We’re looking for a Peer Navigator Manager to lead a new team at the centre of our partnership with Birmingham City University. Peer Navigators are trained, paid students who give first-year students academic guidance and peer support within their courses. 

In 2025/26 the scheme reached more than 500 students, and 70% of them were from the groups BCU’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) aims to support. For the next two years it will be funded and run by a dedicated team. You will join as the scheme is being rebuilt. You’ll lead BCUSU’s part in a joint design phase with BCU’s APP team, including refreshing the scheme’s theory of change with students and academic staff. After that, you’ll be responsible for running the scheme day to day across participating courses.

You’ll recruit, train and support a team of around 70 Peer Navigators and line manage two Senior Peer Navigators. You’ll also build strong working relationships with Course Leads, and make sure the scheme collects good participant-level data and student feedback from the very first session. That evidence will feed into termly reporting to BCU’s APP team and committees. We’re looking for someone with at least two years’ experience coordinating student-facing, education or community programmes. You’ll also need experience of managing large teams of student staff or volunteers, confidence working with data, and a real commitment to students who are underrepresented in higher education.

Please note this vacancy is a fixed term contract until Tuesday 31st July 2028.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver a high-quality, course-embedded Peer Navigator scheme that supports students to succeed in their studies
• Recruit, train and support student staff to deliver peer navigation safely, consistently and inclusively.

• Lead BCUSU’s operational delivery, monitoring and evidence gathering for the scheme, in partnership with BCU’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) team.

Download job description (PDF)

Who we're looking for...

The successful candidate will have:

• A degree level qualification, or equivalent developed work experience in student engagement, education, widening participation or a related field
• Minimum 2 years’ experience of coordinating or managing student-facing, education or community programmes, working to targets and reporting to senior stakeholders or funders
• Experience of recruiting, training, supervising and supporting large teams of part-time staff
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder-management skills, including with academic and professional services staff
• Understanding of duty of care and safeguarding, and of the barriers faced by students underrepresented in higher education

Contract type

Fixed term contract until Tuesday 31st July 2028

Hours

Full time, 35 hours per week.

Salary

£33,449 - £36,900 (Grade D)

To apply

Complete our online application form, you will be asked to:

• Log-in to bcusu.com, you may need to Register a new account
• Provide some basic personal details
• Answer a screening question
• Submit your CV 

Apply now!

Please note: To apply for this vacancy you must be eligible to work in the UK.

Application deadline:

Sunday 29th November, 11pm

Selection process

Depending on the volume of applications, shortlisting will be completed by Tuesday 1st December. If shortlisted for an interview, you should be contacted by the end of Wednesday 2nd December. If you have not heard back by this date, please consider that your application has been unsuccessful. 

Interview date

Friday 11th December

Start date

Monday 11th January, or available to start immediately where possible

Why work for BCUSU?

Staff members have a number of benefits:

• Generous Holidays (32 days plus 8 Bank Holidays paid annual leave pro-rata) 
• Optional Contributory Pension Scheme (eligible for joining after completion of probation period)
• Additional day holiday for Wedding day and Graduation day
• Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Adoption pay and leave
• Health Care Cash Plan - money back on everyday health care such as dental, optical and physio costs, and additional benefits like remote GP appointments, mental health support, exclusive discounts on high street purchases and more.
• Volunteering – take one day volunteering and BCUSU will match it with another day for you to volunteer
• Paid Compassionate Leave
• Cycle to Work Scheme 
• Access to student discount platforms 
• BCU Library membership
• Staff socials – subsidised events usually Summer and/or Christmas

Other info:

BCUSU is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the application or interview process please get in touch to discuss your needs, by emailing studentunionjobs@bcu.ac.uk