Would you like to come and work at the number one Union in Scotland (as voted in the recent Whatuni Student Choice awards)? Strath Union is looking for a talented Adviser to join our growing team.

The Advice Hub offers independent, confidential advice to students on a wide range of issues, including student funding and finance, academic advice, housing, and general student life and wellbeing. This role will provide a professional, confidential, and accurate advice and support service to students, seeking to empower them to understand their rights and take action to resolve issues. The post-holder will be committed to developing the quality & impact of advocacy and advice for our members.

Strathclyde Students’ Union is committed to promoting diversity and equality for all and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from applicants with disabilities, from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those with diverse sexualities or marginalised gender identities as these groups are underrepresented.

Application process

• Please submit your application through Deputy before 11pm on Sunday 27th October

• When prompted to upload your CV, please also upload a cover letter detailing why you would be suitable for the role and how you meet the role requirements

• You do not need to submit the video question, just skip this part

• Please complete our job applicant diversity monitoring form. All questions are optional, and your response is stored separately from your job application.

• If you have trouble with your application or need to apply in a different way please email tally.kerr@strath.ac.uk

• Interviews will be taking place on the 1st and 4th November

Job Description

Reports To: Advice Manager      

Salary: £31,396 (grade 6.1)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of Work: 35 hours/week, normally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. (not suitable for current students)            

Job Scope

Main Responsibilities:

• Provide accurate and impartial advice, representation, and referral services to students, offering the highest professional standards and considering the impact that the advice provided may have on those students. Advisers must consider the advice process through a diverse and intersectional lens which reflects the student population at Strathclyde.

• Provide student-focused advice, guidance and information primarily in respect of academic matters, housing including student accommodation, and student funding and finance. This will include supporting students to take action themselves or advocating on their behalf in exceptional circumstances.

• Provide accurate signposting to students on areas of advice that the Advice Hub does not offer.

• Deliver non-clinical emotional support and wellbeing advice to students as required in relation to casework. This can include supporting students in crisis and facing difficult circumstances including gender-based violence, mental ill health, and bullying and harassment. You may be working with both student complainants and complainees in any of the above matters.

• To participate in relevant boards, meetings, hearings, and working groups as determined by needs of the organisation or casework demands. In particular, this role will include acting as the Advice Hub representative on collaborative work across the University of Strathclyde, including on work related to suicide and risk reduction, support for trans, non-binary and gender diverse students, gender-based violence, and others. This is a non-exhaustive list and may vary as and when new opportunities and initiatives develop for collaboration with the University of Strathclyde arise.

• Monitor developments in national and local educational policy and legislation in order to equip Strath Union in responding to and shaping such policies and to enhance casework delivery.

• Record and maintain up to date information on student enquiries and casework, ensuring accurate case notes at all times.

• Ensuring strict levels of client confidentiality and compliance with data protection legislation.

• Assist in the development, organisation, and delivery of relevant student support and wellbeing campaigns and activities for students, designed to raise awareness of student welfare issues. These may involve working with relevant student groups and internal & external organisations.

• Provide appropriate professional advice to elected student Executive Officers to ensure that direct representation of students at all levels of the University is of a high standard.

• Liaise with governmental and charitable agencies on a range of student support issues in order to provide professional input and influence policy and decision-making for the benefit and advancement of Strathclyde students.

• Ensure that the service is consistently promoted to the membership and that all materials including online materials are kept up to date, accurate, and accessible to students.

• Encourage wider participation in all student activities and promote the benefits of involvement to the student membership.

• Support with the administration of student support funding offered by the Advice Hub.

• Support with the provision of the free sexual health and menstrual product supplies available within the Union.

• Support with the development and mentoring of student staff working with the Advice Hub and Student Engagement department.

• The post holder will be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues across the Union, University, and external organisations in supporting non-standard activity commensurate with the role grade.

Planning

• Casework is generated through students’ needs and is complex in nature, often requiring liaising with University academic departments and Professional Services teams, and external agencies. Individual cases can often remain active for a number of months from initial enquiry until resolution. Individual cases can also require immediate response and intervention.

• Liaising with Advice Manager, Advisers, and other Strath Union departmental staff in the planning and organisation of campaigns and events.

• Liaising with relevant fora in the planning and organisation of various campaigns and events throughout the year.

• Workload and casework are managed and prioritised independently based on the criticality of client needs.

• Constraints include regulations set out in University policy and procedure, legislation laid down by the Data Protection Act 2018, General Data Protection Regulations, Equality Act 2010, duty of care, conflict of interest guidelines, Advice Hub Terms and Conditions, and policies set out by Strath Union Parliament.

• Non-regular workload is at times generated through the activities of the other Union departments and the Student Executive team.

Decision Making

• Autonomous decision-making is expected in relation to advice work, with complex and safeguarding matters discussed with the Advice Manager.

• The post-holder will act with a degree of autonomy; however, proposals and actions may require the authority of line manager or Senior Management Team to receive funding and/or enactment.

Person Specification:

Essential

• Experience of delivering advice and managing casework in a professional capacity

• Experience of representing others in a support or advocacy capacity

• Experience of dealing with distressed clients and assessing clients at risk

• Ability to provide advice and support on academic student advice issues and to empower students to act on their own behalf as appropriate

• Ability to educate and empower students to their housing rights and responsibilities in University accommodation, private rented accommodation, and purpose-built student accommodation

• Ability to provide advice and support on student funding and finance issues, including eligibility for funding, emergency financial support, and challenging incorrect decisions

• Strong communication and administrative skills, including proficiency with IT including Microsoft Office software

• A strong ability to listen empathetically and apply critical thinking and exploration skills in the advice process

• A positive, student-centred approach

• Ability to demonstrate good networking skills

• Reliable and trustworthy

• Team focused and self-motivated

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Higher Education environment, academic policy and procedure, and issues affecting students

• Knowledge of student entitlement to benefits and eligibility criteria

• Knowledge of student funding and finance entitlement, including funding bodies such as SAAS

• Knowledge of employment rights and responsibilities

• Knowledge of consumer rights and responsibilities

• Knowledge of Scottish housing legislation and regulations, including purpose-built student accommodation, private rented sector, and social housing

• Experience of using digital case recording systems

• Understanding of the cultural and religious issues affecting advice provision

• Experience of working in or with Students’ Unions and an understanding of their role in the Higher Education sector

• Experience of delivering training

   

Other information

Students’ Unions are a specialised area within Higher Education and the third sector where student Executive Officers are elected annually. As a result, this presents various exciting opportunities and challenges.

The post holder will be a member of staff who will at all times be expected to portray a positive image of the Union, both internally and externally, and to set high standards of personal integrity and professionalism, leading by personal example.

• The role is subject to a 6-month probationary period.

• This role may be suitable for some remote working, but there will be a requirement for on-campus working on a regular and permanent basis.

• Full time staff are entitled to 31 days annual leave per year plus 11 public holidays

• The successful applicant will be eligible to join the relevant workplace pensions scheme as determined by their starting grade.

• Other staff perks include: paid volunteering days, Headspace Premium subscription, free sport sessions, and staff discount on food, non-alcoholic drinks & merchandise.

Apply here