Senior Programme Officer – Welfare and Immigration

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 202122 we reached 650 million people.

Senior Programme Officer: Welfare an Immigration

Pay Band: 7

Salary:Starting 30,839 (+ 3,300 market allowance if based in London)
Contract Type:Fixed term until 31/01/2025 to cover maternity leave

Role Type: Business Delivery

Location:UK; London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast.

Closing date: Wednesday 6th December, 11:59pm UK time.

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme
• An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and/or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world.

Requirements:Candidates must have the pre-existing (permanent) right to work in location.
Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided.

Context

This role contributes to the efficient administration of the Chevening Programme on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Senior Programme Officer Welfare and Immigration (SPOWI) is a key member of the Chevening Secretariat team and will manage a small team of at least one person and will ensure that an excellent standard of service is provided to all stakeholders.

Role Purpose

The Chevening Secretariat provides immigration advice to its scholars and fellows to help them take up the offer of a Chevening award, as well as providing guidance on immigration legislation and visa application processes to colleagues located at British Embassies and High Commissions abroad. While the majority of Chevening award holders come to the UK with a Student visa, others are directly sponsored under the Government Authorised Exchange schemes, and a smaller number will enter in another way. Once in the UK, scholars and fellows are also offered assistance where they may face any issues concerning their welfare.

The post holder will also be required to work closely with the Programme Manager UK on continual policy and procedural development, with a view to improving services and the efficiency of their delivery.

They will also be tasked with effective people management, with delegation, team development and monitoring performance all being of paramount importance.

The post holder will lead on ensuring the welfare of all scholars is monitored and will provide relevant advice to the Programme Officers who work closely with the scholars. This will be done via training and guidance and will be regularly reviewed.

The post holder may be required to identify and prepare for changing aspects of immigration law and practice to ensure as seamless a service as possible.

Main accountabilities

• To manage the workload and monitor the performance of the Programme Officer – Welfare and Immigration to ensure that a consistent high level of service is provided to all stakeholders to agreed timelines.
• To undertake the required CPD for OISC level 1 or to become accredited while in role.
• To be a level 1 user of the Home Offices Sponsor Management System and produce Certificate of Sponsorship for fellows where appropriate.
• To provide specialist advice to colleagues on matters concerning welfare and immigration issues.
• To supply relevant advice to candidates selected for scholarships and fellowships on immigration issues prior to their arrival in the UK, including casework, where necessary.
• To provide advice to British Embassies and High Commissions (via the Secretariats international team) regarding matters relating to immigration and welfare.
• To draft and approve advice on welfare and immigration matters for distribution to current and prospective scholars and fellows, and dealing with day-to-day queries via telephone, email, etc.
• To work closely with Secretariat colleagues, university contacts and award holders in serious welfare cases; this may include case management of critical incidents, reporting on incidents to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and checking in/following up with award holders with on-going issues.
• To approve additional funding for disabled scholars and fellows, and to liaise with the disability section of the host university to ensure that the required provisions are in place.
• To assess requests for funding from the welfare budget (e.g. compassionate airfare, scholarship extension due to illness) in line with welfare policy guidance, notifying the Programme Manager UK as appropriate.
• To review existing and new Chevening documentation/communication and provide input where required to ensure that it is in line with immigration regulations.
• To keep up to date with developments in immigration and keeping relevant members of the Secretariat informed of changes in regulations and advising on appropriate action in a timely manner.

Role specific skills

• Strong administrative skills, including the ability to complete repetitive tasks to a high degree of accuracy and a high level of proven competence with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in all forms of communication.
• Commitment to working primarily with a team, with an ability to work independently and show initiative and exercise sound judgement.
• Ability to apply Chevening policy appropriately and consistently, and to refer any areas of existing policy that may need reviewing with the Programme Manager UK.

Role specific knowledge and experience

• Proven experience of line management.
• Experience of providing immigration advice at minimum of OISC level 1 (or willingness to reach required level while in role).
• Basic knowledge of the higher education system and current issues facing international students.
• Knowledge, experience, and understanding of the principles of advice, information, or advocacy work, in relation to UK Higher Education; ideally with international students / scholars.
• Basic counselling skills with suitable personal qualities for advice work, including: a non-judgemental approach, approachability, interest in supporting students, tact, and sensitivity.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including writing for an understanding of different audiences and sensitivity for different cultural contexts, and the ability to deliver high standard presentations and reports.
• Overall strong interpersonal, collaborative skills with the ability to liaise fluently with both internal and external audiences with an understanding and commitment to good customer care.
• Good IT skills, including proficiency in word processing and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to negotiate effectively with strong analytical abilities to process complex paperwork and situations, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently to prioritise a busy caseload.
• Ability to work effectively and positively within a small team to deliver results with proven experience of using own initiative for problem solving in professional context.

Closing date: Wednesday 6th December, 11:59pm UK time.

Additional information: Interviews will be held around 18th December.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion(EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council iscommitted to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Councils Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email askhr@britishcouncil.org

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ASK HR email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.