Job description

King’s College London’s Defence Studies Department (DSD) is part of the School of Security Studies (also including War Studies and the King’s Institute for Applied Security Studies), and delivers Professional Military Education at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The School is seeking a Planning Officer to be responsible for the efficient planning of DSD’s teaching at the Defence Academy. The Planning Officer is also expected to provide data for reporting requirements.

The postholder will also manage the recruitment and induction process for Graduate Teaching Assistants across the School and support the School’s endeavour of cross site teaching by being an active part of the planning working groups, supporting the implementation of new systems, process and procedures across departments.

Although the role will be primarily based in Shrivenham, occasional travel to King’s College London’s Strand Campus may be required

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 8 months (Maternity Cover)

This is a full-time  post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

•    To develop and implement departmental planning policy in liaison with other members of the Planning Team in the Defence Studies Department as set out in departmental procedures: 

o   To ensure academic support to concurrent courses as set out in JSCSC Course Dates. 

o   To be aware of the implications of changes in course size and frequency, as circumstances dictate 

o   Input to and manage DSD support to JSCSC courses on the dedicated resource planning tool to ensure accurate online access to departmental teaching commitments 

o   Identify programme clashes for deconfliction purposes and arrange deconfliction meetings with military course co-ordinators as required 

o   Produce reserve cover rosters for all courses to ensure unexpected absences do not lead to broken commitments

o   Organise changes to allocation of staff to teaching duties, on account of staff absence through sickness, research leave or conference attendance

o   To develop the annual loadings and lecture plot in liaison with other members of the Planning team, for approval by the Dean of Academic Studies 

o   Maintain up to date records of staff loadings 

o   Supervise the administration of absence and Central Research Fund application forms

o   To participate in the review of the administrative processes involved in the Planning function and propose and implement improvements where necessary in consultation with other members of the Planning team and senior colleagues 

o   To produce management information on staffing resources and planning as requested by other members of the Planning team and senior colleagues 

o   To ensure the appropriate distribution of course documentation and other relevant material, in hard copy or electronically via the departmental Intranet/Sharepoint. 

•    To manage the recruitment and induction processes for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) across the School of Security Studies and to act as the first point of contact for GTAs :

o   To advertise in a timely fashion GTA opportunities within the School, respond to queries from prospective GTAs, collate and distribute application forms and organise GTA interviews

o   To confirm teaching appointments with successful GTAs and raise contracts with HR for these

o   To liaise with the appropriate Deputy Dean in each department to organise GTA induction to each department

o   To act as the first point of contact for GTAs on planning and contract queries for the School

•   To be a proactive member of the team and to work closely with the Education Support Manager on implementing new operation systems processes and procedures

•   To perform other duties as reasonably requested and directed by the Deputy Dean (Staffing, Resources & Planning), Head of Department or Head of Administration/Contracts Manager

•   The postholder will be required to undertake occasional travel to the London Strand Campus on prior arrangement (to be reimbursed)

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge and experience

Essential criteria

1.      Education to A level standard or equivalent experience in terms of planning and analysis

2.      Excellent excel and IT skills

3.     Ability to prioritise and multi-task, good organisational skills

4.     Excellent stakeholder management/customer service skills

5.     Good communication skills, both written and verbal

6.     Good computing skills, including MS Office packages

7.     Good numerical skills

8.     Ability to work well both independently and within a team

9.     Good time management skills and the ability to operate effectively with a busy and varied workload

10.   Experience of providing information to a variety of audiences

11.   Proactive, enthusiastic, sympathetic, approachable manner, focused and self-motivated

12.   An understanding of the confidential nature of the work

Desirable criteria

1.       Knowledge of timetabling and/or planning software

2.       Previous experience of working in a university or military environment

3.       Experience of working with databases

Further information

• You will be required to work irregular hours in accordance with the needs of the role.
• There is a strict dress code at the JSCSC which should be interpreted sensibly, applied realistically and with discretion. Civilian dress must be smart, clean and well maintained and appropriate to the surroundings (the minimum standard of dress is an open-neck collared shirt and tailored shirt with long trousers, or female equivalent).
• Job offers will be dependent upon the granting of security clearance by the Ministry of Defence
• Information of a confidential nature must be kept strictly confidential and should never be disclosed either inside or outside work. It should be noted that breach of confidentiality is a serious offence which may lead to dismissal.
• The university is currently operating on a hybrid working pattern however this is subject to change depending on the needs of the role and on university policy, flexibility will be required.