PART I: ABOUT THE ROLE
Winchester College seeks a proactive Head of Careers to join our dynamic Futures Team. As Head of Careers, you will be responsible for developing a programme of events for pupils and their families in Years 9 to 13, to inform, guide and nurture individual development into adulthood, enabling the best choices to be made at each stage of the journey. As Head of Careers, you will drive the team to embed a careers curriculum for each year group that builds interest in the world of work, and ensures each student receives tailored support to achieve their academic and professional aspirations. This role might attract candidates who may or may not have a background in teaching. Working closely alongside the Director of Higher Education (university admissions) and the Director of Winchester College Society (alumni) the Head of Careers will support relationships, facilitating diverse careers opportunities including visiting speakers, excursions, workshops, work experience, and internships.
Winchester College is transitioning to a coeducational Sixth Form so you will play a pivotal role in maintaining our thriving careers programme as pupil numbers increase. Winchester College pupils primarily matriculate to tertiary education at reputable local universities (including Oxford, Cambridge, London Colleges, Durham, Edinburgh), Ivy League colleges (including Harvard, Yale, Columbia), and other international institutions. Your primary objective will be supporting each pupil in finding their path to a fulfilling future where they can make their own, unique mark on the world.
PART II: RESPONSIBLITIES OF HEAD OF CAREERS
Key Responsibilities
In pursuing the above objectives, the Head of Careers should draw on and develop external links between the College and the world of work, drawing particularly on alumni and parent contacts through Winchester College Society.
Reporting Lines
PART III: PERSON SPECIFICATION AND KEY QUALITIES
Professional Experience
Skills and Knowledge
Personal Attributes
PART IV: BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND APPLICATION
Start date
Flexible start date for the right candidate with preference for commencement at the beginning of the next academic year, 28th August 2024.
Hours of Work
This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week, and such other hours as are reasonably necessary to meet the needs of the College and the demands of the role.
Salary
Competitive salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Salary is paid monthly, in arrears, to a nominated back account in 12 equal payments.
Induction and Continuous Training and Development
The school is fully committed to the induction, training and development of all our staff, with staff supported to grow and reach their full potential.
We deliver a range of training, run by both our own staff and external providers, varying from highly practical First Aid courses to seminars and learning lunches on many aspects of teaching and learning.
There is an annual cycle of appraisal offering the opportunity to reflect on professional practice and development opportunities.
The school also offers a wide range of apprenticeships supporting staff development and progression.
Pension and Life Cover
On employment, employees will be auto-enrolled into the College’s pension scheme according to legislative thresholds. Those who are not eligible for auto-enrolment may still elect to join the College’s pension scheme.
Initially, when joining the College’s pension scheme, employees will become a member of the College’s Group Personal Pension Plan (GPP). For this Plan, known as Tier 1, the employee contributes 4% and the employer 3%.
After 9 month’s membership of the Tier 1 plan, employees may opt to join Tier 2, which is also a GPP, where the employee contributes 5% and the employer 9%.
Employees in Tier 1 automatically qualify for a Life Cover of 2 times salary. On entry to Tier 2, Life Cover changes to 4 times salary.
Annual Leave
The College leave year runs from 1 September to 31 August. This position will be entitled to the statutory holiday requirements and 24 other days. Any Public Bank Holiday occurring during term time is deemed to be a normal working day. All leave must be taken by prior arrangement and must be taken outside of the school’s term times.
Subject to the discretion of the school’s Bursar, a gift may also be given of extra time off during the Christmas period.
Wider Benefits
Probation, Notice Periods
The first six months of employment will be a probationary period. Regular reviews with line managers take place over the probationary period with the opportunity to discuss progress, identify any areas for action and ensure that there is appropriate guidance and support in place to enable successful completion of the probationary period.
During the probationary period, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one month.
Once employment is confirmed, the notice period will be three months.
Disclosure Check
As Winchester College is an educational establishment, a condition of employment will be that the successful candidate must consent to the school obtaining an Enhanced Level Disclosure Check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will reveal all spent and unspent convictions, warnings, cautions and bind-overs. A policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on the school’s website.
Safeguarding is one of the primary responsibilities of this role. The jobholder is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact with, and will need to adhere to and ensure compliance with the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy at all times. The postholder should be conversant with the responsibilities and procedures detailed in this policy and with the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the postholder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, they must report any concerns to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, or in their absence, the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
References and Other Pre-employment Checks
The appointment will be dependent upon the receipt of a successful medical check and satisfactory references. The College will usually seek references from shortlisted candidates before interview and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications. At least one referee must be the current or most recent employer. Where applicants are not currently working with children but have done so in the past, one referee must be the person by whom they were most recently employed when working with children.
HOW TO APPLY
Only applications completed on the school website will be accepted. Please attach a full CV with your application, and email a covering letter to [email protected].
Please note that applications will be dealt with as they arrive. Winchester College reserves the right to appoint before the deadline passes.
Closing date for applications: Noon on Monday 15th July 2024.
Interviews are expected to be held during August/early September.
Those wishing for an informal conversation about this role are invited to speak to Emma Macey, Dean Academic & Strategy, [email protected].
To apply please click on 'Apply Online' at the bottom of this post.
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the recruitment process, please email [email protected]
Diversity and Inclusion
We embrace diversity and inclusion in the workplace and are committed to promoting a fair and supportive environment for all our employees. We are keen to welcome applications from all applicants that feel that they meet the requirements of the role, regardless of their background and culture.
Data Protection
Winchester College collects and processes relevant personal data as part of its everyday operations and is obliged to process it in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Act 2018. The school is the Data Controller of this data under the Act and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. Its registration number is Z5751669.
If you have any queries or comments about this policy or how personal data is processed by the school, please contact the Bursar and his team by emailing: [email protected] or by writing to: Data Protection, The Bursary, Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, SO23 9NA.
PART V: ABOUT WINCHESTER COLLEGE
In February 2021, Winchester announced a bold new vision and a significant programme of change. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ describes the School’s ambitions for its future and heralds the start of an exciting new phase in Winchester’s development.
Winchester was a pioneering institution when it was founded in 1382 and this new vision will ensure the School continues to be a leader and influencer of great education on the modern global stage. The commitment to provide an intellectual education of exceptional quality and breadth remains unaltered, as do the values which have underpinned Winchester since its foundation. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ will build on these strengths and bring multiple benefits to current and future generations of Wykehamists.
Winchester currently has over 700 pupils. In September 2022, the College welcomed day pupils —now numbering 40, including 34 girls— into the Sixth Form and will continue to do so, over time expanding the entry each year to include girl boarders in due course.
Academically, Winchester is among the very best schools in the country and is sought after for its combination of superb teaching, pastoral care, sports and activities.
At all levels Winchester encourages pupils to look beyond the curriculum. Div is our unique programme of general cultural studies and offers an excellent preparation for university study. In these lessons, pupils engage with a wide range of subjects, from English Literature to Ancient History to the History of Science.
Pupils in the Sixth Form study linear A-level courses and will ordinarily study three A-level subjects and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) alongside Div. Linear A-levels are complemented by the flexibility of the EPQ where pupils are able to more deeply explore their cross-curricular research interests. The EPQ encourages pupils to develop first-class research skills, to synthesise information from a variety of differing sources, and to become accustomed to the demands of independent study.
Music has been central to life at Winchester ever since its foundation, and the school is unique in having maintained its Choral Foundation to the present day. The Music Department is now one of the leading departments in the country, and offers outstanding opportunities to all.
Sport is a major part of Winchester life. There are many fixtures against other schools, and in 2024 the redevelopment of the sports facilities will see a state-of-the-art complex open that will allow all pupils to enjoy and participate in a variety of sports, whilst simultaneously enabling the most talented and driven pupils to train and compete at the highest level.
Much energy is also invested in the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Community Service, and in links with local primary and secondary maintained schools. This commitment provides pupils with many opportunities to work for the benefit of others, inside and outside the classroom, developing the knowledge and skills, and the rights and responsibilities, which will enable them to grow into valuable and productive members of society.
Pupils eat all meals in their boarding houses, talking with their Housemaster, and interacting with friends, visitors, and teachers. We believe that conversational ability, developed both inside and outside the community, equips pupils to talk to anyone, about anything, in practically any situation.
This unparalleled combination attracts pupils from across the world, making Winchester a truly international and diverse community which celebrates every pupil’s individuality, passions, and potential.
Winchester College is committed to maintaining the founder’s original intention of offering an outstanding education to any pupil who would benefit from it, regardless of their financial circumstances, and many of the pupils in the College are being helped financially through the school with substantial bursaries.
Sustainability
Both staff and pupils at Winchester College are committed to being the most sustainable school possible. You can learn more about our goal of creating a more sustainable school here.
Full details about the school may be found at www.winchestercollege.org.