Medical Needs Adviser and Training Coordinator

Education Week Jobs; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual loyalty bonus

Pension scheme

26 days annual leave

Hybrid working with two days from home

Job summary

Harris Federation is seeking a Medical Needs Adviser and Training Coordinator to provide specialist support to academies on medical needs management and coordinate a high‑quality Health & Safety training programme across the Trust. The role blends advisory, operational and project work, collaborating with academy leaders and stakeholders to make a meaningful impact.

You will travel to academies, deliver training, and help implement policies while ensuring compliance and high standards across our

Qualifications

• Experience supporting medical needs or pupil welfare arrangements.
• Experience coordinating training programmes, events or learning activities.
• Knowledge of Department for Education statutory guidance on medical needs and allergy safety in schools.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills with multiple priorities.
• Excellent relationship-building and collaboration with stakeholders.
• Proficient IT skills including Microsoft Office and Excel.
• Ability to analyse information, maintain records and produce reports.
• Willingness to travel regularly to academies across the Trust.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice to academies on medical needs and healthcare for pupils.
• Support development and rollout of medical policies, procedures and resources across the Trust.
• Conduct academy visits, reviews and audits and recommend improvements to medical arrangements.
• Deliver and coordinate medical awareness training and stakeholder networks.
• Coordinate the Trust's Health & Safety training programme and liaise with training providers.
• Manage training administration, records, bookings, attendance and reporting.
• Monitor training compliance and identify gaps for academies to meet requirements.
• Support continuous improvement through data analysis and QA activities.

Skills

Medical needs support

Training coordination

DfE guidance knowledge

Organisational skills

Stakeholder management

IT skills

Data analysis

Travel flexibility

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

Are you passionate about supporting the wellbeing of children and young people while helping schools maintain high standards of compliance and best practice? Harris Federation is seeking a Medical Needs Adviser and Training Coordinator to provide specialist support to academies on medical needs management and coordinate a high-quality Health & Safety training programme across the Trust. This is a varied and rewarding role that combines advisory, operational and project-based responsibilities, working closely with academy leaders, medical leads and wider stakeholders to make a meaningful impact across our academies.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing specialist advice and guidance to academies on supporting pupils with medical conditions and healthcare needs.
• Supporting the development and implementation of medical policies, procedures, systems and resources across the Trust.
• Conducting academy visits, reviews and audits, and recommending improvements to medical arrangements and compliance.
• Delivering and coordinating medical awareness training, guidance and stakeholder networks.
• Coordinating the Trust's Health & Safety training programme, including scheduling courses and liaising with training providers.
• Managing training administration, records, bookings, attendance and reporting.
• Monitoring training compliance, identifying gaps and supporting academies to meet mandatory requirements.
• Supporting continuous improvement through data analysis, feedback evaluation and quality assurance activities.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience supporting medical needs, healthcare plans or pupil welfare arrangements.
• Experience coordinating training programmes, events or learning activities.
• A good understanding of the Department for Education's statutory guidance relating to supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergy safety in schools.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Excellent relationship-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong IT skills, including confidence using Microsoft Office applications and Excel.
• The ability to analyse information, maintain accurate records and produce clear reports.
• The flexibility to travel regularly to academies across the Trust.

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.