The Higher Education Outreach Network (HEON) is looking to appoint a Graduate Outreach Assistant. This is a fixed-term contract starting in September 2026 and running until July 2027.
About the role
The HEON Graduate Outreach Assistant will contribute to the design and delivery of HEON’s wide-ranging outreach programmes. The post will support the collection, organisation and tracking of data to support the monitoring and evaluation of the programme. The post will also support with social media and certain administrative tasks.
About you
We are looking for a well organised, enthusiastic individual with a genuine passion for social mobility and inspiring young people.
You should work well in a team and will be familiar with working autonomously and as part of a wider team; interacting flexibly with colleagues both internally and externally. Training will be in place to support you and help you develop in the role.
If you are enthusiastic, keen to join HEON at the University of Surrey, motivated to improve educational outcomes for young people, we would be delighted to hear from you.
An enhanced DBS check is required for this position.
About HEON
The University of Surrey is the lead institution of HEON. HEON is a partnership* of local organisations including universities and colleges working in Surrey and North East Hampshire. HEON fosters collaboration between providers and through a programme of outreach activity, aims to support young people to make informed decisions about their future education, support the raising of attainment in local schools and increase the rates of young people from local areas accessing higher education. HEON is funded and supported by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of the Uni Connect Programme.
In addition to the valuable experience you’ll gain working for a busy team in a world-leading institution, you will have access to internal development opportunities, including access to all internal staff development workshops and career development services.
About your application
We are looking to receive applications from final year undergraduate students from all backgrounds and nationalities from any HEON Partner Institution*. You should submit a CV and covering letter that outlines your suitability for the role, including your knowledge of the HE sector and widening participation initiatives, demonstrates competent IT skills and technical capability, with familiarity of Microsoft Office, Teams & use of databases. A high level of numeracy and literacy, attention to detail, accuracy and the ability to prioritise tasks is a key requirement. We are also looking for you to evidence your ability to convey facts and information to colleagues, stakeholders and clients, both verbally and in writing.
HEON and The University of Surrey is committed to valuing everyone in our community by providing an inclusive environment that offers equal opportunities for all. We value everyone in our community and are seeking to increase the diversity. Therefore, alongside our programme’s widening participation objectives, we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups in HE.
Further information can be found in the attached job description, and if you have any questions, please contact Chris Dexter, HEON Manager, via c.dexter@surrey.ac.uk.
*HEON’s Partner institutions are:
- The University of Surrey
- Activate Learning
- University Centre Farnborough/FCOT
- University for the Creative Arts
- Royal Holloway, University of London
- Nescot
- The Academy of Contemporary Music
- The University of Law
- Surrey County Council