Not Specified
Portsmouth
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Operations
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£31,585 - £37,938 per year
Permanent
Full-Time
Operations
Ark Charter Academy
Secondary
Not Specified

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Careers Lead

About The Role
Ark Charter Academy

Careers Lead

Location: Southsea, Portsmouth

Salary: Band 8 (£31,585 - £37,938)

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Start date: 1^st September 2025

Closing date: 04/07/2025

Interview date: As soon as suitable candidates apply

Are you passionate about helping young people shape their futures? Do you thrive in a role where you can provide high-quality careers education and guidance, ensuring students leave school prepared for success in further education, apprenticeships, or employment?

We are looking for a dynamic Careers Lead to develop and implement a comprehensive careers programme, embedding the Gatsby Benchmarks and ensuring compliance with statutory careers guidance. You will work closely with students, staff, employers, and training providers, creating meaningful opportunities that enhance employability skills, career awareness, and student aspirations.

About the role:

As Careers Lead, you will be instrumental in shaping our students’ journeys beyond school, ensuring they receive the guidance, support, and opportunities needed to make confident and informed career decisions. You will lead career-focused initiatives, including work experience placements, industry visits, and employer-led projects, creating meaningful engagement with the working world. Through tailored one-to-one guidance, curriculum integration, and career events, you will empower students to explore a range of pathways, from apprenticeships and vocational training to higher education and employment. Your role is essential in fostering a culture of aspiration and employability, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to thrive beyond their academic years.

Our ideal candidate will be:
- Passionate about careers education, committed to helping students explore their future opportunities
- Experienced in careers guidance, employability programmes, or student support, with knowledge of post-16 and post-18 pathways
- Knowledgeable in Gatsby Benchmarks and statutory careers guidance, ensuring a high-quality careers programme
- A strong communicator, capable of engaging students, staff, employers, and educational providers
- Organised and proactive, able to coordinate career events, work experience placements, and employer engagement
- Dedicated to student success, supporting informed decision-making and personal development
If you wish to discuss this opportunity or for any questions, please contact Keah Stell, HR Advisor, on [email protected].
Benefits
- Salaries 2.5% higher than main pay scale.
- 10 inset days (of which at least one is dedicated to staff wellbeing)
- A behaviour policy that ensures disruption-free learning
- Development opportunities for future leaders
- Generous pension scheme.
- Up to £3,000 relocation costs to move to the south coast (dependent on the role)
- Access to Ark rewards – a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers
- Interest-free loans – up to £5,000 available for season ticket or to buy a bicycle.
- Gym discounts – offering up to 40%.
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of different support.
Find out more about the benefits of working for Ark at arkonline.org/careers/why-work-with-us/.
About Us
Ark Charter Academy is a happy and vibrant school located in the heart of Portsmouth. We believe that every young person should feel a sense of belonging to our school community and enjoy their learning.

We inspire and support our students so they can become the very best they can in every single way. With love and care, we develop motivation both inside and outside the classroom, encouraging an appetite for learning in a safe and stimulating Christian environment. We want our students to become the leaders and game-changers of the future.To achieve this we offer an academic curriculum that strives to expose all pupils to the richness of education, allowing them to experience a diversity of subjects during their time with us.

Our teachers and support staff work hard every day to inspire each and every student to develop skills which will help them to achieve their full potential. We pride ourselves in recognising hard work and rewarding it accordingly, providing opportunities for professional and personal growth in school and across the wider Ark network.

Visit charteracademy.org.uk/jobs to learn more about us and see our current vacancies.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.

Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience.