Social Sciences Faculty Office

Grade 7: - £33,797 - £40,322 per annum
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 13-May-2021, 6:59:00 AM 

Job Family: Business Process & People Services

Our Characteristics: We are welcoming, collegiate and inclusive.

Our Values: We are motivated, inquisitive, challenging, rigorous and innovative.

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, 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

The Department and role purpose 

The post-holder will manage a team of administrators that will support all academic Faculties and Departments across the University.

The team, including the post-holder, will be deployed into departments to support and manage a wide range of administrative activities, including; leading teaching, learning and assessment activities from the point of student enrolment through to graduation.

The post-holder may be deployed across several departments simultaneously. 

They will work flexibly in accordance with University and Departmental policies and procedures, demonstrating a commitment to customer service excellence.

In addition to the above the Temporary Staffing Service Manager will:

• Line Manage  a team of administrative staff to ensure high-quality support for the academic Faculties
• Ensure a culture of ongoing improvement in the effective delivery of administrative processes
• Oversee and deliver the effective implementation of policies and activities in support of the Education Strategy.
• Manage the distribution of the support provision across the Faculties to ensure this is delivered effectively.

Core responsibilities:

• Recognised professional practitioner and management and/or service specialist with responsibility for the management of team members, often on a remote basis.
• Provide input to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service areas or projects.
• Manage operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience.
• Contribute to the analysis of stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements, inputting to the design and planning of services.
• Internal and external relationship development and partnership working, networking and participation to engage and influence future services and the University reputation.
• Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews.
• Handle the vast majority of welfare issues within a team, referring more complex welfare issues to appropriate support services/senior management.
• Delivery of ongoing coaching, mentoring and training to team members.
• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access.
• Contribute to business meetings, working groups and sub committees at departmental and operational service levels.
• Responsible for monitoring small budgets for consumables and some capital items, keeping records and processing invoices.
• Devolve responsibilities to team members to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development.

Role responsibilities:

• Providing a professional, efficient Staffing Service.
• Coordinate and manage networks, committees and meetings, to prepare, record and distribute documents and communications, including minutes, if required.
• Work independently, taking day-to-day management decisions and using his/her experience and initiative to decide on appropriate courses of action and resolve problems.
• Manage and lead student support services including resolving queries and providing information on academic and welfare related issues, making referrals to other staff, teams and services
• Provide management for stakeholder service areas and/or processes ensuring a high quality and timely service to all stakeholders, including prospective, existing and past students and staff.
• Manage and monitor performance, distribution and workload outcomes and/or staff, planning cover to ensure smooth support service provision through peaks and troughs to ensure effective delivery.
• Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads, making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.
• Provide advice to stakeholders in relation to University, School and/or Department policy, procedures and regulations.
• Ensure the review and improvement of systems and procedures in line with University, School, Department or unit frameworks, ensuring a culture of ongoing improvement in the effective delivery of administrative processes.
• Distribute service information and provide advice to stakeholders regarding compliance and regulations.
• Ensure regulations and procedures are updated to take account of internal and external changes, including those in support of the Education Strategy.
• Deal with complaints.
• Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality services. 
• Any other reasonable duties. 

Specific role requirements

• May be required to work fractionally across multiple departments to provide support, which may include working across multiple departments simultaneously.

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 (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 are you required to Submit:

1. A CV;
2. A covering letter (max 3 A4 sides) which details your experience, strengths and potential in the person specification and Realising Your Potential approach below.

Please ensure you give detailed examples of how you meet these criteria.

Please ensure that you submit the documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage. Documents submitted in addition to those requested will not normally be considered. 

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.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop excellent working relationships both internally and externally.  
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition.
• Professional practitioner with knowledge and expertise used to contribute to the delivery and development of services, events and activities within the organisation.
• Experience of implementing policy and procedures and involvement with future changes for a service area.  
• Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
• Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including colleagues that are more senior.  
• Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University.
• Experience of managing and developing a team or teams and/or line management qualification. 
• Proven project management experience with the ability to lead multiple projects with different aims, objectives and stakeholders and deliver on time and within budget.  
• Awareness of issues in the Higher Education sector.
• Excellent problem solving, administrative and organisational skills.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of operational (e.g. HR, Finance) and/or academic support processes relevant to academic departments. 
• Experience of matrix or cross-functional management.

Realising Your Potential Approach

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.