Job Details

The University of Glasgow is committed to the wellbeing and success of its students. As a senior member of the Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Team, the Disability and Inclusion Lead helps to create an inclusive, welcoming and engaging learning environment, which enables all students to participate fully in the educational life of the University.

The Disability and Inclusion Lead is responsible for:
• Promoting and enhancing inclusive practices across the University
• Providing specialist advice and training on aspects of inclusive practice to University staff with particular emphasis, in the first instance, on disability, to ensure alignment with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive learning policy
• Offering advice and guidance to students and staff in cases of complex needs and ensuring the implementation of reasonable adjustments where these are required

Working in support of the Head of Student Wellbeing and Inclusion, the Disability and Inclusion Lead plays a critical role in helping to foster a university-wide culture of inclusion. This involves building strong and effective partnerships with colleagues in the services, Colleges and Schools, along with those in the Student Representative Council and student societies.

1. Work closely with staff across the institution to promote, develop and implement inclusive teaching and support practices.

2. Systematically monitor strategies, policies and procedures relating to teaching, learning, student support and wellbeing to ensure across the Colleges and Schools we meet the University’s commitment to inclusion and comply with relevant legislation, making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.

3. Undertake individual student case work, particularly in relation to more complex disabilities, conducting needs assessments and developing individual support plans.

4. Work collaboratively to promote and deliver a co-ordinated and seamless approach to individual student support within the new student service delivery model.

5. Develop and deliver one-to-one and group training sessions and activities to academic and service colleagues on inclusive practice, accessibility and the implementation of reasonable adjustments.

6. Formulate an evaluation programme to enable the institution to demonstrate and evidence the success of any new inclusive practice initiatives.

7. Work closely with other key members of the Support and Wellbeing service, referring students to specialist services, including the crisis response team, when required and appropriate.

8. Build good working relationships with the key college and school staff, SRC, student societies and the other student support and wellbeing services (including IT Services and Widening Participation) to ensure an effective flow of information and understanding of student issues. This may include representing the Directorate on University working groups or committees.

9. Provide expert advice and guidance to Fitness to Study, in support of individual students, panels as and when required.

 

10. Keep abreast of new developments in relation to legislation, research, assessment, assisted technology and maintain a good working knowledge of policy and practice with respect to inclusivity within the HE sector and more widely as appropriate to inform ways of working within the team.

 

Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential
A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management skills in similar or number of different specialist roles. Or, Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9,10, or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification) or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in relevant discipline, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s).
A2 A professional qualification or training relevant to disability and inclusion, e.g. Postgraduate qualification in SpLD or Autism; SQA Practising Inclusiveness through Needs-led Assessment (HH9L 36).
A3 Deep understanding of and commitment to equality and inclusion.
A4 Expert knowledge of accessible and inclusive learning practices, ideally within an HE setting.
A5 A good working knowledge of relevant legislation, such as the Equality Act, as it applies to HE.
A6 A good working knowledge of assistive technology and its use in support of disability and inclusion.
A7 PVG registration or able to gain scheme membership.

Desirable
B1 An entry level counselling qualification.
B2 Membership of appropriate professional organisation (e.g NADP, ADSHE).
B3 An understanding of issues of fitness to study and practice within an educational setting.


Skills
Essential
C1 A credible and informed approach, which reflects a passion, concern and deep empathy for the student situation.
C2 Excellent interpersonal, oral presentation and communications skills, with the ability to form positive working relationships with a wide range of staff within the University community.
C3 Able to multi-task and manage a varied, demanding workload on initiative and as part of a team, with particular reference to setting targets, monitoring progress and meeting deadlines.
C4 Personal resilience and the ability to provide support and direction to colleagues in difficult roles and challenging support situations.
C5 Able to design and deliver training material.
C6 Excellent customer service.
C7 Ability to use initiative and judgement to resolve issues independently and make informed decisions effectively, including taking decisive action when confronting difficult situations.
C8 Able to manage risk and adapt approaches to suit the HE setting.
C9 Analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
C10 Able to work flexibly and creatively, within agreed boundaries.
C11 IT literacy in Microsoft Office packages.

 

Experience
Essential
E1 Extensive experience of conducting needs assessments with disabled students in an educational setting.
E2 Experience of advocacy with academic staff on behalf of disabled students.
E3 Experience of working with external agencies operating in the field of disability/ dyslexia.
E4 Experience of policy development in the area of inclusion.
E5 Experience of developing and delivering training where the audience has different levels of subject knowledge.
E6 Experience of working with multiple stakeholders, inspiring confidence and the ability to create collaborative opportunities for delivering excellent service.
E7 Experience of managing difficult and complex cases, and investigating complaints.

Desirable
F1 Experience of having worked in HE.

Dimensions
The Disability and Inclusion Lead plays a critical role in helping to promote and foster an inclusive ethos across the institution so that all of our 30,000 students can participate in University life. There would be shared responsibility for approx. 2000 students registered with the Disability Service.

Planning and Organising
• Planning and organise own workload
• Systematically monitor and evaluate University service procedures and practices to inform policy development and improvement
• Produce reports for relevant committees and working groups

Internal/External Relationships
• Build effective working relationships with colleagues within Colleges, Schools, Professional Services (particularly the Assistive Technology team within Information Services and the Widening Participation team within External Relations), SRC and the student unions and societies
• On a daily basis work closely with other members of the Student Support and Wellbeing Teams and those within Student Engagement to ensure an effective flow of information about student support issues
• Advise and support individual members of staff from the Colleges/Schools on implementing inclusive practices
• Provide expert advice and guidance to Fitness to Study panels in relation to students with disabilities
• Liaise extensively and regularly in particular with the Exams Unit within the Registry, colleagues across the rest of the Student Support and Wellbeing function, Academic Standards and Quality and Information Services (Assistive Technology) to ensure effective and cohesive support for individual students
• Liaise extensively within the University with up to 100 Disability Coordinators and other key University staff to enable them to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act (2010)
• Work in partnership with the University’s Employee and Organisational Development Service and the Equality and Diversity Unit to provide relevant training and development to Disability Coordinators
• Liaise with external stakeholders such as, Student Awards Agency for Scotland, Student Finance England and Northern Ireland.

• Liaise with external colleagues in other HEIs to share good practice

 

Decision Making
• Assess individual students’ needs and make recommendations for curriculum and exam support, and funding
• Intervene and negotiate on behalf of students when support is not being met
• Identify other appropriate student services to collaborate with and decide when to refer students on or advocate on their behalf
• Use professional knowledge and experience to appropriately escalate a problem to the Head of Student Wellbeing and Inclusion

Problem Solving
• In line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy, recommend adjustments and changes to teaching and assessment to Disability Coordinators in academic Schools for students with disabilities including SpLD, taking into account specific course requirements, University regulations, protocols and policies, and duties under the Equality Act (2010), to ensure that students are adequately supported whilst academic standards are not compromised
• Negotiate and liaise with academic staff to implement adjustments where some students have very complex needs, where non-standard solutions might be required and where changes may need to be made if support fails
• Respond immediately and appropriately to resolve a range of problems as they arise (e.g. parents’ anxieties, student stress, confidentiality issues, and alternative exam support) and support colleagues in the resolution of their cases as needed

Other
• Operate in a confidential environment and handle information of a sensitive and personal nature covered by GDPR (2018) in accordance with the University’s policy
• Respond to enquiries made under the Freedom of Information Act FOI (2000) in accordance with the University’s policy
• Compliance with the University’s Widening Access agenda and Equality Framework

• Out of hours work This post is considered as ‘registered work’ in terms on the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act and requires Scheme membership

 

Salary will be on the Management, Professional and Administrative Grade, level 8, £43,266 - £50,132 per annum.

This post is offered on a full time (35 hours) and open-ended basis. Normal office hours are Monday to Friday 09.00 – 17.00.

New entrants to the University will be required to serve a probationary period of 6 months.

The successful applicant will be eligible to join the Universities’ Superannuation Scheme.

Further information regarding the scheme is available from the Superannuation Officer, who is also prepared to advise on questions relating to the transfer of Superannuation benefits.

 

Vacancy reference: 028115; closing date 2 September 2019.

 

It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment.

We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401.