Academic Office

Grade 7: - £34304 - £40927
Fixed Term - Full Time
Contract Duration: 18 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 02-Dec-2021, 7:59:00 AM

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

The Department and role purpose:

Student Registry is part of the Academic Office. The Academic Office provides a professional administrative support service to staff, students and potential students of Durham University.

The Academic Registrar is the head of the department and is responsible to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for its management.

The following services fall under the remit of the Academic Office:

• Curriculum, Learning and Assessment
• Student Immigration and Funding
• Student Registry

All of the services are based at the Palatine Centre in Durham City.

Student Registry deliver student focused services and business processes, such as enrolment and registration, timetabling, examinations and assessment outcomes, statutory body data returns and provision of student management information, degree certificates and academic transcripts, student letters and other documentation and degree verification.

The Student Records Manager is responsible for the management of the student records system (Banner) and related business processes, ensuring the University maintains accurate student record data that meets both internal and external requirements. The post holder is also responsible for the University’s annual returns of student data to HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency).

Core responsibilities:

• Recognised professional practitioner and management and service specialist with responsibility for the management of Student Records team members.
• Provide input to the design and development of student records processes and services
• Manage operational student records activities to ensure excellence in the student and staff experience.
• Analyse stakeholder feedback to define needs and requirements, inputting to the design and planning of Student Registry processes and 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.
• Devolve responsibilities to team members to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development.

Role responsibilities:

• Provide management for student records services and processes ensuring a high quality and timely service to allstudents and staff.
• Manage and monitor staff performance and workload, planning cover to ensure smooth service provision through peaks and troughs.
• Analyse service data and provide reports to the Head of Student Registry, making recommendations for improvement as appropriate.
• Provide advice and guidance to staff and students in relation to University policy, procedures and regulations on curriculum and student records processes.
• Review student records systems and procedures to ensure continuous improvement and efficiency.
• 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.
• Coordinate and deal with complaints.
• Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality and effective student records services.  
• Manage and develop the annual cycle of student statutory reporting to HESA to ensure that the University is accurately represented.
• Manage the University’s student records system (Banner), including access authorisation, and its interfaces with other University key business systems.
• Play a key role in the coordination of development user acceptance testing for significant system developments and upgrades, including Banner and Banner Workflow.
• Oversee the student enrolment and registration process to ensure that data collected is accurate and consistent to meet the potentially conflicting internal and external requirements.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Working Arrangements

At Durham we recognise that our staff and students are our greatest asset and we want to support the health and wellbeing of all. Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours.  If appointed to the post, your line-manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you.  Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.

FIXED TERM POST

Appointment to this post is fixed term for 18 months to cover the substantive post holder’s secondment to a major student systems improvement project.

The post may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University's People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 30 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information available here

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.  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.

Information if you have a disability

The University welcomes applications from disabled people. We are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

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 in the essential and desirable criteria;
3. Completion of the application questions / A Word document, with examples of how you satisfy the person specification  criteria.  Please ensure you give detailed examples of how you meet these criteria requested.

NOTE: Any criteria marked with an asterisk* are key requirements for the role, and therefore may receive additional weighting when applications are scored during shortlisting. Please ensure you give detailed examples of how you meet these criteria.

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

Contact details 

For further information regarding this post, please contact Vicky Colborn v.l.colborn@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

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.

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.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

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.
• Advanced IT skills, including the ability to manipulated data sets using Microsoft Excel and Access*
• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
• Professional practitioner with knowledge and expertise used to contribute to the delivery and development of services events and activities within the organisation.
• Continuing professional development required to maintain professional recognition.
• 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 specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
• 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.
• Time management skills with the ability to work to deadlines to deliver under pressure *
• Excellent attention to detail and an ability to maintain accuracy whilst working under pressure *
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills *

Desirable Criteria

• Working knowledge of a corporate IT system such as the Banner Student Records system or Syllabus Plus Timetabling software
• Experience of working in Higher Education
• Experience of using business analytics software such as Power Bi

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.

Durham University

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.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.