Welfare Manager - Residential

Oxford International Education Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxford International Junior Programmes seeks a Welfare Manager - Residential to lead the welfare, safeguarding and operational welfare across a language centre. You will head the Welfare Team, manage staffing, safeguarding procedures, accommodation, catering and student support to ensure high welfare standards.

The role requires senior leadership, strong organisation, and clear decision-making, with eligibility to work in the UK and DBS/Overseas checks as applicable.

Qualifications

• Right to work in the UK.
• Willing to undergo Enhanced DBS check and/or Overseas Police Check.
• Currently enrolled in, or holding, a university degree programme in any discipline.

Responsibilities

• Take day-to-day leadership of the Welfare Team.
• Oversee safeguarding and welfare operations across the centre.
• Manage staff rotas, hours and deployment.
• Conduct staff inductions and appraisals.
• Monitor wellbeing and pastoral care.
• Coordinate accommodation and catering as part of welfare.
• Lead incident management and risk assessments.
• Maintain welfare records and reporting to Head Office.
• Support centre operations and contingency planning.
• Provide support for students experiencing homesickness or anxiety.

Skills

Staff leadership

Welfare & safeguarding

Communication

Decision-making

Organisational skills

Education

University degree programme

Health-related discipline (Desirable)

Job description

Welfare Manager - Residential

Department: Year-Rounds Groups

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: EFL Programmes UK

Compensation: £725 per week + holiday remuneration

Description

Our seasonal programmes operate during the following periods:

Winter: 1st January – mid-February

Spring: 23rd March – 10th/12th April

Summer: 23rd/24th June – 12th/17th August

Specific start and end dates will be confirmed based on your role, assigned centre, and required induction training.

Overview

As Welfare Manager with Oxford International Junior Programmes, you will have overall responsibility for the welfare, safeguarding and operational welfare provision across one of our residential language centres.

You will lead the Welfare Team, taking responsibility for their deployment, working hours, performance and development, while ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding, student welfare, accommodation, catering and pastoral care are maintained throughout the programme. Working closely with the Centre Manager, you will support the overall day-to-day operation of the centre.

This is a senior management role requiring strong leadership, organisation, communication and decision-making skills.

All candidates need to be over 18 years old, eligible to work in the UK and willing to undergo an Enhanced DBS Disclosure Check and/or an Overseas Police Check.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Staff Leadership & Management

• Take day-to-day management responsibility for the Student Support Leaders.
• Deliver effective induction for all welfare staff.
• Hold daily welfare briefings.
• Manage performance.
• Complete appraisals.
• Monitor working hours.
• Allocate responsibilities.
• Coach and mentor staff.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels.
• Support wellbeing.

2. Staff Rotas, Deployment & Working Hours

• Create and communicate effective Student Support Leader rotas.
• Rota SSLs onto break times, meal duties and night duties.
• Work with the Centre Manager on deployment of SSL’s on transfer days.
• Monitor and manage Student Support Leader contracted hours.
• Ensure staffing levels remain appropriate across welfare and safeguarding duties.
• Work with the Activity Manager & Director of Studies to deploy Student Support Leaders to support activities where operationally required.
• Ensure Student Support Leaders understand whether they are carrying out welfare or activity responsibilities during each shift.
• Monitor staffing requirements and adjust deployment accordingly.Escalate staffing concerns to the Centre Manager where appropriate.

3. Performance Management & Development

• Observe Student Support Leaders.
• Complete appraisals.
• Provide coaching.
• Address performance concerns.
• Monitor improvement plans.
• Recognise excellent performance.

4. Student Welfare & Safeguarding

• Lead safeguarding across the centre along with the Centre Manager.
• Manage Emergency Phone duty.
• Act as the welfare lead and deputy safeguarding representative where appropriate.
• Ensure all safeguarding concerns are recorded, managed and escalated correctly.
• Maintain oversight of student welfare, Group Leaders & Staff throughout the programme.
• Support students experiencing homesickness, anxiety or emotional wellbeing concerns.
• Ensure appropriate pastoral support is available.
• Work closely with Group Leaders regarding welfare matters.
• Ensure welfare information is shared appropriately with the Centre Manager.

5. Accommodation & Rooming

• Lead/Support accommodation management.
• Produce rooming lists.
• Manage room changes.
• Liaise with accommodation teams.
• Resolve accommodation issues.
• Maintain accommodation records.
• Coordinate arrivals and departures.
• Manage lost property.

Catering

• Produce catering numbers.
• Update catering numbers.
• Manage dietary requirements.
• Communicate allergies.
• Liaise with catering providers.
• Support meal service.
• Maintain student records.

6. Incident Management

• Take ownership of the Proactive Incident Management system.
• Manage Risk Assessment submission.
• Ensure incidents are accurately recorded within required timescales.
• Review incidents for quality and completeness.
• Ensure incidents are escalated appropriately.
• Maintain welfare logs.
• Produce incident reports requested by Head Office.
• Identify trends and recurring welfare concerns.

7. Centre Operations

• Supporting the day-to-day running of the centre.
• Supporting Senior Staff meetings.
• Identifying operational issues early.
• Supporting contingency planning.
• Making operational decisions when needed.Escalating significant issues appropriately.
• Gathering GL & Student Feedback.

8. Medical & Student Welfare

• Manage student medication procedures.
• Maintain medication logs.
• Coordinate first aid provision.
• Hold responsibility for Mental Health First Aid support where appropriate.
• Liaise with local medical providers.
• Maintain records of allergies.
• Maintain dietary requirements.
• Ensure dietary information is communicated to centres and catering with the required notice.
• Monitor student illness.
• Monitor student attendance.
• Track absences.
• Follow up unexplained absences.
• Ensure student registration information remains accurate.

9. Staff Welfare

• Act as the first point of contact for staff welfare concerns.
• Promote positive wellbeing amongst staff.
• Support managers with staff welfare issues.Signpost staff to additional support where appropriate.
• Escalate serious concerns to the Centre Manager and Head Office.
• Promote a positive and supportive staff culture.

10. Student Inductions

• Lead student arrival welfare inductions.
• Deliver site safety briefings.
• Explain fire procedures.
• Explain safeguarding reporting.
• Explain welfare support available.
• Ensure students understand site rules.
• Ensure students know how to access help.

Person Specifications

Legal status

• Right to work in the Uk
• Willing to undergo an Enhanced DBS check and/or an Overseas Police Check, where applicable.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in, or holding, a university degree programme in any discipline.
• Currently enrolled in, or undertaking, a university degree in a health-related discipline (e.g., Nursing, Medicine, Public Health, Allied Health Sciences, or a related field). (Desirable)

Experience and knowledge

• Experience working with children or young people.