Engagement and Growth Officer

Engagement and Growth Officer

Reports to: Project Manager and Board of Trustees

Location: South Wales (hybrid; regular travel required)

Salary: £30,000 full-time subject to funding

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: 30 October 2026

First-round online interviews: First week of November 2026

Start date: 21 November 2026

About The Mullany Fund

The Mullany Fund (TMF) is an award-winning South Wales charity improving social mobility through education. Our bilingual e-mentoring programme helps disadvantaged 14-19-year-olds progress towards higher education in STEM related subjects, STEM apprenticeships and meaningful STEM careers.

The role

We are seeking a persuasive, well-connected education professional to increase school participation in TMF's e-mentoring programme and attract Wales-based STEM businesses to provide work-experience placements, sponsorship and wider support. The postholder will also build partnerships with universities and funders.

To succeed, you must have a current, practical understanding of how secondary schools operate, including their pressures, decision-making structures, calendars and competing priorities. You must also understand schools' current responsibilities for providing work-related learning and work-experience opportunities to students, and be able to show how TMF can support those responsibilities. A central challenge will be securing teachers' attention and commitment. You will need the credibility and persistence to identify the right school contacts, overcome limited staff capacity, persuade teachers of the programme's value, and support them to encourage suitable students to enrol and remain engaged.

• Build productive relationships with school leaders, teachers, careers staff and other key contacts.
• Present a clear case for TMF that reflects schools' current work-experience and work-related learning requirements.
• Understand each school's timetable, priorities and constraints, and adapt recruitment activity accordingly.
• Equip and motivate teachers to identify, persuade and support students to join our e-mentoring programme.
• Deliver engaging school presentations and follow up consistently to convert interest into participation.
• Identify, approach and secure Wales-based STEM businesses as partners, persuading them to provide high-quality work-experience placements, sponsorship and other opportunities for mentees.
• Support funding applications, impact reporting, stakeholder communications and programme development.
• Represent TMF at meetings and events, maintain accurate engagement records, and provide monthly progress updates to Trustees.
• Uphold safeguarding, child-protection and equality responsibilities.

Essential:

• Recent experience of working in, teaching in or closely supporting secondary schools.
• Up-to-date knowledge of how schools fulfil their responsibilities for work experience and work-related learning.
• A practical understanding of school structures, annual cycles, workload pressures and the barriers to engaging teachers and students.
• A strong record of influencing busy stakeholders and turning initial interest into sustained participation.
• Confident presentation, relationship-building and written communication skills.
• Experience of coordinating projects or programmes and maintaining accurate records.
• Five or more GCSEs, including Maths and English; A levels or equivalent; and a university degree.
• Strong digital skills,
• A full driving licence, access to a vehicle, and the ability to travel regularly across South Wales.
• Willingness to undertake an enhanced DBS check.
• Understanding of the barriers faced by young people experiencing educational disadvantage.

Desirable:

• Experience of widening participation, STEM education, charities or…