Residential Student Support Officer

About ARU:

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields.  We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities.  Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

At our ARU Writtle campus, we specialise in animal, environmental, agricultural and horticultural courses, for learners aged 16 to 18, adult learners, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

About the Role:

As a Residential Student Support Officer – LBSET, you will provide consistent weekday safeguarding support for our residential students, with a particular focus on our Land Based Service Engineering Technician cohort. Based within our residential community during apprentice block weeks, you will ensure high quality pastoral care alongside robust statutory compliance and structured enrichment delivery.

In addition to direct student support, including U18 curfew processes, you will coordinate IRDP implementation, contribute to student voice activity and maintain inspection ready documentation in line with National Minimum Standards and SCCIF. You will also plan and support delivery of structured enrichment and welfare & community activities/events tailored to LBSET residents, working collaboratively to ensure meaningful engagement and accurate attendance records.

Alongside this, you will maintain accurate safeguarding and case records, monitor at risk students and respond to residential student welfare check requests, contributing to compliance with statutory guidance.

This is a hands-on, out of hours, role requiring strong organisation, attention to detail and confident safeguarding judgement, balancing operational support with compliance responsibilities. Through everyday interactions, safeguarding decisions and meaningful engagement, you will play a vital part in protecting and positively shaping the lives of young people in our residential community.

Working pattern:

• Monday to Friday  17:00 pm to 01:00 am during 9 x 3-week LBSET apprentice block weeks

• Attendance at scheduled team days and pre‑term prep/training required in September (core hours - included in 1009 hours)
• Paid holiday entitlement included in salary (designated breaks at Christmas/New Year and Easter)

About you:

You will bring experience of supporting young people or adults in challenging or emotionally demanding situations, ideally within a safeguarding, residential, FE or HE context. You will demonstrate empathy, resilience and sound professional judgement, alongside a clear understanding of statutory responsibilities relevant to an under 18 provision. You will need a Degree or be part qualified in a relevant professional qualification or have a demonstrable amount of experience and evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the role.

You will be confident working independently, able to prioritise under pressure and comfortable navigating safeguarding responsibilities within a regulated environment. Strong communication and IT skills are essential, and you will be organised and detail focused, maintaining accurate documentation to inspection standards.

Alongside this, you will have the ability to coordinate processes, liaise effectively with stakeholders and contribute to purposeful enrichment that enhances student experience. If you are motivated by helping students navigate complex moments while supporting a safe, structured and thriving residential community, within a regulated environment, we would welcome your application.

Informal enquiries can be made to Tracey Coop, Residential Student Support Manager at tracey.coop@aru.ac.uk

Find out more about working with us and how we recruit.

We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our benefits page for full details.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that ARU will carry out online searches as part of the due diligence on short listed candidates.

All appointments at ARU Writtle are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced criminal records with Children’s Barred List check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information can be obtained from https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check.

This role is considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Committed to being inclusive and open to discuss flexible working. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.

Guidance Notes: 

Please download the Job Description Person Specification for key requirements. To apply, demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the criteria.