Equalities officer
Equalities officers make sure people are treated equally in an organisation by promoting positive practices and attitudes.
Also known as: Equality and diversity officer, equal opportunities officer, equality, diversity and human rights officer
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£46,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As an equalities officer, you could:
- identify equality issues
- introduce new policies and review existing practices
- raise awareness of equality in organisations, schools and the community
- give advice and guidance to companies and staff on equal rights
- promote equality and inclusion through events and campaigns, such as equal pay
- make sure job adverts and promotions do not discriminate
- prepare and deliver training, workshops and presentations
- work closely with all departments to help them improve diversity and inclusion in the workforce
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of human resources and employment law
- the ability to work well with others
- analytical thinking skills
- active listening skills
- customer service skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a equalities officer
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You could do a degree in a subject, like:
- law
- psychology
- sociology
- community or youth studies
- human resources
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an apprenticeship with an organisation, such as:
- HR support Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- People Professional Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
These take between 1 and 2 years to complete and combine on-the-job training with study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Volunteering
You'll find it useful to get some work experience in this area, for instance by volunteering:
- to help with equality and diversity issues in a student union or trade union
- with a local community group, tenants' association or charity
- in a legal or welfare rights advice centre
Direct application
You could apply directly for jobs if you have a knowledge of equal opportunities issues and laws.
Experience in human resources, advice services, youth and community work or social work could be useful when looking for jobs.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass background checks
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior equalities officer or manager.
You could also work as a consultant, move into human resources or become an equalities and diversity trainer.
Professional and industry bodies
Some employers will prefer you to be a member of a professional body, such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development .
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleWelfare rights adviser
- Job roleTrade union official
- Job roleHuman resources officer
- Job roleTraining officer
- Job roleCareers adviser
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0