Generation UK & Ireland Hiring for Mentor – Employability programmes Job at Remote Full Time

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Programme Mentor, you’ll sit at the heart of Generation UK&I, in the Curriculum, Mentorship, and Instruction Team and will play an integral role in delivering high-quality programmes. You will work closely with instructors and will lead on learner support, engagement, and employability skills building. You’ll report to Kate Mara (Head of Mentorship & Employability) and work closely with others in Mentorship and Instruction teams. You will also work closely with the regional teams to set up and onboard cohorts and support learners into employment after graduation.
You will work closely with all the students on your programmes (25-30 per cohort), supporting the selection process, helping students to plan how to address barriers they expect to come up against, and being their primary point of contact when something unexpected arises. You will be a constant presence in the virtual classroom, supporting the instructor to create the learning culture and providing extra input for students as required. You’ll make the difference between a problem that is too great to be overcome and a bump in the road.
Salary: £28,000 – £32,000
Location: London or Leeds (preferably), but we also welcome applications from across the UK – our work is largely remote and you will be able to work from home for most of the week but will need to have access to one of our coffices for special events & meetings.

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ABOUT YOU*
Here are the core attributes we think you’ll need to succeed in the role:

• Resourceful – you know how to find things, solve things, answer questions, reach people.
• Organised – you can efficiently and effectively execute many different things at the same time.
• Emotionally intelligent communicator – you engage well with young people, colleagues, partners, employers.
• Sound judgement – you work independently, and when faced with issues react calmly and logically.
• Passionate about the cause – you have a demonstrated interest and motivation to support those from a disadvantaged background.
• Tech savvy – you are comfortable using multiple tech platforms, including Zoom, Salesforce, Google, Slack
• Curious- you are a life-long learner and a development-focussed type of person

ABOUT GENERATION
Generation’s mission is to train, coach and support people into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible.
We are a UK registered charity and an Irish non-profit, founded by McKinsey & Company, delivering tailored programmes to recruit, train and place unemployed people into work. Through our unique approach we also solve a wide range of employer challenges—skilled talent shortages, poor job performance, lack of diversity, and high turnover.
Generation launched globally in 2015 and has grown quickly to become the world’s largest demand-led employment initiative. We have placed over 40,000 people into roles – many of whom have suffered some form of adversity – working with over 2,000 employer partners to date across 14 countries and 26 professions.
Generation UK&I is currently running training to employment programs in Ireland, the West Midlands, London, Manchester, and Yorkshire, and will launch in Scotland in 2022. We run a range of tech programmes with partners including Amazon Web Services, Multiverse and Infinity Works, and customer service roles.
The coronavirus pandemic transformed the employment landscape beyond recognition, with young people (who form the majority of the people we help) being the hardest hit. At the same time, the Black Lives Matter movement has rightfully brought issues of social injustice and racism to the top of every agenda.
By joining Generation UK&I now, you will become part of an organisation which is determined to play its part in addressing both these challenges for people in the UK and Ireland over the coming months and years.
Watch a short video to understand more about our impact, direct from our learners.
Requirements
RESPONSIBILITIES
Recruitment, selection and onboarding

• Work with programme managers identify candidates with support needs and develop individual support plans
• Build rapport with candidates through mentor support conversations and onboarding activities
• Work closely with instructors and on-programme teams set learners up for success

Safeguarding

• Respond to all safeguarding concerns as per the Safeguarding policy, involving other professionals as necessary
• Record all concerns in the Safeguarding log as per the Safeguarding policy

Pastoral support and problem-solving

• Schedule weekly 1:1 meetings and group sessions with students
• Set personal development goals with each learner and track their progress throughout the programme.
• Record a summary of 1:1 student meetings and develop individualised support needs plans
• Participate in student support meetings with additional stakeholders (e.g. instructor, curriculum lead)
• Problem-solve and address barriers to student success

Employability Support

• Co-facilitate and lead employment essential sessions
• Provide targeted feedback on CVs/Cover Letters for each student.
• Facilitate and conduct mock interviews for students, providing specific and constructive feedback
• Prepare students to attend employer events, e.g. best practices on networking with employers and making a good first impression

Classroom culture

• Maintain in-class presence to promote a positive remote classroom culture over Zoom
• Comfortable engaging with learners on multiple online platforms, including Slack and Zoom
• Identify any engagement and behaviour issues through spending time in classes and checking in with learners
• Set high expectations for student engagement and behaviour

Team

• Work with a team of mentors across the UK and Ireland to explore and share best practices for mentorship
• Work with the Mentorship, Curriculum and Instruction team to test and implement new class sessions and employability activities
• Work in partnership with local teams to support learner recruitment and learner placement

PERSON SPECIFICATION
You are an experienced mentor, driven to provide the best support possible to adults of all ages. You are passionate about supporting people to reach their full potential and are energized by the thought of supporting a cohort into employment. Your background in mentoring, education or social work means that you know where to turn for specialist support, and how to identify when it is needed.
Specific requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Integrity, positive attitude, and self-directed with demonstrated passion for Generation’s mission
• Experience supporting young people and unemployed adults
• Knowledgeable of safeguarding principles and practices
• Experience working across teams and projects
• Flexible and a willingness to try adapt in order to problem-solve and increase efficiency

APPLICATION PROCESS
As part of our application process we require candidates to complete a short test. Only candidates who have completed this assessment will be considered for the next stage. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email with a link to the test.
Instead of a cover letter, there are 2 questions included in the application which ask for longer answers. These form a fundamental part of our candidate screening, so do please take the time to answer fully.
All staff working with learners in the UK are required to pass a basic CRB check.
Benefits
A fair chance
Every role at Generation is open to applications from all sections of society. We believe in the potential of everyone; regardless of race, religion or belief, ethnic origin, different physical ability, family structure, socio-economics, age, nationality or citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other aspect that makes you, well, you.
We believe that the more diverse we are the better we become. More than just encouraging your application, we’re committed to conscious inclusion that (we hope) cultivates an ethos of belonging, connection and shared purpose. We go further together. It’s this philosophy that drives us towards our mission. We open our doors to those who share this mindset.
We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates from marginalised groups. We will assess applications on a rolling basis and close this posting as soon as we have found the right candidate. We look forward to hearing from you

Job Type: Full-time