Careers Consultant

Role Title: Careers Consultant

Grade and Salary: Grade 7, £37,694 - £47,389 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week) Fixed-term (12 months)

Reward and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff. Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About our Team

The Global Registry and Academic Support Directorate support our students and staff colleagues across the full student lifecycle from enrolment through to graduation.

The Directorate has responsibility as the definitive record-keeper of all student information and programme and course details and providing services that help students settle and succeed at the University with professional help and advice through a range of well-being services.

The Directorate supports academic and professional services staff across the University in a number of areas, including academic, institutional and student related Regulations and Policies and global, national and institutional quality matters.

It delivers these services through four Divisions, each managed by a Global Head:

• Student Life

• Academic Operations

• Academic Quality

• Off-Campus Students 

The Student Life Division consists of three teams:

Careers and Graduate Futures:  Delivers global careers and employability advice to students and alumni, working closely with local and global employers and with Schools supporting the employability strands.

Student Wellbeing: Provides a range of services for students to support their student journey and delivers global services providing disability support, counselling and support and retention activities, and Chaplaincy Services

Student Administration: Operates the Student Service Centres; manages the University’s student records and awards activity; and through the global student office facilitates student mobility, provides international student advice (including student visas) and manages the student hardship funds.

Purpose of Role 

To contribute to the implementation of the University’s strategic aims by providing a range of professional career education and guidance services to client groups of undergraduate and postgraduate students, online learners and graduates to enhance their employability. To work in close collaboration with senior school staff, academic colleagues, other Career Consultants, members of the Employer Engagement team, alumni team and employers to support students to develop their career potential. To proactively develop the service to meet client need under the guidance of the Head of Careers and Graduate Futures and contribute to the positive impact of the service at school and university level.

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Provide high quality careers information, advice, guidance (CIAG) and coaching to students and graduates to help them fulfil their career potential, operating within the agreed careers guidance model.  This will take account of best practice across the sector, and include a range of different approaches, such as one-to-one sessions, e-guidance, group teaching through career education seminars and group work, coaching and mentoring, working with a wide range of students, including international students and those withdrawing early.
2. Deliver central and School based careers education sessions to a wide range of students and graduates.
3. Work proactively in support of the Service’s Employer Engagement Strategy. Represent the University at events such as careers fairs and other events, local, national and international employer networks, gather and analyse high quality labour market intelligence and collaborate with employers in activities such as delivery of career education, career guidance and employability skills.
4. Through CPD maintain an in-depth current knowledge of career options, routes, labour market trends and employers as relevant to all areas of the University’s curriculum.  Work proactively with academic staff in Schools in order to develop specific knowledge to support students and graduates of particular disciplines.
5. Use information technology to its full potential in delivering, developing and supporting service provision, communicating about the Careers Service, and engaging both staff and students with the work of the service.
6. Gather, analyse and use user feedback evidence to make improvements the service
7. Contribute as appropriate to projects across the university, working groups or initiatives which support the achievement of strategic and operational objectives, and the enhancement of the student experience.
8. Contribute to the maintenance of agreed quality standards and external quality accreditation through on-going review of practices, contributions to the assessment process and the delivery of high quality, measurable outcomes.
9. Proactively contribute to Careers and Graduate Futures strategic planning and innovative development to ensure the Service’s key objectives are achieved
10. Maintain appropriate statistical records to contribute to the development of effective management information relevant to the work of the service
11. Maintain a wide and appropriate external network with agencies such as the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) and Skills Development Scotland, and other tertiary- education sector Careers Services, to keep up to date with subject specific and sector developments and good practice and access advice on emerging challenges
12. Engage in continuous development of professional practice and engage in developmental activities as guided by the Head of Careers and Graduate Futures, to maintain and improve knowledge and skills as required within a challenging and ever-changing environment.
13. Undertake other duties as appropriate to the grade and content of the post, as directed by the Head of Careers and Graduate Futures. This list of duties is therefore not exhaustive.

Person Specification 

These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made.

Essential

1. Educated to first degree level or equivalent (see link for details) AND a Postgraduate professional careers guidance qualification or nationally recognised equivalent (i.e. Diploma / Qualification in Careers Guidance, NVQ Level 4 in Advice and Guidance) 
2. Experience of working in careers guidance within a Higher Education institution
3. Minimum of 3 years proven relevant experience of providing effective careers guidance services with varied individuals and client groups, across a range of settings and ability to empathise with and understand the needs of users from a wide variety of backgrounds
4. Up to date knowledge of theories underpinning the practice of careers education, information, advice and guidance/coaching, particularly in relation to graduate provision
5. Strong IT skills and the ability to research, analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail
6. Understanding of graduate career paths and the UK graduate recruitment market, including the marketing, assessment and selection processes used by employers
7. Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively
8. Strong client focus and commitment to delivering a high-quality service
9. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately with a focus on delivering results in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
10. Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation 
11. High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and work effectively both independently and as part of a team 

Desirable

1. Experiencing of developing and using online resources to support career development, including social media
2. Sound knowledge of the Higher Education sector and current issues surrounding employability

Special Factors (relevant to specific role)

1. Requirement to work at weekends or out of hours when necessary

How to Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV

Applications can be submitted until 23:55 on Sunday 30th August 2026.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.