JOB DESCRIPTION
Employment status and working hours
Fixed term for up to 14 months (maternity leave), full time.
Full time hours at the University are 35 per week with the standard working pattern Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00.
Organisation structure
Education and Students, Apprenticeship Outcomes.
Your line manager will be Rebecca Bickerton – Head of Apprenticeship Outcomes.
Place of work flexibility
Your time will be split between the Horizons, Reading office and your home*. The exact split of days/hours is negotiable but must include up to 30 days per year in Horizons only on the core days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). *Working from home is only possible if your environment is suitable – please see the ‘Working from home’ section on our Careers Site for further information.
High level summary of job role
As an Apprenticeship Outcomes Manager, you will manage and continuously improve the achievement, retention and success of one or more of the University’s apprenticeship programmes, ensuring employer needs and regulatory requirements are consistently met and exceeded.
You will have direct line management responsibility for a team of Apprenticeship Outcome Officers (AOO), supporting, coaching and managing performance. This will include monitoring and reviewing KPIs, completing regular 1:1s, and using performance data to drive continuous improvement and high standards of delivery.
Working with your team, you will proactively identify and mitigate risks to progress, achievement and timely completion. You will play a key role in minimising withdrawals through early intervention, effective problem-solving and close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
You will also develop and maintain strong employer partnerships, acting as a key point of contact to ensure employers are fully engaged, informed and satisfied with the apprentice experience and outcomes. This includes responding to employer feedback and managing expectations.
In addition, you will work closely with academic teams, quality, compliance and wider professional services colleagues to ensure consistently high programme performance, a positive apprentice experience, and excellent employer and apprentice satisfaction across all programmes.
Specific job role accountabilities and responsibilities
Lead the successful outcomes for allocated apprenticeship programme(s), embedding a culture of continuous improvement to maximise achievement, retention and timely completion.
Ensure allocated programme(s) meet employer needs and expectations, engaging, motivating and supporting apprentices to succeed and contributing towards the achievement of an expected standard or better outcome during external inspection, review or audit.
Work in close liaison with relevant internal teams to ensure consistently high-quality programme delivery, strong performance outcomes and high levels of employer and apprentice satisfaction.
Monitor and report on performance against institutional objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for allocated apprenticeship programme(s), implementing action plans where required.
Participate in internal and external committees, working groups and forums as required, representing apprenticeship programme interests and contributing to institutional priorities.
Provide non-technical advice, support and guidance to employers, enabling them to understand and fulfil apprenticeship requirements and effectively support their apprentice(s).
Lead employer partnership working for allocated accounts, including holding quarterly review meetings, providing performance feedback, managing risk and maintaining productive, sustainable relationships.
Review and, where appropriate, approve employer requests for apprentices within allocated programme(s) to take a break in learning, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Line manage allocated staff, including monitoring and allocating caseloads, conducting Performance and Development Reviews (PDRs), completing regular 1:1s, approving annual leave and reviewing and authorising expenses claims.
Lead and oversee apprentice induction activities for allocated apprenticeship programme(s), ensuring apprentices are effectively onboarded and supported from the start of their journey.
Support the recruitment and selection of AOOs and other staff as required.
Lead the induction, training and ongoing development of allocated AOOs and other staff, ensuring capability, consistency and high performance.
Support the development and maintenance of programme-related resources and support materials for apprenticeship programme(s).
Support compliance of apprenticeship programme delivery with statutory and regulatory requirements.
Support compliance with End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) requirements to enable successful and timely completion of apprenticeships.
Be accountable for securing positive employee satisfaction survey (EES) outcomes within allocated staff teams, in line with institutional objectives.
Support the implementation and maintenance of outstanding safeguarding practice, including health, safety and welfare, working closely with designated safeguarding leads across the University.
Contribute to wider planning, improvement and development activities aligned to the University’s strategic objectives.
Other important features of the job role
Line management responsibilities: Yes, and the number of direct reports is up to 10.
Budget responsibility: None.
Other specific responsibility: Sign off AOO expenses for up to £250. Sign off annual leave and overtime payments.
In this role you will liaise with the following: Apprentices, Employers, Apprenticeship Team, Student Outreach, Academic Team, Professional Services.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
E = Essential person requirement; D = Desirable person requirement
How the person requirement will be assessed: This is not a heading
A = Application; I = Interview; T = Test or other assessment
Please be aware that as part of safer recruitment and onboarding processes, we will seek original documentary evidence of the relevant academic and/or professional qualifications which you include within your job application. This is all part of our comprehensive pre-employment screening which also includes checking your identity, right to work, criminal record history (basic disclosure unless specified otherwise), and three years employment history. This is all part of our commitment to safeguarding our students. Keeping our students safe is a responsibility shared by everyone within the University.
Qualifications and training
GCSE Maths and English language Grade C or 4 or above (E, A).
Further education level qualifications (D, A).
Degree level qualification (D, A).
Previous experience
Monitoring and reviewing apprentice progress (E, A, I).
Experience within the education sector / built environment / higher education (D, A, I).
Leading and managing a team (D, A, I).
Behaviours and attitudes
Alignment to the University’s core values and growth mindset approach, which reflect our culture. Refer to the specific behaviours within the Competency Framework (E, I) – summarised within the careers site.
Skills, knowledge, other requirements
Digital skills confidence: We use MS Office which includes Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and several other systems/technology (E, I, T).
Strong verbal and written communication skills (E, A, I).
Ability to work independently, flexibly and quickly to minimise risk (E, I).
Ability to motivate and support your team achieve and develop personally (E, A, I).
Effective time management and organisational skills with a strong attention to detail (E, I).
Ability to work to deadlines and manage competing priorities in a busy working environment (E, I).
Ability to work collaboratively to achieve team and organisational goals (E, I).
Knowledge of Safeguarding and Prevent Duty requirements (E, A).
Knowledge of apprenticeship funding methodologies and funding rule requirements, as well as standards-based apprenticeship delivery including end-point assessment processes (D, I).
Understanding of the National Student Survey (NSS) and its purpose in Higher Education (D, I).
Commitment to delivering positive outcomes for our students regardless of your area of work within the University; we want our students to be successful (E, I).
You must be prepared to undertake mandatory online training should you be appointed. The University is regulated by the Office for Students and Ofsted, and we have specific requirements and expectations around safeguarding, Prevent, and anti-harassment and bullying. This is all part of our Competency Framework requirements (E, I).
You must be prepared to complete Mental Health First Aid England training (E, I).
PAY AND BENEFITS
Salary: Salary range £36,000 to £38,000 per annum.
Holiday: 26 days paid holiday (rising to 28 with service) plus paid bank/public holidays plus up to five paid closure days (typically between Christmas and New Year); all per holiday year Full Time Equivalent. Our holiday year runs from 1 August to 31 July. We also have a holiday buy and sell scheme in place. Sometimes the University does not need to close for five days per year and any balance (for example one day), can be used as a paid Wellbeing Day to take time out for your own physical or mental health.
Pension and life assurance: Pensions auto-enrolment to the People’s Pension which is a default salary sacrifice scheme. You may opt out of salary sacrifice but remain in the scheme, or you may choose to opt out altogether. We provide life assurance (death in service) cover as standard to all employees.
Family-friendly policies: Policies in place for all types of family-friendly statutory leave with enhanced pay available from day one of employment for some leave types. Access to Tax-Free Childcare (Government scheme).
Wellbeing: Full access to the Employee Assistance Programme as well as the Thrive Mental Wellbeing app. Several employees are trained Mental Health First Aiders and can support staff. We have a wellbeing policy and we focus on five pillars of wellbeing.
Sustainable travel: Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice schemes.
Parking: We have locked sheds for bicycles. For cars, for Horizons based roles, we may in the future be able to offer parking on site however you must not assume this will be possible. Every now and then we may have a spare parking space become available and you can ask to join the waiting list. The University is keen wherever possible, to encourage staff to commute as sustainably as possible.
Other health related benefits: Employer-funded Health Cash Plan (Simplyhealth) and voluntary dental insurance (Unum).
Other valuable benefits:
Charity giving options available including one voluntary paid day, per annum.
You will have access to Microsoft Office 365 applications for personal use.
You will have access to range of lifestyle discounts and everyday savings.
We offer learning platforms including LinkedIn learning.
APPLICATIONS - THINGS TO CONSIDER
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Rebecca Bickerton on 0118 467 2154 or email r.bickerton@ube.ac.uk For any other enquiries please contact HR on 0118 467 2454 / 2433 or email recruitment@ube.ac.uk
Did one of our employees recommend you? If you apply on the recommendation of an existing employee, please make sure to mention their name within your application.
We're passionate about sustainability and we have a five-year strategic plan: We expect job seekers to be curious about who we are and what we do. We point you towards a couple of resources about who we are and sustainability.
Closing date and next steps
We will receive applications until the advert closes on Wednesday 08 July 2026 at 17:00. We will not consider late applications. Our ATS does not screen applications, we humans do. Applications may be reviewed prior to the closing date and occasionally, you may be invited to interview ahead of the closing date.
Interview details
Dates for interview will be advised to you later in the process. We'll ask you to tell us about any dates you cannot make, up to 4 weeks from the closing date; this helps us to plan interviews should you be shortlisted, prior to contacting you.
Interviews are normally carried out over Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Depending on the job role and place of work, your interview may be at our Reading or London office. Please be prepared for a two-stage interview process, held on different dates. As part of the interview process, you will likely meet a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Note for internal candidates
If you are an existing employee, we request you inform your current line manager of your intention to apply for this role.
As this is a fixed term role, if you were (in the future) to be offered and accept this role, it would mean relinquishing your contractual permanent employment status with the University. Following the expiry of the fixed term period, your employment with the University would cease, unless an alternative role is secured. If instead you would like to apply for this role on the basis of it being a secondment (i.e. not relinquishing your permanent status), please discuss this with your current line manager. Only your line manager can consider and agree to a secondment because this impacts the resourcing in your current team. Please contact HR if you or your line manager need to discuss this further.
