Programme Officer: Professional Pathways

Reports to: Head of Programme: Professional Pathways

Location: West London – currently operating an agile working policy with two core days (Mon and Weds) in the office

Contract: Permanent

Pattern: Full Time (standard hours 9am – 5.30pm)

Closing date: 17/04/2023 at 9am

Interviews: w/c 24/04/2023

Salary: £30,000 to £35,000 (depending on experience)

About the role:

Professional Pathways is Ark’s unique approach to delivering vocational qualifications in its thirteen sixth forms. With over 800 students on the programme, the Programme Officer: Professional Pathways role is instrumental to students securing ambitious academic and destinations outcomes.

The Programme Officer is responsible for working with the Head of Programme to deliver the Professional Pathways programme, and leading on the wrap-around provision that sits alongside students’ academic study programme.

The Programme Officer will also be responsible for training teachers to deliver the work readiness curriculum and for planning and delivering the student conference series of events, working directly with teachers and students. The Programme Officer will also lead on student recruitment strategy, ensuring that Professional Pathways continues to be a main driver of growth in Ark’s sixth forms and plays a key role in programme monitoring and evaluation.

We’re keen to hear from passionate people in the education or programme sector who want to bring their energy to a unique and innovative approach to post 16 provision.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead on the planning, delivery, training and evaluation of the teacher-delivered wrap around curriculum (Work Readiness lessons and student conference sessions) BTEC learners
• Continue to pilot embedding the Skills Builder framework into BTEC curriculums, complementing use of the framework in the wrap around curriculum
• Lead on the planning and delivery of student conferences (up to 16 events per year) and other events/sessions as required
• Work with the Head of Programme and Education Partnerships Manager to maintain, source and progress relationships with partners who support the BTEC curriculum and wrap around curriculum
• Work with the Head of Programme to support partner-based curriculum sessions and to develop curriculum resources as required, promoting outstanding teaching, learning and assessment practices in BTEC classrooms
• Coordinate the collection and analysis of systematic feedback from students, teachers and employers about the quality and impact of the programme, in line with all data and GDPR regulations

Key Requirements:

• QTS, PGCE, or training/teaching experience
• Understanding of the challenges facing BTEC students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds when progressing to Higher Education and competitive apprenticeships
• Experience planning and delivering high quality events
• Experience managing and organising multiple projects or work strands at the same time
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the mission of improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children
• A passionate advocate for the role of technical and vocational education in supporting social mobility aims
• Highly organised, detail orientated and systematic in delivering against ambitious objectives

View the full job description and person specification here

About Ark

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 28,500 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20^th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service and full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working, with currently two days a week in our state-of-the-art office in West London working alongside colleagues
• Regular social events, monthly free breakfast, and daily fruit
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

Interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.  

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment – this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.