Specialist Practitioner (Disability)

If you are passionate about making a difference through supporting disabled students, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Student Disability and Inclusion team at the University of Southampton. As a Specialist Practitioner you will provide comprehensive support for disabled students including those with physical disabilities, mental health and wellbeing conditions, long-term health conditions, and neurodiverse students.  

Your main areas of work will include:

• Meeting with a high volume of students to assess needs and provide specialist advice and support around disabilities, long term conditions and neurodiversities
• Working under the Equality Act (2010) to recommend reasonable adjustments which support students in their University journey
• Ensuring prompt follow-up and communication with relevant staff so that students have their support in place when they need it
• Making appropriate referrals, recommendations and liaising with relevant internal and external partners 
• Working as part of a team to identify and develop new initiatives to support students

Successful candidates will be qualified to at least degree level or equivalent with proven experience in supporting disabled individuals in a professional context. You will have a high level of knowledge around a range of disabilities and the ability to make justified recommendations for reasonable adjustments. A background in Higher Education is advantageous but not essential; applicants will need to demonstrate the ability to transfer and adapt skills to a new environment. 

The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively gather information from students
• Highly developed assessment skills, to accurately assess the needs of students
• Problem solving skills to introduce new ways of working
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a wider team
• Experience of managing a fluctuating and often demanding workload
• Strong persuasion skills and the ability to advocate for disabled students
• The ability to adapt to new ways of working, including the use of bespoke IT systems which improve day to day student access and communication

This is a hybrid role and includes working from home and across our campuses. Meeting students will either be online or in-person. Occasional weekend and evening work is required for university events such as open days, graduation ceremonies, and transition events.

We are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect, and equality of opportunity. We select candidates based on merit and ability and aspire to thrive in the diversity of our workforce. We welcome applications from all candidates with an interest in the role and those who are committed to helping us create an inclusive work environment. We encourage applications from candidates from diverse cultural backgrounds, people from LGBTQ+ communities, and people with disabilities.

The salary for this post starts from £34,980 (FTE). Further benefits include the University’s pension scheme, 30 days annual leave, subsidised health and fitness facilities and a range of discounts. 

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