Location: London Shepherds Bush
Closing date: 28/11/2019
Salary: Competitive
Employment type: Permanent
Department: University Education Services

Job Purpose:

• To develop successful relationships and connections with employers able to offer 6-month work placements to international students studying on MSc Management programmes with PDP.
• To maximise numbers of students securing meaningful placements through preparation of students with the skills, knowledge and professional & personal attributes needed to submit a professional CV, be interviewed and subsequently placed successfully.
• To deliver curriculum sessions to MSc and iMBA students on preparation for work as part of PDP/ESAP modules.
• To support the Employability Team contribution to cross-University employability projects and service improvement initiatives as and when required.

Key Accountabilities:

• To engage with a range of prospective and current employers on a regular basis (over the phone and face-to-face) to explore opportunities for work experience and professional development opportunities.
• To maintain and grow a database of employers and organisations who can offer various types of work experience and professional development opportunities for BPP students.
• To conduct one-to-one student meetings at the start of each term to keep students informed of progress and/or to prepare students for interviews or placements.
• To support students to secure interviews during the academic year, ensuring they receive timely and accurate information on the opportunity, selection process and feedback from the employer.
• To adhere to best practice in terms of the dissemination of a student’s CVs or academic data, ensuring due care is taken in respect to GDPR regulations including when handling or sharing such information with third parties.
• To support employers in the selection process for placement students, ensuring student CVs and application forms are appropriately adapted to meet the needs of the vacancy and that students are continually informed of the opportunities for which they are being considered.
• To use professional knowledge and perspective to share information with students on how to proactively research and apply for graduate opportunities for themselves.
• To market and promote all work placement opportunities secured and/or to regularly signpost students to key graduate recruitment resources where vacancies are advertised.
• To connect employers with BPP students, by working proactively with careers to ensure employer events are organized and well attended.
• To ensure student placements are set up correctly between BPP, the student and the employer, to ensure BPP remains compliant in accordance with the guidance or requirements of internal and external teams, including Visa Compliance.
• To work in partnership with the MSc curriculum delivery team, ensuring any potential issues with a student’s suitability for a placement is flagged early, so the team can intervene to provide support or a solution for the student.
• To ensure all employer-facing marketing and communications are accurate and kept up-to-date.
• To support the Employability Team contribution to cross-University employability projects and service improvement initiatives as and when required, e.g. Start-up visa for early stage entrepreneurs
• Occasional business travel between London, Birmingham and Manchester may be required.

Qualifications, experience and skills required:

Essential

• Previous work experience in a relevant professional field (Careers, work placement services, apprenticeships, graduate recruitment, HR).
• Understanding of the graduate recruitment market and assessment/selection recruitment practices of employers.
• Work with international students in an employability setting.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, easily able to build rapport, trust and confidence in relationships with others.
• Experience of teaching in large and small groups.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams or services.
• Strong planning and time management skills.
• Resilience and the ability to work under competing pressures.
• Initiative and a ‘can do’ attitude.
• Ability to identify solutions and provide pragmatic, workable solutions.
• Experience of good client relationship management.
• Confidence to develop relationships with new and existing employer contacts.
• Ability to convey a professional image within BPP and effectively represent the organisation in internal and external forums.
• A track record of working to and meeting targets.
• Ability to coach and guide on career development (e.g. CV compilation, interview preparation/technique).

Desirable

• Undergraduate degree or recognised professional qualification in a relevant discipline.
• Previous experience of researching, compiling and analysing graduate recruitment data.
• Established professional network of graduate recruiters and employer contacts.
• Experience of designing and implementing core service provision or processes.
• Practical experience and understanding of the Higher education sector.
• Professional Membership to a relevant body (e.g. CIPD, CMI, AGCAS).

Professional Development Manager (Placements)