Educational Adviser

About the Role

This is a specialist guidance role within a team of professionally qualified Educational Advisers. Working across a range of contact channels, the core purpose of the role is to support students in Wales to achieve their educational goals.

The post holder will contribute to the design and delivery of training and development for university staff, focusing on the Student Recruitment and Support (SRS) teams. This will include supporting consistent, high-quality advice and guidance practice through the application of Matrix IAG principles and contributing to continuous quality improvement of services in Wales.

The role also involves developing and maintaining specialist knowledge of the Open University curriculum to support students effectively and to inform improvements to the digital student experience across OU platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• In line with University policies and requirements, provide impartial, equitable, confidential and student‑centred educational guidance and support, to enable informed decision‑making by students
• Act as an escalation point for complex or high-risk student cases requiring guidance, and exercise professional judgement to escalate safeguarding and welfare concerns to specialist services as appropriate.
• Act as a subject matter expert and role model in relation to student facing policies and processes, supporting the development of other staff, and acting as a point of referral when required.
• Accurately record and maintain student and enquirer interactions using University systems, in line with established best practice.
• Contribute to the development of Student Recruitment and Support operations within Wales, with a focus on student retention, progression and satisfaction.
• Design, develop and deliver training to student facing staff on advice and guidance practice, including IAG skills, student support processes, policies and procedures.
• Design, develop and refine online and written information, materials and systems to meet evolving educational and operational needs.
• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills, adopting evolving business practices and procedures to improve personal performance.
• The role holder may occasionally be required to attend meetings/ events at other Open University locations for business, training and evaluation purposes.

About You

Essential criteria:

• Significant experience providing advice and guidance to diverse groups of students within adult, further or higher education.
• Understanding of the factors affecting student success in the context of part time and distance learning.
• Demonstrable advice and guidance practice that supports student autonomy, informed decision‑making and ethical, impartial outcomes.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey complex information clearly to a range of audiences.
• High level interpersonal skills, including liaison, networking, negotiation and effective team working.
• Experience of designing, delivering and evaluating training for a wide range of staff.
• Competence in using digital systems and platforms to deliver guidance effectively.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to work autonomously and manage a varied and demanding workload.
• Experience of supporting complex or sensitive student cases, including the ability to exercise professional judgement and escalate safeguarding or welfare concerns appropriately.

Desirable criteria:

• NVQ Level 4 in Guidance, or a willingness to work towards a professional qualification where none is held.
• A relevant professional qualification and/or evidence of training and continuing professional development in the IAG field.
• Ability to communicate fluently and effectively through the medium of Welsh.
• Awareness of the external policy environment and how government priorities may affect the University.