Student Advisor
Who are we?
We are Manchester Students’ Union, the biggest SU in the country, supporting over 40,000 students throughout their time at university. We help to make student life the best it can be by supporting students to campaign for change, creating opportunities to meet new people, providing employment opportunities, providing advice and support and being a safe place on campus.
We are a values-centred organisation that employs around 90 permanent, full-time members of staff. We recruit a wide range of roles throughout the year within all our departments from our Commercial team operating Manchester Academy Venues, 13 Media, Bar 532 & Kitchen and Corridor Coffee to our Student Activities, Student Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Finance, HR and Facilities teams. Our team of around 400 part-time, studying staff are instrumental in providing to support to all departments as well as leading major projects like Student Angels. When you join UMSU, you’ll be immersed in an environment that empowers staff to make great things happen and we're always on the lookout for innovative, passionate, and proactive people to join us.
Our values are really important to us and shape the work that we do every day. As part of our recruitment process, we want you to demonstrate how your experiences, behaviours and skills align with our values. You can find more detailed explanations of our values on our website.
About the role
Are you someone who thrives on helping others, solving problems, and making a tangible difference in people’s lives? We’re looking for a committed and empathetic Student Advisor to join the Advice Service team at the University of Manchester Students’ Union (UMSU).
In this vital role, you’ll provide free, independent, and confidential advice to students across a range of key areas. Whether it’s supporting someone through an academic appeal, navigating complex housing issues, managing financial hardship, or dealing with personal challenges, your role is to ensure students feel heard, informed, and empowered to take the next steps.
You’ll be part of a small, dedicated team working in a busy, varied environment that puts student wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver One-to-One Support: Provide impartial, confidential advice on academic concerns (appeals, complaints, disciplinaries), housing issues, financial support, and personal or welfare-related challenges.
- Support in Crisis: Offer guidance and emotional support to students experiencing difficult or distressing circumstances, such as mental health issues, harassment, or financial insecurity.
- Create and Share Resources: Develop accessible self-help materials (articles, videos, workshops) to empower students and reduce reliance on one-to-one services.
- Promote the Service: Take part in outreach activities, including campaigns, events, and training, to raise awareness and improve access to advice and support.
- Track and Report Issues: Use our case management system to record casework clearly and securely, and help monitor trends in student issues to inform future campaigns.
- Collaborate and Contribute: Work closely with colleagues across UMSU to support key periods like Welcome Week and elections, contributing to a supportive and inclusive student experience.
We’re looking for someone who:
- Communicates with clarity, compassion, and confidence.
- Is emotionally resilient and able to manage sensitive or complex situations calmly.
- Understands the importance of impartiality, confidentiality, and professionalism.
- Is highly organised with strong attention to detail and time management skills.
- Can create clear, engaging written resources and deliver effective presentations.
- Is confident using IT systems and comfortable with data and record keeping.
Previous experience in advice, welfare, support work, or student services is helpful, but we welcome applications from those with transferable skills and a genuine passion for student support.Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment.
Why UMSU?
At UMSU, you’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive, and values-driven organisation that champions student empowerment. We offer opportunities for professional development, a collaborative team culture, and the chance to make a real and lasting impact in students’ lives.
Sound like the right fit? Apply now and join a team that’s here to make student life better.
Details
Salary: £26,640 - £29,820 per year
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week, Full-time
Location: Hybrid working – typically 3+ days per week in our Advice Office on campus
Our Reward Package
You'll get access to our reward package which you can see here.
Recruitment Guide
We have a guide that explains our full recruitment process. We recommend reading through this before beginning an application.
If you are invited to interview with us, we will share our interview questions in advance so you can prepare your responses. We’re more interested in hearing about your experiences and ideas than in testing your memory, and so we want you to feel as prepared as possible.
Inclusivity and Accessibility
We are committed to equality of opportunity, and we work hard to ensure we appoint based on skill and values.
We particularly encourage applications from Disabled or Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African candidates as these groups are currently underrepresented in our staff team.
If you have any accessibility requirements or require adjustments to support you to apply to work with us, please get in touch. We can offer reasonable adjustments at all stages of our recruitment process.
Recruitment Timeline
Applications opened: 9th May
Applications close: 2nd June 23:59
Interviews: 20th June
Role Commencing: ASAP
We may close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In this case, all applicants who have started an application will be contacted 2 hours before we close the role.
Contact
People Team:
You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.
Email: jobs.su@manchester.ac.uk
Phone: 0161 306 3279
Hiring Manager:
You can contact the hiring manager with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.
Email: agne.rimkute@manchester.ac.uk