Progress Coach

As a Progress Coach, you will play a key role in supporting learners to succeed throughout their educational journey. Working with a diverse student population, you will provide proactive pastoral, academic and wellbeing support, helping learners overcome barriers to achievement and reach their full potential.

You will manage a caseload of students, monitoring attendance, engagement and progress, and using data and insight to identify where additional support or intervention may be required. Acting as a trusted point of contact, you will build strong relationships with learners and work closely with curriculum teams, Student Services colleagues, employer partners and, where appropriate, parents/carers and external agencies to coordinate effective support and positive outcomes.

A core element of the role is delivering high-quality coaching, mentoring and tutorial activities that promote personal development, resilience, employability and learner success. You will also contribute to the delivery of key themes including safeguarding, Prevent, equality, diversity and inclusion, and learner wellbeing.

The role has a strong pastoral and safeguarding focus and is central to the University's commitment to providing an outstanding learner experience. This role requires close collaboration with colleagues across the University and external stakeholders. Occasional evening and weekend working will be required to support key University events, learner engagement activities and recruitment events, and there may be a requirement to travel between University sites.

Principal Accountabilities:

Provide one-to-one and group support for their caseload of students to monitor performance and maximise achievement acting as the primary point of contact and maintaining oversight of each learner's progress, engagement and wellbeing.

Deliver within their programme an agreed content of activities and Future Focus tutorials, including key themes such as Employability, British Values, Equality and Diversity, Prevent and safeguarding.

Deliver pro-active and interventionist assistance to students working as individuals and groups, to develop students' personal learning and thinking skills including web based technologies.

Actively help record and celebrate student progress and success so that students are encouraged and feel supported.

Liaise with teaching staff, to identify and implement strategies to raise student performance and achievement.

Collaborate with Curriculum delivery teams to identify and provide appropriate resources which will meet curriculum needs and develop student learning and thinking skills.

Keep up to date and accurate records of students' attendance, punctuality, behaviour and progress on the university tracking system adhering to the approved processes and procedures. Assist the information and support officer in helping students for their next steps.

Monitor attendance and punctuality and to make interventions where necessary.

Liaise with Curriculum Leaders, Lecturers, employer partners and wider Student Services colleagues to provide coordinated support for learners.

Support learner progression through the provision of appropriate Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG), guidance and application support relevant to next steps, including higher education, UCAS applications, further study, apprenticeships and employment pathways.

Support key transition points including entry, progression and exit, providing guidance on next steps such as employment, further study or internal progression routes.

Offer initial advice and guidance to applicants and to continue to give advice and guidance throughout their studies to aid progression.

Working in liaison with other university staff, to signpost students to the range of support services available to them including financial, academic, social and emotional issues which may be having a detrimental effect on their studies.

Act as a learner's primary point of contact from application through to successful completion of their programme, managing appropriate interventions across a range of University departments.

Track learner destinations and progression outcomes following completion of their programme of study.

Provide day-to-day pastoral and safeguarding support for learners under the age of 18, including monitoring wellbeing, supporting supervision arrangements, liaising with parents/carers and partner organisations, and escalating concerns in accordance with University safeguarding procedures.

Where applicable, support the implementation of safeguarding, attendance, behavioural and welfare arrangements for younger learners (14–16), contributing to risk assessments, support plans, supervision protocols and case reviews where required.

Take a proactive approach to ensuring the safeguarding and wellbeing of students, including the early identification of concerns, implementation of agreed support plans, liaison with parents/carers, schools and external agencies where appropriate, and escalation of concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead in accordance with University policy and statutory guidance.

Support learner and parent/carer engagement through attendance at parents' evenings, transition events, learner voice activities and other engagement opportunities which contribute to learner success, wellbeing and progression.

Organise and attend meetings with staff to act as internal 'case conferencing' to ensure continued student engagement with their course, successful completion and achievement.

Contribute to a range of events (e.g. pastoral care, equality and diversity, Prevent and British Values, study skills, employability skills and advice evenings).

Provide absence cover for other Progress Coaches where necessary.

Write reports, collate data and undertake administrative tasks as required to achieve the main duties outlined above.

Undertake any other reasonable duties within the overall function, commensurate with the grading and level of responsibility of the post.

Person Specification:

Essential Qualifications:
Educated to a minimum of Level 3 with at least a Grade C in English at Level 2. Safeguarding qualification at Level 2 or a willingness to work towards it.

Essential Experience:
Knowledge and experience of working with young people and/or adult learners. Experience of working in a student-centered environment. Experience of or willingness to work in a support role with students.

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Ability to work with and motivate students both individually and in groups. Ability to work cooperatively with a range of people internally and externally. Ability to contribute to the wider student experience. Good written and oral communication skills. An understanding of the issues facing learners progressing through education, training and employment pathways.

Business Requirements:
Completed DBS check with child barred list. 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 Days. Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner.

Benefits:
Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata). Local Government Pension Scheme. 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. Cycle to Work scheme. A flexible working environment. A commitment to personal and professional development.