Job Description

Junior Welfare Dean

Application Deadline: 11 October 2026

Department: Welfare

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Oxford

Compensation: £5,820.96 / year

Description

The Junior Welfare Deans support the Head of Wellbeing in the welfare role. This is a responsible position, in which the Junior Welfare Deans are frequently in the ‘front line’ of welfare support in the college, particularly in the evenings and at weekends - between week 0 and week 9, week days between 5.30pm and 8.30am and during the weekend, as well as during the Easter vacation.

They are expected to provide a timely and appropriate response to students with health or welfare issues, and to assist in maintaining agreed college regulations. They carry authority delegated by the Head of Wellbeing and should always act professionally, and in a manner which commands respect from undergraduate and graduate students. In particular, when on duty they need to be and remain able to carry out their duties promptly, properly and conscientiously at all times.

Relationships

Responsible to: The Head of Wellbeing

Liaison with: College Nurse, Lodge staff and the Dean

Main Tasks

• To deal with minor emergencies such as illness, urgent student welfare issues, and calls concerning College safety, outside normal working hours, and to help with crises.
• To play an important role in supporting student welfare outside the tutorial relationship by providing ‘crisis support’ for students on a wide range of welfare issues, outside of office hours. The College will require (and pay for) the appointees – unless already recently undertaken – to go on relevant welfare training of 24 hours, and other relevant training.
• To provide a handover to the Head of Wellbeing and Nurse regarding welfare support for students, and to meet weekly on Wednesday mornings (weeks 0-9) from 9.00-9.45am.
• To meet regularly with the Head of Wellbeing and to attend any meetings set up in connection with welfare matters.
• To attend Wellbeing Forum.
• To work with the Lodge staff to deal with any problems of disruptive behaviour within college outside normal working hours1; to ensure that parties and other events end at the appointed time and in good order.
• The Junior Welfare Dean on duty will support students that need to go to hospital in an ambulance for a serious condition. They will either go themselves and stay with the student until they are discharged into the care of a doctor, or they will ensure that another responsible member of College will accompany the student to hospital and stay with them until they have seen a doctor.
• To respond to any examination emergencies that may arise outside office hours, where necessary, liaise with the relevant officers in college and university, and undergo the training required by the Proctors to be eligible to act as Invigilator in such cases.
• To share information related to student welfare as appropriate with some/all of: the Dean (for matters of discipline), Head of Wellbeing and Nurse, (for matters of welfare), the appropriate College Officer, the College’s Peer Supporters, at the earliest convenience to ensure appropriate information-sharing and co-ordinated follow-up.
• To help organise dissemination of information regarding welfare and community life to members of the College, in conjunction with the Head of Wellbeing and Nurse including briefing for new students in Freshers’ week.
• To act as one of the College’s qualified First Aid team. The College will require (and pay for) the appointees – unless already recently qualified in first-aid – to go on a first aid course prior to appointment.
• In exceptional circumstances an off-duty Junior Welfare Dean may be asked to assist with an ongoing incident.
• The Junior Welfare Dean on duty will be contactable and may only leave the College provided that s/he is able to return quickly (within 10 minutes) if required.
• To provide emergency cover if the night porter suffers an accident/illness until the on call porter arrives.
• To support the other Junior Welfare Deans with difficult cases, giving advice and offering support.
• Other duties as may from time to time be assigned.

1 Note that the Lodge Porters are the first port of call for issues such as maintenance problems, complaints about noise, vandals, trespassing, fire alarms, and violations of College Regulations. The role of the Junior Deans is to act as back-up in difficult cases.

Selection Criteria

Essential

1. Enrolled on a full-time graduate research or graduate medical course at the University of Oxford (at any college) for the entirety of the appointment.
2. An appreciation of the welfare and disciplinary issues relevant within a student community.
3. Excellent communication skills; able to form positive relationships and obtain the confidence of all sections of the College, in particular the Junior Members. Liaison with the JCR and MCR welfare representatives will be an important and valuable part of the role, as well as with Peer Supporters.
4. Experience of working with confidentiality, discretion, tact and diplomacy.
5. Evidence of committed, enthusiastic and resilient nature.
6. Evidence of mature and good judgement.
7. Able to respond and act appropriately on own initiative and with a high degree of flexibility in response to a wide range of unpredictable situations, if necessary, unguided.
8. Valid First Aid at Work Certificate or willingness to train to become a qualified first aider.
9. Willing and able to take a flexible approach to duties, working unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.
10. Available (with forward planning) for some meetings and other commitments on weekdays.

Desirable

1. Experience of relevant voluntary or welfare work.
2. Experience of working with the public and/or in a customer service environment.
3. Experience of dealing with emergencies e.g. accidents, thefts, fire evacuations etc.
4. We strongly encourage graduate students from LMH to apply and will give preference to internal applicants.

Terms and Conditions

The salary will be £5,820.96 per annum (at current rates). The anticipated start date will be ASAP after interview and the contract will run until the 20th August 2027 unless extending a further year.

The jobholder will be required to work in a rota with the other Junior Welfare Deans to ensure consistent coverage of Welfare Support during term time and across the Easter vacation. They will be expected to attend the weekly briefing through the whole term even when not on call.

Junior Welfare Deans are expected to provide consent for their line manager (Head of Wellbeing) to undertake an annual check with their academic supervisor to ensure they are able to fulfil their academic commitments alongside this role.

Benefits of working for the College include single student accommodation in College, the option to join a University pension scheme.

Other benefits include up to 3 meals per day when the kitchens are open (currently the kitchens are closed on a Sunday). These meals are for your own personal use and are non-transferrable.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK. Applications particularly welcomed from current LMH graduate students.

To apply for this position, please press the 'Apply Now' button and submit a covering letter explaining why you are suitable for this role and your CV.

Deadline for applications: midnight Sunday 11th October 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place on Wednesday 21st October 2026.

A principal aim of this College’s Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that in the recruitment, selection, training, appraisal, development and promotion of employees, the only consideration must be that the individual best meets, or is likely to meet, the requirements of the programme or course or post.

Lady Margaret Hall is committed to provide a learning, working and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members are respected, and which is free from prejudice, intimidation and all forms of harassment, including bullying. We seek to ensure that no-one suffers, either directly or indirectly, as a result of discrimination.

Lady Margaret Hall has a range of family friendly policies.

Issued by the HR Office

September 2026