Head of Futures

Join our team and unlock your potential!  

Role: Head of Futures

Salary: Competitive, based on experience

The post of Head of Futures is a new leadership position, created to lead, oversee, strengthen and develop all aspects of our Futures programme across the whole school.

Key Responsibilities

Careers

• Develop and manage an ambitious careers education, information, advice and guidance programme throughout the School with reference to external guidance including ISI Guidance, DfE Statutory Guidance (2018) and the Gatsby Benchmarks (Take a lead overall on delivering Gatsby Benchmarks 2, 5, 6 and 8, including resourcing and liaising with external partners where appropriate, and supporting or collaborating on delivering Benchmarks 1, 3, 4 and 7)
• Develop a meaningful Careers provision for Years 7-13, as per Gatsby Benchmarks above.
• Ensure relevant and current careers resources are accessible to students to support their careers and higher education planning.
• Work closely with counterpart in the Boys’ School to ensure all opportunities for collaboration are taken and developed
• Work closely with the Deputy Head Pastoral in the Junior School to ensure an ambitious and exciting age-appropriate careers programme is in place
• Plan and manage small and large-scale careers events (including National Careers Week activities) during the academic year which inspires and broadens students’ knowledge of opportunities, in collaboration with counterparts in the Boys’ School where appropriate.
• Publish the careers programme to be accessed by students and parents
• Provide impartial, individual careers guidance to all
• Provide psychometric career profiling and feedback to all Year 11 students (using the Morrisby Profile) and others by request.
• Develop links with employers, employer networks, alumni, STEM organisations, etc to ensure students in Years 7- 13 have access to employer encounters at least once every year.
• Work with the Head of PSHE to ensure careers teaching is embedded in the programme across the school Developing and coordinating schemes of work including resources for careers education within PSHE and careers lessons.
• Coordinate work experience for Year 10 and Year 12 students including preparing student and parent information resources, delivering talks, booking placements and all safeguarding and duty of care checks, progress chasing and all monitoring and follow-up procedures.
•  Use expert knowledge of careers and labour market information to enable pupils to identify, access, interpret and utilise relevant information sources
• Manage the process of delivering careers interviews, including managing external advisors
• Design and deliver activities to help pupils develop career management skills, such as CV writing, interviews, LinkedIn.
• Develop a programme of careers talks, careers fairs and other relevant activities for students from Yr 7-13, in collaboration with counterparts in the Boys’ School where appropriate.
• Future line management of Aspire CoOrdinator and link to Haberdashers’ Company/ broader Aspire Programme.

UCAS/University Guidance

• Working with the Head of UCAS develop an exciting and ambitious university admissions offering
• Oversight of UCAS applications
• Line management of Head of UCAS

Other

• Provide advice and guidance to any pupil considering a Gap Year.
• Work with the Head of Upper School in advising students with their A-level choices via the Next Steps programme.
• To work with the Foundation to set up a mentoring programme with alumni
• Prepare students for life after school e.g. advice on student finance, talks from alumnae at university/in degree apprenticeships.
• Work with the Head of Futures at the Boys’ School, organising joint events and activities where appropriate and holding informal meetings to share information and expertise.
• Develop whole School interaction with Unifrog, ensuring conducting training for staff, pupils (and where appropriate, their parents)

Line Management Responsibilities

• Head of UCAS
• Admin assistant
• Medical applications advisor
• Oxbridge advisor
• Overseas advisor (joint across both schools)
• Reports to the Deputy Head Academic and will work very closely with the Head of Futures in the BS.

What we are looking for:

Education, Qualifications and Skills

• An outstanding academic record, including a very good bachelor’s degree
• An excellent record as a manager and leader
• A record of continuous professional development
• Excellent communication and listening skills
•  Powers of diplomacy and persuasion
• The ability to think strategically and to contribute towards the schools’ development
• Strong organisational and administrative skills with a keen eye for detail
• A good level of IT competency
• High professional standards Knowledge and Experience
• Experience of delivering an ambitious whole school careers programme
• Understanding and experience of working to the Gadsby benchmarks
• Experience and understanding of supporting students through UCAS process
• A holistic view of education that encompasses academic, pastoral and co curricular elements
• Experience of managing change
• Understanding of role in the context of safeguarding children
• Understanding of the requirements of Equality and Diversity Qualities
• Natural leadership qualities, combining humility with a sense of credibility and presence
• A commitment to educational excellence
•  Capacity for hard work and handling stressful situations with energy, enthusiasm and a positive outlook
• The ability to motivate and inspire others
• A team player with an ability to develop and to sustain relationships and empower others
• The wisdom, ability and commitment to resolve complex problems
• The judgement to know when and what to delegate
• Integrity, reliability and a commitment to honesty and fairness

What we are offering:  

• A competitive salary, commensurate with the candidate’s experience
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Free lunch and refreshments 
• Additional life insurance cover, access to Employee Assistance  
• Extensive professional development training opportunities  
• Free onsite parking or access to travel on the schools extensive coach network  
• Free access to sports facilities and well-being programmes for staff  
• Enrolment into the Schools' pension scheme
• 50% discount on school fees for children at any of the Elstree Schools (subject to Terms)

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

Haberdashers’ Elstree SchooIs are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.