Widening Participation Officer An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Higher Education Department for a dynamic and passionate Widening Participation Officer. This pivotal role offers the chance to make a significant impact on the lives of students and shape the future of higher education. As the Widening Participation Officer, you will play a key part in driving the implementation of the Department of HE's forward-thinking strategies, initiatives, policies, and procedures designed to widen participation across the student life-cycle. Your efforts will span from fostering aspiration and improving attainment to ensuring access, success, and progression for all students. These initiatives will be aligned with the latest regulatory and funding requirements, including those from the Office for Students (OfS) and other key bodies. In this role, you will: • Lead innovative projects and campaigns that inspire and empower under-represented groups to pursue higher education. • Investigate, analyse, and report on crucial data, identifying trends and opportunities to enhance participation. • Collaborate with leaders, including the Deputy Executive Director Higher Education and Quality, and Programme Partnership Managers, to drive a cohesive and impactful strategy. • Champion the voices of diverse student groups, ensuring their experiences and needs are at the forefront of policy development. • Evaluate the effectiveness of widening participation initiatives to assess their impact and inform continuous improvement. Your work will be essential in enabling the Department of Higher Education to deliver widening participation initiatives. You will be instrumental in realising our commitment to increasing the proportion of students from under-represented groups who are admitted to and successfully complete their studies. Together, we will work towards closing the gaps between students with different characteristics, ensuring equality and excellence in education. If you are passionate about making a difference and excited about shaping the future of higher education, we invite you to join us in this rewarding journey. This is more than a job - it's an opportunity to transform lives and create lasting change.