Disability Adviser

Role Description

Department

Disability Services is based within the new Student Success Department in the Student Education and Experience directorate. The team works to support the whole student journey, and is the first point of contact for prospective and current students who have a disability, long-term health condition, learning difficulty or mental health condition. The team is committed to providing the best possible support for all students at York, working collaboratively with colleagues across the University, to ensure that students develop strategies to overcome challenges and are enabled to succeed academically and in their wider lives.  We understand that each person's disability or impairment can affect them differently, so the support we offer is flexible and tailored.

Role

We are seeking a proactive and student-focused Disability Adviser to join our Disability Services team. This role is central to supporting disabled students to access an inclusive and positive learning experience throughout their time at the University. 

As a Disability Adviser, you will manage a caseload of students aligned to specific academic departments, working closely in partnership with another Disability Adviser to support students in a faculty. You will provide specialist advice and guidance to students with a wide range of disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health conditions and specific learning differences, ensuring appropriate support and reasonable adjustments are in place. 

You will play an important role in promoting inclusive practice, supporting student wellbeing and helping to remove barriers to participation and achievement.

The post will report to the Disability Services Manager and will be a key member of the team, based at the Student Hub.  

Skills, Experience & Qualification needed

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Significant experience and up-to-date knowledge of disability assessment, advice, guidance and support, including relevant legal frameworks and the application of the Equality Act within education

• Experience of supporting disabled students, including neurodiverse students and those with multiple or complex needs, with the ability to recommend appropriate support and reasonable adjustments in a demanding learning environment

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships, manage competing priorities and maintain a student-centred approach to support

• Experience of working within higher education and knowledge of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) processes would be advantageous.

Interview date: To be confirmed

For informal enquiries: please contact Claire Wilkinson (Disability Services Manager) on claire.wilkinson@york.ac.uk or 01904 324101.

Condition of employment

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Consequently, all applicants will be asked to declare both unspent and spent convictions on their application form.

Appointment of the successful candidate will be conditional on a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive  – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University. 

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork

As a Disability Confident employer, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum (essential) criteria for each position will be offered an interview.  Read more about the University of York’s commitments under the Disability Confident scheme.