GBS is a higher education provider offering a range of sector-relevant courses across ten campuses in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare, and more.
Our Vision
Changing lives through education.
What We Do
The Graduate Employment and Entrepreneurship department at GBS is dedicated to preparing students for successful careers and business ventures. It offers tailored one-to-one guidance, a dynamic online Careers Hub via Handshake, and a structured Employability Award that builds critical job‑seeking skills through Bronze to Platinum levels. Students gain practical experience in CV building, networking, and real job applications, including tools like ChatGPT.
The Role
The Deputy Head of Careers will assist the Head of Careers in providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Careers team members, ensuring their activities align with institutional objectives and industry best practices. The Careers team includes Careers Consultants, Careers Officers, Campus Administrators and Campus Managers. You will lead a diverse, multi‑campus team, driving excellence in programme delivery, innovation, and stakeholder engagement while ensuring the highest standards of quality and impact across all initiatives.
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.
What The Role Involves
Strategic Leadership
- Work with the Head of Careers to develop and articulate a clear vision and strategic plan for the Careers team, focusing on providing individualised and contextualised support for students.
- Understand and champion the full breadth of employment ambitions and circumstances for all students and recent alumni.
- Understand the local, regional and national job markets and contextualise the team’s careers support activities to best align with these.
- Align the team with institutional B3 goals, particularly around getting students into jobs and progressing to more senior, professional‑grade roles.
- Act as an advocate for careers initiatives, promoting their value internally and externally.
- Oversee the support for mandatory placements.
Programme Management
- Provide strong leadership, direction, and programme management support to a diverse team across all campuses.
- Support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Careers team activities to ensure consistency and quality of support to students across locations and maximise graduate outcomes.
- Develop, monitor, and report on KPIs to measure the success and impact of the team’s activities, with an emphasis on securing graduate employment outcomes.
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
- Lead the development and implementation of innovative approaches to enhance the Careers support available to students and alumni.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, incorporating best practices to maintain the programmes’ competitiveness and relevance.
- Oversee feedback collection and evaluation processes to drive continuous improvement in rates of professional‑level employment for students and alumni.
What Experience/Skills Are Required
Leadership
- Experience leading progression, recruitment or employment programmes across multi‑campus environments either within the higher education sector or in an industrial setting.
Data and Performance Analytics
- Expertise in using employment data, labour market intelligence, and dashboards to drive institutional decision‑making.
Strategic Change Management
- Proven success in implementing large‑scale initiatives that transform employment outcomes and support B3 progression metrics.
External Stakeholder Engagement
- Strong track record in building partnerships with employers, professional bodies, and industry networks to enhance student opportunities.
Innovation in Programme Delivery
- Experience designing and implementing innovative progression strategies that improve graduate outcomes and student success.
What We Offer
- 25 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays
- 1‑day extra leave per year of service, up to a maximum of 5 days
- Workplace pension scheme
- Tuition reimbursement for career development courses
- Flexible benefits: Cycle to Work, Workplace Nursery, Techscheme and more
- Perks@Work discounts platform, wellbeing centre and more
- Reward and recognition programme
- £500 award for employee referral scheme
- Discretionary annual performance bonus
- GBS supported my development by enrolling me in an external Leadership and Management course, which equipped me with the tools to drive my team towards continued growth and success. Before joining GBS, I did not envision myself as a manager, but I have now found my passion in leadership. — Ebony Bates (Professional Services Employee)
- GBS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities. We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed.
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