Responsibilities of the Careers Leader

Careers Leaders are responsible and accountable for the delivery of their school’s programme of careers information, advice, education and guidance. It is a senior role that requires the person doing it to have a clear overview of the school’s careers provision and to make sure that the school meets the Gatsby Benchmarks.

The responsibilities of a Careers Leader can be collated and summarised under four main headings: leadership, management, coordination, and networking.

Leadership

• Leading the team of teachers, administrators, external partners and others who deliver career guidance.
• Advising the senior leadership team on policy, strategy and resources for career guidance and showing how they meet the Gatsby Benchmarks.
•  Reporting to senior leaders and governors.
• Reviewing and evaluating career guidance and providing information for school development planning, Ofsted and other purposes.
• Preparing and implementing a career guidance development plan and ensuring that details of the careers programme are published on the school’s website.
• Understanding the implications of a changing education landscape for career guidance, e.g. technical education reform.
• Ensuring compliance with the legal requirements to provide independent career guidance and give access to providers of technical education or apprenticeships, to pupils in schools, including the publication of the policy statement of provider access on their website.

Management

• Planning the programme of activity in career guidance
• Briefing and supporting teachers involved in career guidance
• Monitoring delivery of career guidance across the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, using the Compass evaluation tool
• Supporting tutors, providing initial information and advice
• Managing the work of others e.g. Careers Advisers and administrative and other staff involved in the delivery of career guidance
• Monitoring access to, and take up of, guidance
• Ensuring colleges and apprenticeship providers have access to the school to share opportunities with all pupils
• Managing the careers budget as appropriate
• Managing their own CPD and supporting the ongoing CPD of colleagues in their careers team

Coordination

• Managing the provision of career and labour market information
• Managing the careers section of the school’s website, ensuring information is accurate and up to date
• Liaising with the PSHE leader and other subject leaders to plan their contribution to career guidance
• Liaising with tutors, mentors, SENCO and heads of year to identify pupils needing guidance
• Referring pupils to Careers Advisers
• Coordinating encounters with employers and work experience
• Communicating with pupils and their parents

Networking

• Establishing and developing links with FE colleges, apprenticeship providers, University Technical Colleges and universities
• Establishing and developing links with employers
• Negotiating a service level agreement with the local authority as appropriate
• Commissioning career guidance services where appropriate
•  Managing links with the LEP and other external organisations
• Securing funding for careers related projects
• Building a network of alumni who can help with the career guidance programme