HE Access & Participation Officer (A&PO)

HE Access & Participation Officer (A&PO)
Salary: Up to £27,689.73 (FTE £31,387.51) depending on experience 
Hours: 37 per week
Working Weeks: 40 weeks per annum
Contract Type: Fixed-term for 2 years (from start date)
Site: Accrington & Rossendale College 
Closing Date: Midnight, Sunday 7th June 2026
Interview Date: Monday 15th June 2026

‘Together, Let’s Be Extraordinary’

Our Organisation 
Part of East Lancashire Learning Group, Accrington and Rossendale College has a proud history of delivering high quality vocational courses and technical training, apprenticeships and higher education provision to the communities that we serve. We excel in providing people with a platform to progress into fantastic employment opportunities with rewarding careers prospects. 

The Exciting Role 
An exciting opportunity has become available for an Access & Participation Officer to join our dynamic and forward-thinking University Centre team.

At ELUC, we are proud of our inclusive, student-focused approach and our commitment to widening participation in higher education. You’ll be joining a passionate, collaborative team that values creativity, continuous improvement, and the transformative power of education.

The successful candidate will be primarily based at the Accrington ELUC but will be required to travel across sites as well as attendance at external events.

What You Will Be Doing:
• Report to the Dean of Higher Education and support the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) outlined in the college’s Access and Participation Plan.
• Conduct targeted outreach to attract students from underrepresented backgrounds through school visits, employer and community events, and digital campaigns.
• Monitor the progress of a caseload of learners, working with curriculum teams to improve engagement, participation, and retention.
• Facilitate small group workshops and activities (online and in-person) to address learning gaps and barriers.
• Implement interventions such as tutoring, bridge courses, and employability initiatives.
• Collect, analyse, and report on data to monitor student progress and inform planning.
• Support the planning and delivery of large-scale events such as open days, summer schools, and progression events.
• Engage in continuous professional development and contribute to quality assurance processes.

What We Are Looking For:
If you’re passionate about widening participation and supporting student success, we’d love to hear from you. We are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to support students across our University Centre provision. 

The ideal candidate will hold GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths, alongside a recent degree in a relevant subject or a Level 5 professional qualification—or be willing to work towards one. A mentoring or learning support qualification and experience delivering online support sessions would be advantageous. 

Essential experience includes working with adult students in a college or university setting, a proven track record in student recruitment, support, or access and participation, and strong teamwork skills.

Knowledge of higher education programmes and curriculum, as well as an understanding of access and participation activities, is desirable. 

The role requires flexibility to work evenings and weekends, travel across sites, and a full driving licence with access to a car is needed. 

We value initiative, positivity, and enthusiasm, alongside a strong commitment to equality, diversity, safeguarding, and continuous improvement. Excellent communication and digital skills, as well as the ability to lead small-scale projects and promote activities, are essential.

What We Offer in Return:
• Generous annual leave allowance, plus Bank Holidays and closure days, and including a two-week closure over the Christmas period. 
• Access to a workplace pension scheme – with generous employer contributions 
• Enhanced occupational sick pay scheme and access to family friendly policies and benefits
• A range of health and wellbeing benefits and support
• Staff recognition scheme, including long service awards
• Free on-site parking on all College sites 

Please visit the Careers section on our website for full details of our benefits http://www.eastlancslearning.ac.uk/ 

How to Apply: 
Still Interested? 
If you're interested in this post and would like to know more, then please visit our website and follow the steps to apply online.  

Website: http://www.eastlancslearning.ac.uk/
Further questions: please contact our friendly HR Team h.resources@eastlancslearning.ac.uk

*Please note we only accept applications submitted via our website*

Please note: All of our posts are subject to an enhanced DBS check due to working with vulnerable adults and children. Should you wish to discuss this further, please get in touch with the HR team.