Department of Sport & Exercise Science

Grade 5: - £22,417 - £25,217 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: 18 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 07-Oct-2020, 6:59:00 AM

Durham University

The Department and role purpose

The Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Durham University has an outstanding reputation for pedagogy with innovative social-facing research. Our multi-disciplinary BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences and BA Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity undergraduate degree programmes are consistently ranked in the top 10 sport-related programmes in the UK. Reflecting sporting performance and excellence in research, teaching performance and outreach work, Durham was awarded the ‘Sunday Times Sport University of the Year’ in 2015.

The Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences seeks to appoint a project co-ordinator with experience in working with a research project on public health. The successful candidate will co-ordinate and support research projects which are funded by the National Institute of Health Research and part of the School for Public Health Research (SPHR) and Fuse. Specifically, their contribution will focus on the co-ordination and support for a research project (WP5) that fall within the Children and Young People’s research programme of the SPHR. The successful candidate will also support Professor Summerbell and Dr Frances Hillier Brown with their activities associated with SPHR and Fuse. The successful candidate will also support Fuse in preparing our application for the Phase 3 SPHR grant (which will start April 2022, and run over 5 years).

We would welcome secondment applications into this position, subject to approval from your line manager.

Core responsibilities: 

• Act as more knowledgeable team member without responsibility for team members.
• Plan and organise own workload with or without involvement with project work streams.
• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members.
• Respond to stakeholder needs to deliver and shape an excellent stakeholder experience.
• Apply theory and practice, from academic and professional development and previous knowledge within a service team.
• Contribute to collaborative decision making within the team with service provision to deliver an excellent stakeholder experience in accordance with policy and procedures. 
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and/or externally with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver a service.
• Provide guidance and advice to resolve problems and queries for a broad range of service users.
• Collaborate with team members to implement service alterations.
• Organise and schedule resources, activities and events.
• Identify priorities and monitor processes and activities to ensure success.
• Provide more in-depth independent research and analysis activities within the role.
• Analyse work activities to ensure the effective and efficient use of capital and consumable equipment and resources.
• Provide demonstrations and instruction to others outside the team.
• Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision.
• Liaise with contacts and participate in networks and communities internally and possibly externally, contributing to effective collaborative working.
• Advise others and make recommendations into work processes and procedures for consideration by senior management to improve services.

Role responsibilities: 

• Deliver support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of business processes and systems.
• Monitor and evaluate service delivery to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional procedures and standards.
• Collaborate with colleagues across professional and administrative areas to ensure seamless service provision.
• Provide training to team members on data handling and recording.
• Monitor data accuracy checks to identify anomalies and ensure the integrity of data and information.
• Update data and information on systems and media for recording, storing, communicating and informing service users and team members.
• Work with internal and external partners to deliver cross-functional administrative, business and financial work streams.
• Work with internal and external partners to deliver cross-functional services and activities.
• Analyse data and statistics and provide reports for higher level decision makers.
• Accurately record information and data and disseminate within internal networks including committees.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policy and procedures within own area of working. 
• Prepare written reports for consideration by management where required.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements:

The post holder will not be expected to work outside normal working hours except for two or three times a year when we plan to hold project meetings at Durham, or host Fuse events at Durham that are related to the project. 

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above (including those listed in the section ‘Realising Your Potential Approach’).

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply 

We prefer to receive applications online. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What you are required to submit

1. A CV; 
2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out below;
3. Examples of how you satisfy both the person specification and the Realising Your Potential Approach criteria.  Please ensure you give detailed examples of how you meet these criteria.

Please copy and paste the criteria and Realising Your Potential Approach into a separate Microsoft Word document and submit this alongside your other application material.

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details 

For further information please contact; Dr Frances Hillier-Brown (frances.hillier-brown@durham.ac.uk)

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

Job Family: Business Process and People Services

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, in a unique and historic setting.

OUR VALUES: We are inspiring, challenging, innovative, responsible and enabling.

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide a comprehensive service and deliver the efficient administration and governance of the University.

Overall family purpose

• Deliver direct and indirect services to stakeholders.
• Provide advice and answer queries as part of an enquiry-desk/help-desk function.
• Respond to and manage requests for information and resources.
• Deliver services to meet regulatory requirements and procedures. 
• Plan and deliver a joined-up approach to University business and people services.
• Align business processes and services to meet operational and strategic policy objectives.  
• Deliver business processes to ensure effective management, governance and the economic viability of the University. 
• Encourage, collaborate and participate in the development of productive cross-institution relationships and working.
• Provide excellent professional services that meet strategic and operational goals and business needs.
• Carry out monitoring, analysis, development and planning to design new services and service updates for continuous improvement whilst meeting changes in regulations.
• Engage with specialist professionals, consultants, and suppliers to exchange knowledge and facilitate partnership working.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering Professional Services across the University;
• A joined-up approach to University professional services, regardless of location or line management;
• A culture and practice of continuous improvement; 
• Design services that meet business need;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
2. Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
3. Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent experience). 
4. Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.
5. Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
6. Relevant administrative experience in a busy office environment.
7. Demonstrable ability to proactively work with team members to ensure the delivery of high quality services.
8. Experience of working on the front line with service delivery, and the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.
9. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
10. Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions.
11. Ability to effectively network and exchange advice and information for development purposes.

Desirable:

1. Experience of supporting externally funded projects

Realising Your Potential Approach

Working Together – Working Cooperatively with others in order to achieve objectives. Applying a wide range of interpersonal skills

1. Co-operating willingly to support the achievement of team goals
2. Communicate effectively by sharing relevant information and keeping others informed

Finding Solutions – Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically and with creativity to analyse problems and develop innovative and workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.

1. Seeking input from others to develop team solutions
2. Sharing learning and experience to facilitate others’ decision making

Using Resources Effectively – Making effective use of available resources including people, information, network and budgets. Being aware of the financial and commercial aspects of the university

1. Liaising with external bodies, suppliers and other HE bodies in a professional manner in line with responsible University guidance
2. Drawing on others’ knowledge, skills and experience

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.