Please note that this job is open only to current Cardiff University staff who are eligible for Redeployment. Internal Redeployment Only - Reaching Wider Officer The successful candidate will be a highly motivated individual responsible for developing and managing the implementation and delivery of an activities programme for Reaching Wider’s priority audiences. Excellent networking, collaboration and practitioner skills and experience are required as the work includes collaborating with Reaching Wider teams at the University of South Wales and Cardiff Metropolitan University, academic staff and students and a range of partners and key stakeholders in communities around South East Wales. These skills will be used to establish the Reaching Wider brand and build and deliver an activities programme. Strong organisational and communication skills are required to undertake budget management, professional advice and guidance on partnership processes and procedures and gather, input and analyse data. Reflection is also important for effective programme evaluation. Applicants should address these areas in their application, including the associated points provided in the duties, responsibilities and person specification. Reaching Wider is a MEDR funded partnership programme which exists to widen access to higher education by tackling barriers to entry, progression and success in higher education. We achieve this through offering a suite of long-term interventions that support attainment raising, provide information, advice and guidance and assist progression to higher education and level 4 learning for targeted priority groups. The post holder will be an effective practitioner in the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes on behalf of the university to external and internal partners, managing a portfolio of programmes as the lead practitioner for this area of work in your employing university. This is a full-time (35 hours per week), fixed term post (Maternity cover) until June 2026. Salary: £33,232 - £35,880 per annum (Grade 5) If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Rachel Leighton, Head of Widening Participation, on leightonrcardiff.ac.uk. This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus, you may spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home. The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance. Closing date: Thursday, 24 April 2025 Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English. Key Duties To be an effective practitioner in the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes on behalf of the university to external and internal partners. Managing a portfolio of programmes as the lead practitioner for this area of work in your employing university. Lead all aspects of project management to ensure your portfolio of Reaching Wider programmes are delivered for the partnership. To include: programme design, promotion and delivery to targeted audiences including budgeting, risk management and safeguarding; data collection, evaluation, analysis and reporting. Proactively measuring and reviewing programme and portfolio impact to ensure best practice and value for money across the partnership's offer. To work with the university’s Reaching Wider Manager in delivering an effective and integrated programme of activity that will achieve the objectives and KPIs of the South East Wales Reaching Wider Strategy. Internal and external stakeholder management: Establish and maintain working relationships with key contacts, developing links with the University’s Schools/Faculties/Directorates to strengthen the Reaching Wider offer and brand. To network with partners across the South East Wales partnership and Reaching Wider nationally. Provide professional advice and guidance on Reaching Wider purpose, processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood. Contribute to raising the partnership's profile and celebrating success through regular, effective evaluation and storytelling. This will be achieved using a multi-media approach across multiple platforms, including Reaching Wider and partner org social media and websites, publications and reports. Support the formulation of consultation responses and collation of information for internal and external returns, in particular termly reporting to Boards and the annual Compliance and Effectiveness report to Medr. Collaborate with others to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures. For example, this might include establishing working groups with colleagues across the universities and the project partnership to achieve the Reaching Wider objectives or running focus groups with key stakeholders and learners to inform future development. Oversee the recruitment, training and supervision of a student workforce to aid the successful delivery of Reaching Wider programmes. Other duties commensurate with the grade which may be assigned from time to time. Additional Information Widening participation is about supporting the access, progression and success of students from groups that are traditionally under-represented in higher education and support them throughout the student lifecycle. These include: people who identify as being from people from disadvantaged communities; people who have experienced care; young carers; people with disabilities; Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic Communities (BAME); those from families with no previous experience of higher education; mature students. Through a range of activities, the Reaching Wider Team and colleagues throughout the partner universities support learners from across South East Wales to break down the barriers to higher education and help them to reach their potential. Evening/weekend working may be required. Travel across South East Wales to attend meetings and events will be required. A satisfactory Enhanced DBS check is required for this post. There are regular occasions when the team are required to be on campus (e.g. to support event delivery, or to attend meetings or training). About the Department The Communications and Marketing Department is responsible for the University’s reputation and branding as well as UK/International student recruitment operations. It covers six areas: communications, marketing, student recruitment, digital communications, international and public affairs. Communications plays an important part in building and maintaining the reputation of the University through effective communication to the public and to external and internal stakeholders. It communicates the achievements and aspirations of the University through a variety of media and includes a film unit. The team represents the University on a corporate level. Digital Communications is responsible for the design, development and content of the external website and the intranet. Marketing is responsible for developing a strong brand identity for the University at the corporate level, with an emphasis on better visual branding and market research. Student recruitment plays an important role in attracting the University's undergraduate and postgraduate students from throughout the UK and Internationally, working in partnership with the University’s colleges and academic schools to recruit higher calibre students. The team also manages the University’s widening participation programmes and the School’s Partnership Project. The International Office drives the University’s international recruitment strategy and advises on all areas related to international recruitment and development. Public affairs leads on stakeholder relationships locally, nationally and internationally. Essential Criteria Qualifications and Education 1. Degree/NVQ 6 or equivalent Professional membership/experience. 2. Full and valid UK/EU driver’s licence, and willingness to drive and travel independently throughout South East Wales. Knowledge, Skills and Experience 3. Experience of working with Reaching Wider priority audiences e.g. those from underrepresented backgrounds in HE. 4. Evidence of demonstrable knowledge of key advances within the University sector, specifically associated with the widening access agenda. 5. Ability to set up standard office systems and procedures and make improvements as appropriate. Customer Service, Communication and Team Working 6. Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people. This includes, for example, the ability to deliver engaging talks to target audiences, as well as presenting to senior managers. 7. Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered. Planning, Analysis and Problem solving 8. Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with range of potential outcomes. 9. Evidence of ability to work unsupervised to deadlines, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others and monitoring progress. Other 10. Commitment to and awareness of the importance of Widening Participation and the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda. Desirable Criteria 1. Postgraduate/Professional qualification. 2. Experience of working in a Higher Education environment. 3. The ability to speak and/or write in Welsh.