Job Description

Welfare & Immigration Officer Chevening & Marshall Scholarships

Pay band: 6
Salary: Starting from £25,520 plus £3,300 London market allowance, for those based in the London Area only.
Benefits Include, but are not limited to: 
•    32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
•    3 days volunteering leave
•    Career average defined benefit pension scheme
•    An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and/or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world.

Location: UK – London, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast Only.
Department: Higher Education & Science, Cultural Engagement.
Contract type: Fixed term contract until 31st August 2025.
Closing Date: 27th June at 23:59 UK Time.

Requirements: 

This role is based in the UK and therefore you must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.

We are unable to support with mobility, relocation or sponsorship. 

British Council supports working in new ways such as hybrid working, subject to approval by line management and conditional upon our ability to provide the appropriate level of service. This may not be appropriate for all roles but can be explored at interview.

The Team:

The British Council has been selected as the Secretariat for the prestigious Chevening and Marshall Scholarship programmes funded by the UK government via the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Together through these programmes, around 1,500 scholars are selected to study at post-graduate level in the UK from over 100 countries and territories worldwide.

The Secretariat is responsible for the majority of the administrative services to deliver a successful scholarship programme. This includes promotion of the programme, the scholar selection process, supporting scholars with placement and then supporting them while studying in the UK, as well as delivering alumni engagement programmes. We coordinate closely with the FCDO Scholarships Unit and FCDO Posts overseas who also take a leading role in promotion, scholar selection and alumni engagement.

Both Chevening and Marshall are prestigious and highly sought-after post-graduate programmes selecting scholars of the high academic ability and with the potential to become future leaders and influential figures in their home countries.

This role contributes to the efficient administration of both scholarship programmes.

The Programme Officer, Welfare and Immigration is a key member of the Chevening Secretariat team. They provide accurate and regulated advice to scholars under the supervision of the Programme Manager.

The Chevening and Marshall scholarships team provides immigration advice to its scholars and fellows to help them take up the offer of a Chevening or Marshall award, as well as providing guidance on immigration legislation and visa application processes to colleagues located at British Embassies and High Commissions abroad.

While the majority of award holders come to the UK with a student visa, others are directly sponsored under the Government Authorised Exchange schemes, and a smaller number will enter in another way. Once in the UK, scholars and fellows are also offered assistance where they may face any issues concerning their welfare.

The Role

Under the supervision of the Programme Manager (Welfare and Immigration), you will provide support for scholarship awardees, and guidance to British Embassies and High Commissions around the world.

Through the provision of this first class service the post holder will support the facilitation of a full and positive experience for Chevening Awardees throughout their time in the UK.

You will also have a role in the development of guidance for all stakeholders as well as participating in the life of the wider Chevening scholarships team
The post holder will primarily support the work of the Chevening scholarships team, but may also be required to support the Marshall scholarship team and to carry out other duties as can be reasonably expected.

Accountabilities are, but not limited to:

•    Acting as a point of contact and provide relevant, timely and appropriate immigration advice and welfare support, to Scholars, Fellows and colleagues.
•    Dealing with day-to-day enquiries that are referred by team members Officers responding to Scholars and Fellows.
•    Working with Programme Manager to draft advice and guidance for scholarship Awardees, to be issued via a variety of media and in person throughout the Awards process, as required. This will include FAQs, pre-departure guidance and visa guidance.
•    Contributing to the collation, recording and analysis of relevant data as requested
•    Monitoring and updating the internal scholar welfare log accurately and in a timely manner
•    Working towards becoming an accredited OISC immigration adviser if not already, under supervision of an accredited Programme Manager
•    Establishing and maintaining excellent communication with other support services, academic departments and outside agencies.
•    Working closely with colleagues in other teams the Programme, International and Communications teams on a variety of immigration, welfare and other appropriate issues and providing absence cover as appropriate.

Requirements of the role:

•    Experience of working within the field of international student immigration advice and/or student support, possessing a strong knowledge of the area with specific experience of advising on Student visas. Ideally you will hold current OISC accreditation or would be prepared to work towards acquiring it within a timeframe agreed.

•    Relevant experience of working in an Higher Education environment with an interest in/experience of the higher education sector and public diplomacy.

•    Ability to apply Chevening and Marshall policy appropriately and consistently, and to refer any areas of existing policy that may need reviewing with senior colleagues.

•    An understanding and commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and to embedding these into working practices.

Closing Date:   Applications will close on 27th June 2024 at 23:59 UK Time. 

Additional Information:

You must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.

We are unable to support with sponsorship or relocation support.

Interviews will be held around the middle / end of July.

This role is based in the UK only.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 20,000 - 40,000.

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