Professional Mentor

Radical Professional Mentor Role Description

Role type: Anchor

Role purpose

A Professional Mentor brings professional experience, perspective and connections into the Radical’s Circle and helps them build a career, not simply get through recruitment.

Unlike a Specialist Villager who enters for a defined piece of work, a Professional Mentor may remain alongside a Radical through job search, entry into work, the first months of employment and later career decisions. The relationship provides continuity while other Specialists enter and leave according to what the Radical needs.

Your value comes from what you know about professional life: how sectors and organisations really work, how careers develop, how professional relationships are built, what employers value and what often sits behind the formal rules.

What you will do

• Build a reliable, longer-term professional relationship with a Radical following the Meet and Match process.
• Agree a clear Mentor Plan, working arrangements, boundaries and realistic expectations together.
• Support the Radical with pre-agreed tasks such as mock interviews, LinkedIn reviews, research and networking preparation.
• Help the Radical understand the sector, profession or working environment they are entering or progressing within.
• Support longer-term career direction rather than focusing only on the next vacancy.
• Help the Radical strengthen their professional identity, reputation and networks.
• Explain professional conventions and unwritten rules while leaving the Radical free to decide how they want to navigate them.
• Offer informed perspective and constructive challenge without taking over decisions.
• Make appropriate professional introductions and use your networks responsibly where this can create access or opportunity.
• Help the Radical navigate the transition into employment, workplace relationships, probation, development and progression.
• Maintain a reliable mentoring rhythm and communicate appropriately with the Circle Lead.
• Recognise when another Specialist, the Circle Lead or Paid Team is better placed to support something and bring them in.
• Maintain appropriate safeguarding, information and professional boundaries throughout the relationship.

What you bring

You have professional experience that is genuinely useful to somebody building or navigating a career, and you are willing to use that experience in service of the Radical. You can listen as well as advise, provide challenge without becoming controlling and build a warm professional relationship with clear boundaries.

Professional success alone does not make somebody a good Mentor. The role requires consistency, judgement, safeguarding awareness and the ability to work as part of the wider Circle.

You do not need prior safeguarding knowledge or to feel confident in every aspect of mentoring before you begin. Radical Recruit will provide training, guidance and ongoing support so you understand your responsibilities and can carry out the role safely and confidently.

Being a Mentor is a vital role within our organisation and carries responsibilities that many other Village roles do not. Clear boundaries are therefore essential. You are not expected to be the Radical’s recruiter, coach, caseworker, manager, employment adviser or safeguarding lead. Your role is to provide continuity and professional perspective, helping the wider Village work more effectively rather than replacing it.

Apply or register your interest: Radical Village Application & Onboarding Form

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.