* To continuously improve personal and team performance by proactively managing personal professional development and maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of student disability issues. To provide support and development to the Student Support Team and other Student Services’ teams, in dealing with all matters relating to support for disabled students and the embedding of inclusive practice.
* Participate in external activities and organisations related to student support and wellbeing, where these benefit students and staff.
* Contribute to raising awareness of disability within the student population through collaboration with colleagues within the Student Services, professional services andthe Colleges. Prepare and deliver a range of advice and guidance sessions at various inductions, Open Day and admissions events throughout the year.
* A professional qualification relating to the area of disability and / or membership of a professional body such as NADP (National Association of Disability Practitioners)
Experience
* Substantial experience in the provision of disability support (preferably within the HE/FE environment), with a thorough understanding of the complexities involved
* Experience of effectively managing a team of specialist, professional and administrative staff in a complex organisation underpinned by an ability to manage and motivate staff in a dynamic environment
* Experience of designing and implementing rigorous processes to maximise service effectiveness, including experience of effectively developing systems, policies and procedures in relation to disability
* Demonstrable experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, devising varied solutions and approaching the problem from different perspectives
* Experience of writing professional reports for senior and external audiences
* Experience of Safeguarding, “Cause for Concern” and related regulations and policies
Skills, knowledge & abilities
* Strong track record of achieving results in a service environment and of striving to deliver services which exceed expectations and represent best practice
* A commitment to delivering a professional and customer focused service, responding to and meeting customer needs and adapting service delivery as required
* Proven ability to work on own initiative, actively seeking new and improved ways of working and evidence of excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise a wide range of tasks whilst working under pressure and to deadlines
* Strong practitioner skills and understanding of the requirements of a multi-disciplinary team’s functioning in a complex environment
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to respond sensitively and appropriately to the needs of students and staff
* Good understanding of issues affecting disabled students and potential barriers to accessing and succeeding in higher education
* Thorough knowledge of DSA and needs assessments’ processes
* Knowledge of legislation relevant to disability with particular reference to Higher Education
* Strong operational and financial skills, including significant successful experience of supplier management
* Demonstrable ability to design, implement and review rigorous processes and procedures to maximise service effectiveness
Business requirements
* Ability to work outside of normal working hours (including some evenings and weekends), to support the business during key University events, such as Graduation, Clearing and Open Daysand at key student admissions points.
* Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
* 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
* Holiday purchase
* Cycle to Work scheme
* A flexible working environment
* A commitment to personal and professional development
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Sarah Richardson, Head of Student Services via s.richardson@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk .
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.
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.
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.
Don’t miss your chance – join the team and make a difference today!
How to apply
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.
The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.
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