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Join the team

At CAVA, we are driven by our values and passion for Access to Higher Education Diplomas. We work closely as a staff team with our external moderators and the subject experts that sit on our validation panels to quality assure and validate Diplomas that provide our students with the highest quality teaching and best outcomes. We look forward to welcoming you to the CAVA team. 

Join us

Communication and Events Officer

We are seeking a Communications and Events Officer to manage our communication channels and deliver our annual programme of events. This role is perfect for a motivated professional with excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience in digital communications, and a passion for event management. As part of a collaborative team, the ideal candidate will help to promote the Access to HE qualification, support new business development, and enhance CAVA’s visibility across multiple platforms. If you are organised, creative and ready to contribute to CAVA’s mission, we would love to hear from you. The full job description and person specification can be found in the attached recruitment pack.

Essential skills include:

  • Achieved A levels at Grade C or above (or equivalent Level 3 qualification)
  • Excellent command of spoken and written English
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Experience with digital communications and website management
  • Experience in event management
  • Good project management skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team and independently 
  • Excellent time management and organisational skills
  • Strong digital literacy and IT skills
  • Commitment to CAVA mission and values
  • Desired skills include:

    • Background in the education sector
    • Experience in marketing

    If you share our values and passion for social mobility through lifelong learning, we would love to hear from you. Please email admin@cava.ac.uk to receive the application form for the vacancy.

    Closing date for applications is 18 November 2024 by 5pm – applications received after this time may not be considered for the role.

    Interview: 9 December 2024 (in person – at the CAVA office, Cambridge)

    Opportunities to join CAVA's Board

    CAVA is recruiting for three Director vacancies on our Board. If you share our values and passion for social mobility through lifelong learning, we would love to hear from you.

    We have the following vacancy on our CAVA Board::

    • FE Council of Members representative (internal applicants only)
    • External representative (open to anyone outside of CAVA members)
    • Student representative (open to former CAVA Access to HE students)

    The roles have the following responsibilities: :

    • Ensure the effective governance of CAVA, in line with regulatory and legal compliance.
    • Ensure CAVA’s compliance with QAA’s licensing agreement and licensing criteria.
    • Contribute actively to the organisation’s strategic direction and resource management.
    • Work collaboratively with fellow representatives on the CAVA Board, QuAD, Council of Members, and CAVA staff to achieve the purpose, aims, and values of CAVA.

    We are seeking applicants with the following

    • Experience of management and strategic planning (apart from the student representative)
    • Enthusiasm and commitment to CAVA aims and values, and passion for lifelong learning

    We would love to hear from you. You can find more information in our recruitment pack here. Please complete the CAVA application form and email it along with your CV to Emily Ross, CAVA CEO, via e.ross@cava.ac.uk. The closing date for applications is 1 July 2024.

    Opportunities to join our Quality and Academic Development Committee (QuAD)

    CAVA is recruiting for four vacancies on our Quality and Academic Development Committee (QuAD). If you share our values and passion for social mobility through lifelong learning, we would love to hear from you.

    CAVA QuAD responsibilities include: :

    • procedures associated with the granting or withdrawal of approval of Access to HE Diplomas and courses and outcomes of such activity
    • the assurance of quality, standards and enhancement on CAVA’s recognised Access to HE Diplomas
    • monitoring and assurance of the academic standards achieved by students

    We are seeking applicants with experience in EITHER

    • Quality assurance and quality systems management in further and/or higher education
    • OR
    • Academic planning and course development in further and/or higher education

    We would love to hear from you. You can find more information in our recruitment pack here. Please complete the CAVA application form and email it along with your CV to Emily Ross, CAVA CEO, via e.ross@cava.ac.uk. The closing date for applications is 1 July 2024.

    Opportunities to join our external moderator team

    We are always looking for new external moderators to join our team to ensure the high quality of our Access to HE Diplomas.

    Our external moderators benefit from:

    • Induction and updates on Access to HE regulation and guidance
    • Briefing and support on external moderation processes and procedures
    • An opportunity to network and share good practice with others

    If you have:

    • Relevant teaching and assessment experience and/or qualifications in adult, further or higher education
    • A commitment to the aims and values of Access to HE Diplomas
    • Current subject knowledge for the area of moderating responsibility, at level 3 or higher
    • Experience in moderation and quality assurance processes
    • Experience in Access to HE, either in further education or higher education

    Then we would love to hear from you. Please send an expression of interest letter and CV to our Quality and Operations Officer, Jacky Kelly, to start the conversation. You can email her on j.kelly@cava.ac.uk or call her on 01223 302148.

    Opportunities to join our validation panels

    We are always looking for subject experts to join our validation panels, which are held throughout the academic year. Our validation panels scrutinise our Diplomas to ensure our Access to HE courses provide our students with a high-quality learning experience.

    Our validation panel members benefit from:

    • Induction on Access to HE regulation and guidance
    • Briefing and support ahead of a validation panel
    • An opportunity to network and share good practice with others

    If you have:

    • Experience in the deliver and assessment of Access to HE Diplomas
    • Current subject and curriculum knowledge at level 3
    • Experience in the delivery of higher education programmes, which receive progressing Access to HE students
    • Expertise in the admissions requirements for higher education progression routes

    Then we would love to hear from you. Please send an expression of interest letter and CV to our Quality Manager, Barbara Hughes, to start the conversation. You can email her on b.hughes@cava.ac.uk or call her on 01223 302148.

    Team stories

    External Moderator

    Seeing the Access curriculum in full detail allowed me to appreciate the knowledge and skills of the students joining us through the Access route. Being an external moderator (EM) for CAVA has also opened new opportunities to be involved in course approval and re-validation panels. Developing my knowledge of QA at another organisation made me more aware of the processes we use and has made me more critical of the way we carry out and document our efforts. I would encourage academic staff, to consider an EM role with CAVA.

    Validation panel member

    There has been a thoroughness of academic rigour in sustaining the very highest of standards expected through the CAVA validation process, and a consistency in application of the regulations and procedures acknowledged throughout the interaction with the college, its tutors and managers and CAVA. I commend all involved in the completion of this Validation Review process and thank CAVA for all the support given to me in the role of Chair for the final outcome.