Job description

The Department of Mathematics has an exciting opportunity for someone interested in pursuing a career or taking their next step in Higher Education administration. We are looking to recruit a Senior Programme Officers to support the running of our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.     

The Senior Programme Officer provides essential support to students and academics. Working in a fast-paced environment, the role includes taking responsibility to resolve complex queries and issues, supporting activities such as timetabling and the production of handbooks, using databases and Microsoft Excel to maintain accurate student data on progress and achievement, and delivering a high-quality service across the student lifecycle. Working with colleagues to plan and coordinate a varied set of activities, you will have opportunities to further develop your knowledge of regulations and process, and be part of professional networks promoting best practice. As part of the departmental team, you may supervise the work across a team of Programme Officers, and as part of the King’s community, you’ll work alongside inspiring academic staff, administrators and students.

Benefits

Benefits include extensive and varied -focussed training and on-the-job learning. We support our staff to manage their work/life balance, with flexible working and parental leave opportunities, reduced membership rates for staff at gyms at three of our campuses, the Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as 27 days annual leave (plus additional Christmas closure days), an occupational pension scheme, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme. Find out more at -  www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/staffbenefits/index    

Valuing Diversity & Committed to Equality

The Department of Mathematics is a registered supporter of the London Mathematical Society’s (LMS) Good Practice Scheme which supports advancing women’s careers in university mathematics departments.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and have policies to support staff with flexible arrangements for parental responsibilities or those returning from a long-term absence.  As part of the department’s commitment we hold an Athena SWAN bronze award.  We positively encourage women applicants and those from an ethnic minority to apply, as they are currently under-represented within the Department of Mathematics.

The post is available from August 2021, and is located at the Strand Campus of King’s College London.

Further particulars of the post can be located below and further information about the department can be found at: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/mathematics/

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract

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

Key responsibilities

• Work with relevant colleagues to plan programme cycles, considering the provision of processes throughout the academic year, identifying priorities and demonstrating flexibility throughout the cycle, recognising when priorities change, amending plans and adjusting work patterns accordingly  
• Coordinate programme administration processes relevant to the area of work, including assessment processes, in line with university deadlines and regulations, and Faculty and external requirements 
• Coordinate the management of day to day student enquiries with the Programme Officers to provide responses as appropriate within agreed timeframes, taking responsibility for responding directly to more complex enquiries and escalating with line manager when required 
• Ensure that quality assurance requirements and, where required, accreditation requirements are met for all provision. To service committees as directed by your line manager. Coordinate module evaluation processes in line with current university best practice
• Develop and improve the service through eliciting and responding to service user feedback, identifying and suggesting service improvements and implementing new ways of working as directed
• Work flexibly as part of a team, supporting others in times of high-volume activity. Participating in and coordinating new starter inductions. Covering staff absence and deputising for the line manager as and when required 
• Work with the wider university community to ensure up-to-date and consistent practices are followed when utilising systems (e.g. student records systems and virtual learning environments) to undertake both day-to-day functions and higher-level processes such as reporting and extracting data, ensuring accuracy of data and identifying and resolving issues 
• Engage with and triage students’ pastoral care needs, resolving straightforward issues where appropriate and escalating with, and informing, key stakeholders as per university frameworks 
• Receive, investigate and resolve low-level complaints and address service setbacks, exercising judgement and escalating to line manager where required 
• Take personal accountability for the data quality of student records, ensuring records are accurately maintained in accordance with the agreed retention schedules 
• Ensure all work is carried out in a professional and timely manner, with appropriate confidentiality and sensitivity. To maintain an up to date knowledge of the data protection requirements and to support Freedom of Information and subject access requests 

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  

• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to draft documents and correspondence autonomously to a broad range of audiences 
• Strong numeracy skills and ability to analyse complex numerical data 
• Excellent time management and organisational skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines 
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook 
• Data driven decision making approach, utilising appropriate information as required 
• Experience in the use of databases and student records systems (such as SITS) to provide management information data to a high level of detail and accuracy 
• Experience of stakeholder management, ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders in a professional and assured manner 
• Experience of working in a customer facing environment with a knowledge of how to address complaints and service setbacks in a professional and efficient manner 
• Experience of managing and delivering a portfolio of taught provision, with a proactive, development focused and transparent approach  
• Have a methodical but flexible approach to work, maintaining a high level of accuracy 
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented approach to teamwork 
• Proactive approach, and the ability to work independently 
• Ability to work under pressure to complete a range of competing priorities, and requesting and utilising support as and when required  
• Curious, customer service-oriented approach with a commitment to personal accountability and continuous improvement  
• Commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace 

Desirable criteria 

• Degree level or equivalent qualification or experience 
• Experience of using virtual learning environments