Student Engagement, Belonging, and Personal Development

• Encourage students to participate fully in College life, enrichment, learner voice, campaigns, and events that support belonging, confidence, citizenship, and personal development.
• Promote College values, expectations, and support services positively so that students understand what is available and what is expected of them.
• Support welcome activity, transition, open events, and other student-facing activity as required.
• Work with colleagues to identify barriers to engagement and help re-engage students who may be harder to reach or less confident in accessing support.

Partnership Working and Communication

• Build positive and professional working relationships with:
  • Students, parents/carers, visitors, and, where appropriate, external partners or agencies.
  • Internal stakeholders including curriculum, safeguarding, reception, estates, wellbeing, and student services teams.
• Communicate clearly, calmly, and sensitively with a wide range of people, including in situations requiring empathy, discretion, professionalism, and firm but fair challenge.

Administration, Reporting, and Service Support

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential records, logs, and case notes in line with College systems, procedures, and data protection requirements.
• Contribute to the monitoring of incidents, behavior themes, safeguarding concerns, and service demand to support continuous improvement.
• Support the wider student experience and campus safety service during enrolment, events, busy periods, and cross-college activity.

Team Contribution and Professional Practice

• Work collaboratively as part of the wider student experience, safeguarding, and campus operations team, contributing to a culture of high expectations, inclusion, and professional practice.
• Participate in training, briefings, and continuous professional development to maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding, behavior, customer service, and FE student support practice.
• Contribute positively to the continuous improvement of campus-based support, student experience, and front-line service delivery.

Is This You?

Qualifications Required

• Educated to Level 3 or equivalent, or able to demonstrate relevant experience in student support, youth work, customer service, community engagement, or a related field.
• Level 2 English and maths (or equivalent).
• Relevant training, or willingness to undertake training, in safeguarding, behavior support, de-escalation, first aid, mental health awareness, youth work, or customer service.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport quickly with young people and adults.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused when dealing with challenging or sensitive situations.
• Ability to promote a positive student experience through visible support, clear guidance, reassurance, and effective signposting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with:
  • Students from a wide range of backgrounds and needs.
  • College staff and managers.
  • Parents/carers and external partners where appropriate.
  • Senior leaders and governors.
  • Staff and students.
  • External agencies.
• Ability to reinforce expectations, challenge inappropriate behavior constructively, and de-escalate situations in a calm and professional manner.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and respond flexibly to changing needs.
• Ability to use professional judgement and know when to escalate concerns appropriately.
• Good attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records and follow procedures.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, particularly with safeguarding, curriculum, reception, wellbeing, and student services teams.
• Confidence using digital systems for communication, recording information, and reporting concerns.

Experience

• Experience of working with young people in education, youth work, community, customer service, safeguarding, or student support environments.
• Experience of building positive relationships and supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience of dealing with enquiries, resolving routine issues, and providing a high standard of customer care.
• Experience of supporting behavior, responding to low-level incidents, and using de-escalation strategies appropriately.
• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and signposting or referring individuals to appropriate services.
• Experience of maintaining accurate records, logs, or case notes using digital systems and following agreed reporting procedures.
• Experience of working with stakeholders such as:
  • Curriculum and student services teams.
  • Parents/carers and external agencies where appropriate.
  • Pastoral, safeguarding, or wellbeing professionals.
• Experience of supporting student engagement, learner voice, enrichment, transition, or inclusion activity would be advantageous.

Knowledge Specific to Role

• Good understanding of:
  • Customer service and student-facing support in a public or educational environment.
  • Approaches to positive behavior management, de-escalation, inclusion, and student engagement.
• Working knowledge of relevant statutory and College requirements, including:
  • Safeguarding, child protection, and Prevent.
  • Equality, diversity, inclusion, confidentiality, information sharing, and professional boundaries.
• Understanding of the barriers some learners face in participating fully in education and college life.
• Knowledge of professional boundaries and the importance of timely escalation of concerns.
• Awareness of FE sector expectations in relation to student behavior, safety, attendance, and learner experience.
• Understanding of how welcoming, inclusive front-line support contributes to retention, engagement, and student success.

Personal Attributes

• Friendly, approachable, and professional, with a calm and confident presence.
• Strong commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity, inclusion, and student wellbeing.
• Commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and respectful campus environment.
• Reliable, trustworthy, and able to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Proactive, solution-focused, and willing to take initiative in supporting students and improving the campus experience.
• Flexible, resilient, and able to work effectively in a busy and sometimes unpredictable environment.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience within the FE sector or a similar education or youth-support setting.
• Relevant qualification or training in youth work, IAG, safeguarding, mental health awareness, behavior support, or customer service.
• Experience of supporting learner voice, student ambassador activity, enrichment, or transition programmes.

Why Oaklands?

At Oaklands, you’ll join a forward-thinking college that genuinely invests in its people. We offer:

• Local Government Pension Scheme with excellent employer contributions.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Discount on UNO bus scheme.
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) – including