Degree Apprenticeship Workplace Reviewer – Business and Management

The University of Derby in partnership with Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd operates the award-winning Nuclear Skills Academy, delivering exclusive programmes to nurture the nuclear experts of the future.  

Renowned for our expertise in engineering, materials technology, and IT systems, at the University of Derby we are setting new standards in the UK for our collaboration with industry and leading the way in global research in future fuels and sustainability.

You can be part of shaping the future of the UK nuclear industry and sustaining nuclear capability within the UK’s submarines programme by creating a dedicated pipeline of talent at the start of their careers.

The University of Derby has been at the forefront of vocational and work-based learning for over 10 years delivering industry responsive courses and higher-level skills to local and national businesses and their employees.  Building on this success and in light of the creation of new degree Apprenticeship Standards the University has developed and introduced a number of new degree higher Apprenticeships across a range of sectors.

This role is employed by University of Derby but works in partnership with Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd. Due to the nature of work that Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd conducts and the protection of certain assets, some roles within the Nuclear Skills Academy (NSA) require post-holders to hold a Security Check (SC) clearance.  

This role does not currently require SC clearance, and this will not be a condition of appointment to this role. However, please be aware that there may be a future requirement for the successful candidate/s to undertake a SC check should any change in circumstances render this necessary due to development of the NSA over the coming years.  

As the Degree Apprenticeship Workplace Reviewer, you will work with the programme team in Business and Management to lead on facilitating reviews between apprentices, employers and liaising with relevant academic staff. Your engagement with employers and their apprentices is foremost to ensuring our existing and future apprenticeship programmes provide an excellent learning experience, meeting employers and apprentice expectations, in line with the IFA and ESFA governance requirements for apprenticeship provision. 

You will work collaboratively with both academic staff and apprenticeship account managers to ensure systems and process are adhered to and that both quality and compliance is maintained to the highest standard in line with service level agreements. You will organise visits with external clients, apprentices and internal staff to ensure the implementation of quality reviews and assessment of evidence for audit using an e-portfolio. You will act as a personal professional academic tutor for learners and will need to engage actively on working with employers to support learners who have disclosed a need for additional support.

We have one role available, based at the Nuclear Skills Academy; and one role available which will be remote to support the main programme in which apprentices are based nationally. This will be discussed at interview.

You will hold an honours degree, preferably in Business and Management or an equivalent qualification in a related subject, as well as a qualification in work based assessment.

Along with your work experience in the public or private sector organisations in a management or leadership capacity, you will need to have a working knowledge of current and emerging apprenticeship standards, EPA and the Apprenticeship Levy.

You will be personable and have the ability to communicate effectively with a range of different people. You should be committed to equality and diversity and providing a first class customer service to apprentices and employers. 

You will be self-motivated with the confidence to work independently and willingness to take on new responsibilities. You will have the ability to build relationships and gain the confidence, respect and co-operation of senior figures both within the organisation and externally.

1. Lead on liaising with apprentices, external clients and internal academic operations teams to ensure that communication between all parties is recorded in the review process, ensuring the process is managed and completed efficiently and effectively and in line with our service level agreements.
2. Accountable for managing visits with employers to carry out health and safety checks, assessment of evidence, tripartite reviews. Support the employers to actively participate in the review process offering mentoring support to young learners and small organisations, with a focus on young apprentices as well as those who have declared the need for additional support.
3. The reviewer must be able to give advice re assignments, Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours, aligned to IFATE and apprenticeship QAA standards.
4. Provide pastoral care to students, referring when necessary to services that provide further support. and must be in liaison with the force and the PL
5. Work with the Head of Apprenticeships, the Apprenticeships Hub and Heads of School to facilitate duties that support the achievement of outstanding communication to employers and the learner and client experience.
6. Provide expert operational advice to Apprenticeship Hub Team to ensure duties that support the achievement of Funding Compliance, whilst enhancing the learner and client experience.
7. Take a lead role to ensure that appropriate records of reviews are kept and stored securely in accordance with University and external bodies’ audit requirements.
8. Work collaboratively with the apprenticeship hub team alongside academic staff to support learner engagement and update the employer either face to face or via our e-portfolio system and be able to liaise with ALS team if required and make reasonable adjustments accordingly.
9. Lead responsibility to work with employers and external professional bodies to ensure that there is a process by which suitable evidence is available on the professional body’s career development portal Smart Assessor to enable the student to progress and apply for the end point assessment.
10. Take a lead on collating the Employer and Apprentice review comments to inform programme committees and the University continual monitoring process for quality enhancement. Eventually to upload to the ACE360 system
11. Lead on producing monthly reports to show compliance, retention and success against given targets.
12. Ensure that the Intent, Implementation and Impact of the apprenticeship programme is explored in each review and that academic teams are aware of any concerns by the apprentice and/or employer.
13. Ensure that the apprentice is building a complete portfolio of experience in order to attempt their End Point Assessment with apprenticeship guidelines.
14. Work with the academic team and EPAOs to ensure that the apprentice is prepared for their EPA within the apprenticeship guidelines.
15. Build successful working relationships with key stakeholders across the University, relevant colleagues across the sector and external agencies to ensure expectations are effectively managed. 
16. Contribute to the work of the College team and Apprenticeship Hub team (where appropriate), taking on such duties and responsibilities as delegated by the line manager. Additionally attend Governance meetings for both forces to update on reviews