Law programme coordinator

upReach is an award-winning social mobility charity supporting less-advantaged undergraduates to secure top jobs in sectors such as law and banking.

We deliver a comprehensive programme of professional development to over 1,600 students, working in close partnership with top employers such as Slaughter and May, Goldman Sachs and Allen & Overy.

As part of our continued expansion into the sector, we are seeking to hire a new programme coordinator, who would be responsible for supporting 90 students on our programme and organising various events. Our current team includes recent graduates and those with experience up to partner / director level - all of whom share a passion for improving social mobility. This opportunity could suit someone with prior experience, or a graduate who has secured a training contract in 2022.

In October 2019, upReach won the Charity of the Year Award (income < £1m) in the prestigious Charity Times Awards, and the charity also won the “ Embracing Digital” award in the 2020 Charity Governance Award.

Key information

Law programme coordinator: This individual will be responsible for delivering a dedicated programme of support for 90 students interested in pursuing a career in the legal sector.

Role: Law programme coordinator

Location: London (preferred), Manchester, Birmingham or Bristol. Initially on a remote basis.

Hours: 40 hours per week, 9:00am - 6:00pm

Start date: ASAP

Duration: 12 month contract (some flexibility if you have a training contract)

Reporting to: Springboard programme manager

Salary: £23,000 per annum (£24,000 if based in London)

Application deadline: 9am on Thursday 28 January 2021. Early applications are encouraged as we may interview and/or appoint before the closing date.

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects? upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. We help young people from less-advantaged backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment.

Our work is important because right now those from comprehensive schools are 17 times less likely than those from selective schools to secure graduate roles at some top employers.

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. Building on the success of the past five years, upReach’s current partners include Allen & Overy, Bank of America, the Civil Service Fast Stream, Deloitte, McKinsey and Slaughter and May. We also partner with universities including Exeter, King’s College London, Liverpool, Warwick and Manchester.

This academic year, over 1600 undergraduates (we call them upReach Associates) are being supported through our unique programme of application support, soft skills workshops, video forums (small group, online seminar-style sessions), mentoring and professional experience.

We aim to support 2,500 per year by 2022, while maintaining our personalised approach and expanding the support offered.

To find out more about upReach and how we support our students, visit our website and read our annual report.

About the role

Law programme coordinator: This individual will be responsible for delivering a dedicated programme of support for students interested in pursuing a career in the legal sector. Core delivery responsibilities for a law programme coordinator will include:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with associates, supporting them to achieve their career goals
• Developing and delivering professional development-focused support
• Individual and small group work with associates
• Supporting associates when applying to work experience, vacation schemes and training contracts
• Helping students develop commercial awareness and employability skills, and building resources for our online platform.
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with our university and employer partners.
• Planning and delivering events and workshops with partners

Person specification

This position would be suited to individuals who are committed to upReach’s mission. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about social-mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. The ideal candidate might be someone who has:

• Experience working as a solicitor or barrister, or
• Already secured a training contract or is looking to secure one within the next few years, or
• Completed a law degree, their Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and/or the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Essential skills/experience:

1. Experience working in a fast-paced environment and working independently to find solutions to problems

2. Strong organisational skills with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage a varied workload

3. At least a grade ‘B’ in Maths and English GCSE (if you have extenuating circumstances, let us know)

4. University degree (2.1 or higher) in any discipline, or equivalent experience

5. Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as independently

6. Excellent communication skills and strong written English

7. Ability to engage and communicate confidently with undergraduates, corporate volunteers (mentors) and employers via phone, email, and in person

Desirable skills/experience:

1. Knowledge of the graduate labour market in the UK and experience supporting individuals through an application process

2. Knowledge of how law firms work and operate

3. Strong negotiation skills and experience in roles requiring influence

4. Experience working in the legal sector or law related roles

Values and competencies

upReach upholds the following values:

• Perseverance
• Integrity
• Advocacy
• Aspiration
• Proactivity

We are looking for candidates to display the following competencies during the application.

• Problem solving and decision making
• Planning and organising
• Collaboration
• Passion and motivation
• Communication skills

Application process

Please email your CV and a covering letter (in PDF format) to Halima Aidarus at [email protected] by 9:00am on Thursday 28 January 2021. In your covering letter, please explain your motivation for applying to this role, and why you are interested in working at upReach, giving further details about your interest and ambitions in the legal sector.

Video or telephone interviews will be held w/c 1 February 2021. Early applications are encouraged as we may interview and/or appoint before the closing date.

If you have any questions about the role or application process, please reach out to Halima Aidarus at [email protected].

Please note: upReach has a responsibility under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 to ensure that, at the time of starting their employment, successful candidates have permission to work in the UK. If you have a right to work in the UK, you will be required to bring proof of this to your online interview (by providing your original passport or other right to work documents). If your permission to work in the UK relies on a job offer, please bring written details including evidence of any existing visas or work permits. A photocopy/scan will be requested of your right to work document(s) and stored securely. If you are unsuccessful at interview the copy will be destroyed. Unfortunately, upReach is unable to financially sponsor Visas or work permits.

Equal opportunities

upReach is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We support workplace diversity and believe it creates dynamic and effective organisations. We are working hard to increase diversity in our team. We are committed to making our roles and culture inclusive. We can make reasonable adjustments throughout the application process and on the job. If you have particular need or requirements, please get in touch using [email protected].