Culture and benefits
Our commitment to employees means we offer an extensive range of benefits, including those detailed below.
Our vision is Transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. We want you to feel connected to that, and understand your role in contributing to the vision. We'll continue listening to our employees and making ARU a great place to work.
Inclusivity is at the heart of what we do, and our aim is to provide a supportive environment in which to work. Read more about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at ARU and our values. For more detailed information about where we're heading, please read our Strategy.
We offer competitive salaries, within well-defined grading structures. We regularly test our rates of pay against the market.
You'll be able to join one of our generous defined-benefit pension schemes. They provide a guaranteed income in retirement, and death-in-service benefits to protect your loved ones.
Typical ARU employer contributions range between 20-28%.
Your contract of employment will specify which scheme you’re eligible for:
- Teachers' Pensions
- or the Local Government Pension Scheme, administered by Essex County Council or the NHS Pension Scheme.
Enjoy a generous paid holiday entitlement of between 30-35 days in addition to statutory bank holidays and discretionary University closure days.
Our holiday year runs from 1 September to 31 August.
We offer an extensive range of staff development opportunities. They're designed to support you in your role and help you reach your full potential.
Fee waiver opportunities may also be available for our programmes of study.
Campus facilities include:
- cafes and coffee bars
- gyms and sports halls
- attractive outside spaces, ranging from formal gardens to a relaxing Forest Pod
- libraries
- the Ruskin Gallery and Mumford Theatre in Cambridge.
There are lots of opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity at ARU. We have beginners’ running groups, a staff football team and health walks.
Many of our campuses offer access to sports and leisure facilities, plus discounted gym memberships and fitness classes.
Find out more about health and fitness at ARU.
You can also access subsidised packages at neighbouring facilities, including Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre in Cambridge.
Our campuses benefit from good transport links, so we encourage travelling by public transport, cycling, walking and car sharing.
To help you do this, we’ve put discounts and financial assistance in place. These include:
- discounts with local transport providers
- access to discounted bikes through the national CycleScheme
- interest-free season ticket loans.
We also hold regular Dr Bike sessions where you can get your bike checked by a mechanic for free.
Limited parking is available on campus for those with accessibility requirements.
We have a scheme through which you can apply for flexible working.
Flexibility can look different depending on the requirements of job roles, but some examples include:
- variations to working hours
- part-time working
- hybrid working arrangements.
In our 2024 staff survey, 85% of respondents said their faculty/professional service supported flexible working.
Open to all staff, our inclusivity networks operate independently of HR and are led by colleagues across ARU.
The networks offer community, confidential advice, and support. By joining, you can learn, connect with colleagues, and influence equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts.
Networks also host events, campaigns, and contribute to policy changes. Every year, we celebrate their contributions at the Inclusivity Staff Network Conference.
We're proud to offer enhanced paid leave to colleagues taking maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
We’ve recently increased paid occupational paternity leave to six weeks at full pay, alongside occupational maternity/adoption pay at 26 weeks full pay (subject to eligibility).
Support the charities you care about the most by choosing to donate through your pay. Our Payroll Giving scheme is a simple, tax-free way to donate and one of the most cost-effective ways for charities to raise funds.
We’re committed to our local communities and charitable causes. We encourage you to take part in our Staff Volunteering Scheme, which gives you up to two days a year to volunteer with causes you're passionate about.
Access advice and support at any time through our 24-hour Employee Support Helpline. This service is also available to family members who live with you.
You can get practical advice in a variety of areas, or speak to professional counsellors about a range of issues.
We want to recruit excellent colleagues. So, if you need to relocate to take up employment with us, subject to certain conditions, we offer a generous relocation package of £8,000 or 20% of gross starting pay (whichever is lower).
Join the University Library free of charge and enjoy access to extensive study and information resources – both online and on campus
Fancy joining a book club or getting involved in gardening? There are lots of opportunities to take part in social events or activities, and get to know your colleagues.