Careers Consultant

Careers Consultant

Department: Employability and Entrepreneurship

Location: Bow Road Campus - East London (On-site)

Type of Contract: Permanent

GBS is a higher education provider offering a range of sector-relevant courses across ten campuses in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare, and more.

Our Vision: Changing lives through education.

What We Do: The Employability and Entrepreneurship Department at GBS is dedicated to preparing students for successful careers and business ventures. It offers tailored one-to-one guidance, a dynamic online Careers Hub via Handshake, and a structured Employability Award that builds critical job-seeking skills through Bronze to Platinum levels. Students gain practical experience in CV building, networking, and real job applications, including tools like ChatGPT.

The role: The Careers Consultant supports students and graduates in their career journey, providing personalised coaching, guidance, and ongoing support to help them transition into professional-level roles. By offering tailored advice and connecting individuals with relevant resources, they ensure that students and alumni make informed decisions and overcome barriers to employment success.

Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.

Main Responsibilities

What the role involves:

Personalised Coaching

• Provide proactive, one-on-one coaching to students and graduates (up to 16 months post-graduation) to support their career and professional development.
• Complete regular progress reviews to ensure students and alumni remain on track towards achieving professional-level roles.
• Offer expert advice on career exploration, industry trends, job market insights, and educational pathways.

Career Planning and Pathways

• Help students and graduates develop clear and actionable career plans, regularly reviewing and referencing these throughout their learning journey.
• Ensure career aspirations and progression pathways are continually discussed and updated to align with individual goals and market opportunities.

Support and Problem-Solving

• Address students' and graduates’ concerns, challenges, and barriers to employment success with tailored solutions and actionable advice.

• Connect students and graduates with relevant, location-specific resources and support services to address individual needs.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work in collaboration with Employer Engagement Team to promote and prepare participants for suitable roles.
• Work closely with academic departments, career services, and external organizations to provide comprehensive and cohesive support.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Maintain accurate and timely records of coaching sessions, progress reviews, and outcomes.
• Track and report on key metrics, including progression rates, career aspirations, and challenges faced by students and alumni.

Requirements

What Experience/Skills are required:

Essential:

Flexibility

• High degree of working flexibility is required for some evening and weekend working.

Qualifications

• A degree in Careers Guidance, Education, Human Resources, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience

• Proven experience in coaching, career guidance, or a related role.
• Demonstrated success in supporting diverse groups, including mature students and individuals from widening participation backgrounds.
• Experience in career planning, goal-setting, and job market navigation.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with students and graduates.
• Excellent organizational skills, capable of managing multiple caseloads and meeting deadlines.
• Knowledge of industry trends, labour market insights, and educational pathways.

Personal Attributes

• Empathetic and proactive approach to student support and career coaching.
• Resilient and adaptable, capable of handling complex challenges in a dynamic environment.

Desirable:

• Certification in coaching, career guidance, or employability services is advantageous.

Other Information

What We Offer

• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays
• 1-day extra leave per year of service, up to a maximum of 5 days
• Workplace pension scheme
• Tuition reimbursement for career development courses
• Flexible Benefits: Cycle to Work, Workplace Nursery, Techscheme and much more
• Perks@Work discounts platform, wellbeing centre and much more
• Reward and recognition programme
• £500 award employee referral scheme
• Discretionary annual performance bonus

I will be starting a Masters in Careers and Employability Guidance in January, and this has been supported by my manager who allows me to manage my time and diary how best works for me. We are also given constant upskilling opportunities and encouraged to attend both internal and external learning and development events. — Kira McCormack (Professional Services Employee)

GBS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities. We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed.

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