Student Recruitment Officer (Outreach)

Relationships with: External Relations team, particularly recruitment and marketing colleagues;

Registrar and Academic Services team; Service Directors; Academic Colleagues; RAU partners,

including senior teams in schools/colleges; school/college teaching staff and advisors; current and

prospective students; parents/carers; alumni; external stakeholders, e.g. OfS; community members

and organisations.

Role Purpose

Play a vital role in planning, delivering and evaluating key elements of the RAU's Widening

Participation programmes and access strategy to increase diversity in student recruitment to the RAU,

in line with our Access and Participation Plan, commitments and targets, and regulatory guidelines

(OfS). Responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with internal as well as external

stakeholders, including schools and colleges, and co-ordinating the RAU's response to national

widening participation initiatives, for example Uni Connect partnerships. Support the RAU's strategic

and whole-institution approach to Widening Participation and co-ordinate elements of the internal

and external monitoring and reporting requirements for Widening Participation work.

Key Responsibilities

1. Design, manage, deliver, monitor and evaluate the RAU's Widening Participation Plan focussing

on increasing recruitment of students from under-represented groups, providing direction and

management of associated widening participation and outreach programmes.

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2. Meet targets and objectives for widening participation and outreach, specifically in relation to

external targets as agreed with the OfS and any other applicable regulatory bodies.

3. Lead the development of a schools and colleges targeting strategy, building relationships and

liaising with schools to encourage applicants from under-represented groups.

4. Work with academic colleagues to deliver aspiration-raising and attainment-raising events and

activities to selective schools and colleges to support RAU's objectives.

5. Work with the student recruitment and marketing teams to support and participate in student

recruitment activities and ensure marketing materials appeal to target groups.

6. Develop and manage relationships with key partners including schools/colleges, government

agencies and partner HEIs including, for example, the Office for Students in respect of Access

and Participation Plans and Uni Connect partnerships.

7. Ensure that all outreach events are effectively monitored and evaluated; obtain the required

consents to comply with current data protection legislation and collect robust evidence of

impact to inform good practice. Oversee the management of a database of events and

evaluative feedback and embed robust evaluation models for programmes of activity.

8. Manage data collection and retention, to ensure that appropriate applicant and student data is

collected, reported and disseminated, in accordance with the reporting requirements of the

OfS and the internal requirements of the RAU.

9. Analyse applicant and student data to identify and monitor gaps in access for under-

represented groups, and make realistic recommendations that align with the access and

participation plan. Develop comparative data with appropriate sector benchmarks and other

comparators and provide regular monitoring and reporting data to internal groups as required.

10. Maintain knowledge of changes in the Widening Participation agenda, including government

policies and other educational changes, and ensure this is reflected in the RAU's outreach

provision and policy, and disseminated to staff as required.

11. Ensure that all events comply with RAU's Safeguarding, Health and Safety and Risk Assessment

policies and procedures.

12. As required, represent Widening Participation on internal / external groups and sector events.

13. Be willing to travel and able to deliver events across the UK and Ireland, including some evening

and weekend work.

General responsibilities:

• The University is committed to equality of opportunity. All staff are required to comply with


current legislation, University policies and good practice guidance.

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• All staff are required to act in a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and


vulnerable adults at all times. The post holder must be familiar with and adhere to appropriate

safeguarding policies and guidance and participate in related mandatory/statutory training.

Managers have a responsibility to ensure their team members understand their individual

responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.


• All staff are required to participate in the University appraisal process and should ensure they


are familiar with the process and plan time to prepare for their appraisal. Following the

appraisal, staff are expected to undertake in any necessary learning and development and

work towards the objectives that have been set.


• The University expects staff to attend any training designated as mandatory and to undertake


learning and development activities to support their role. Managers must facilitate learning

and development within their teams.


• It is a condition of employment that staff will not disclose any information obtained in the


course of their duties other than to those entitled to receive it. The post holder must ensure

that the confidentiality of personal data remains secure and that restricted information or

highly restricted information to which they have access remains confidential during and after

their employment at Royal Agricultural University. All staff must undergo appropriate data

protection training as required.


• All absence from work must be reported in accordance with the University's absence


procedures and recorded on iTrent.


• The University acknowledges its responsibility to provide a safe, smoke free environment, to


its employees, service users and visitors. It is the policy of the University not to allow smoking

on University premises other than in specifically designated areas.

University Values
As a University we have chosen five values to underpin our learning community. These are the values

which we will all work by and for which we want the RAU to be known. We are:


• Collaborative - we believe in the power of working together. We are stronger as a community


of practice - inspiring each other, identifying shared goals, and providing reciprocal support

leads to greater success.

• Open-Minded - we are receptive to new ideas and we value the diversity of experiences and


skills. We are committed to listening to everyone across the RAU community.

• Resourceful - we adopt creative approaches to achieve our goals while setting higher


standards, promoting professionalism and sustainability.

• Responsible - individually and collectively we take accountability for our actions working with


integrity to achieve the highest ethical standards.

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• Inclusive - we acknowledge the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals and are


committed to maintaining an environment that seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination

Educated to degree level or equivalent E A

Demonstrated experience of leading, delivering and E A,B,C

evaluating targeted widening participation / access activities
in Higher Education, delivering projects on time and to
budget

Experience of managing a budget and utilising financial E A,B

management skills

Experience of leading and managing staff, providing E A,B

leadership, direction and motivation

Knowledge of UK education, specifically the schools and HE E A,B

sectors; current knowledge of national access to HE, equality
and widening participation issues and agendas

Experience of working in partnership with a diverse range of E A,B

stakeholders including schools and colleges. Ability to work
with people at all levels including academics, teachers and
pupils

Excellent communication, presentation and report writing E A,B,C

skills

A flexible approach with the ability to undertake travel across E A,B

the UK (full driving licence would be desirable) and work out
of hours, including occasional weekends and evenings

Excellent organisational and project management skills, E A,B

including the ability to plan project schedules

Ability to collate and analyse data from varied sources for E A,B

project evaluation purposes

Experience of creating concise reports based on evaluation D A,B

of statistical information and market research, C) Presentation

Experience of developing/maintaining strong relationships D A,B

and identifying new opportunities with a variety of internal
and external stakeholders

Understanding of developments in UK secondary, FE and D A,B

HE sectors

• Due to the nature of this role, the post-holder will be required to undergo the satisfactory


completion on an enhanced DBS check.