College Engagement Manager

Job Summary

Robert Gordon University (RGU) – Aberdeen’s university of choice for thousands of staff and students - has a well-established reputation as an innovative and modern workplace, with multiple awards and recognition of our courses and Schools.

A dynamic and strategic individual, you will lead and grow our college partnership initiatives. In this pivotal role, you’ll shape accessible pathways from college to university, support students transitioning to RGU, and build strong relationships across the education sector.

You will bring strategic insight and experience in leading college-university partnerships and progression pathways, or comparable educational initiatives. Your strengths will include outstanding project management and stakeholder engagement capabilities, with a track record of effective collaboration across internal teams and external partners. A strong commitment to inclusive education and facilitating smooth transitions for college students into university life is fundamental to this role.

This post is subject to the individual being required to join the PVG scheme. For more information, visit: https://www.mygov.scot/pvg-scheme/

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.

We are committed to attracting and engaging a diverse range of staff and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome, comfortable to express their ideas, and can reach their full potential. For more information, please visit Our Diverse Workforce pages.

Interviews are due to take place on 10th/11th December.

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of UK Student Recruitment & Access

RESPONSIBLE FOR: College Engagement Assistant & Student Ambassadors

PURPOSE OF POST: To manage and implement strategic goals related to college partnerships. Key elements of the role are to establish, maintain and develop internal and external partnerships with a focus on promoting accessible study opportunities at RGU. The post holder plays an important role in developing pathways from college to RGU study, initiatives to support college students prior to joining RGU and overseeing the evaluation and renewal of study pathways. The post holder will regularly travel around Scotland and occasionally further afield.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

• Develop, maintain, and enhance the college progression partnerships through active engagement with college partners and internal stakeholders; including responsibility for the planning, preparation, and evaluation of Subject Level Review Meeting (SLRM) series each year.
• Responsible for the development, renewal and monitoring of articulation agreements, and the Degree Link.
• Ensure the effective delivery of the strategically important Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) partnership, coordinating the establishment of progression pathways, renewal of SWAP agreements and leading dialogue between SWAP/colleges and internal stakeholders.
• Manage the allocation of SFC’s Additional Funded Places (AFP) Enhanced Associate Student Scheme via negotiation with partner colleges, and develop resources/activities to support college-based AFP students to progress to RGU.
• Lead on student recruitment and conversion activities related to articulation and college pathways.
• Coordinate the Degree Prep pre-enrolment orientation programme which brings together academic, professional service, and college partners to promote positive transitions.
• Provide regular briefing papers related to the responsibilities listed above.
• Collaborate with Widening Access, Student Recruitment, Graduate Apprenticeship and other internal colleagues on a range on projects.
• Line management responsibility for the College Engagement Assistant post and Student Ambassadors.
• Responsibility for My Voice annual appraisal process for direct line management reports.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Degree or other equivalent qualification.
• Membership of Disclosure Scotland’s Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is required for this role. The University will cover the cost, and membership can be arranged upon appointment.

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent presentation skills and familiarity with data analytics.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Excellent negotiation skills and influencing skills.
• Valid UK driving license

Experience

• Experience delivering college-university partnerships, based on articulation and credit-transfer pathways, or similar transferable experiences.
• Experience in education outreach, widening access, student recruitment, communications or similar areas.
• Experience of supporting students from college and/or widening participation backgrounds.
• Experience collaborating with stakeholders on a range of projects.
• Experience of prioritising competing demands to achieve strategic aims.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Professional or post graduate qualification in communications, event management, education or other relevant field.

Knowledge & Skills

• Marketing and web design.
• Project management.
• Working understanding of the Scottish tertiary education sector.

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards

Behaviour 2: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 3: Initiative and Problem Solving - Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, identifying practical and suitable solutions.

Behaviour 4: Liaison and Networking - Experience of circulating information in an accurate and timely manner, working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships, leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest and leading and building external networks to enhance the work of the organisation

Behaviour 5: Team Work and Motivation - Experience of being supportive and encouraging to others, with a flexible approach to delivering team results. Actively contribute to team morale

Behaviour 6: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others