Department of English Studies

Grade 4: - £20,600 - £22,254 per annum (pro rata)
Fixed Term - Part Time
Contract Duration: 12 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 17.5
Closing Date: 14-Jul-2022, 6:59:00 AM

The closing date for applications is 13 July 2022 at midnight.

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:

The Department of English Studies at Durham is one of the leading English departments in the UK, with an outstanding research culture and excellent students. It is consistently ranked in the top five English departments in a range of university guides and consistently records excellent scores in the National Student Survey. In REF 2021, 90% of our research was judged to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent'. It has particular clusters of expertise in the following areas: world literatures and theory; twentieth- and twenty-first-century literature; eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature; medieval and early modern literature and culture; creative writing; medical humanities.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced administrator to join a dynamic, friendly team. The Learning and Teaching Administrator is responsible for the provision of a professional, efficient administrative service, supporting a wide range of teaching, learning and assessment activities from the point of student enrolment through to graduation. They will work independently, taking day to day decisions and using their experience and initiative to decide on appropriate courses of action and resolve problems. They will work flexibly to ensure the team functions effectively in meeting priorities, working in accordance with University and Departmental policies and procedures, demonstrating a commitment to customer service excellence.

This is a part-time role working a total of 17.5 hours per week (0.5FTE). The actual days and times of work are to be agreed and candidates are invited to give the details of their preferred working arrangements in their covering letter.

Appointment to this post is fixed term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended.

A hybrid working model is currently in operation and, while in place, roughly 60% of time (1.5 days per week) will be worked on site and 40% of time (1 day per week) will be worked from home on a rota basis. The Line Manager will discuss the provision of equipment for home working and provide details of the rota in advance. The post holder may be required to amend days/hours of work to provide cover during periods of absence or peak workload or to support a committee which may meet on particular days of the week.

Core responsibilities:

• Provide a responsive and proactive support service for stakeholders; acting as the first point of contact for all scholarship related activities.
• Focus on checking stakeholder requirements to ensure the delivery of excellence with the frontline stakeholder experience.
• Respond to service users answering and recording standard queries and bookings for activities and/or events.
• Contribute to the planning of team activities, work and deadlines to ensure the smooth running and timeliness of service.
• Solve day-to-day routine problems and source background information within the role.
• Record data and information accurately and provide reports as required to team members and more experienced staff.
• Operate an information request booking and enquiry service and process requests finding solutions or escalating queries where necessary.
• Flexible in approach to accommodate the needs of team members and/or service users.
• Assist team members to organise, plan and prepare for events, meetings and activities.
• Liaise with internal and external suppliers, contractors and professional specialists to pass on information.
• Apply professional and regulatory procedures and processes and use of systems.
• Liaise and collaborate with staff in other areas of the organisation to ensure a seamless, smooth and efficient service.
• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members.

Role responsibilities:

• Work with team members to ensure the smooth running of administrative processes to support staff and students, and programme activities.
• Apply standard professional and recognised regulatory procedures to process, check and reconcile anomalies within data and information sets.
• Compile, record, store and archive student data and information to ensure the accuracy and safety of information.
• Monitor and track data, including assessment submissions and student progress, initiating follow up procedures, and drafting routine correspondence where necessary.
• Liaise with members of academic staff, University staff, external examiners, professional organisations and agencies where necessary.
• Use standard office-based digital systems, tools and equipment to carry out data recording, communications and networking, such as marks entry, collection and dissemination of student feedback.
• Provide service and support for networks, committees and meetings, to draft and distribute documents and communications in standard professional formats, taking minutes when necessary and including preparation for the Board of Examiners and its Sub-Committees.
• Process and update key business documentation, including handbooks, the virtual learning environment, and student concession requests.
• Liaise with internal and external suppliers and specialists with the organisation, planning and delivery of services, activities and events.
• Make venue, catering, travel and/or equipment arrangements for events, meetings and recruitment and teaching activities.
• Accurately record financial transactions in liaison with relevant staff.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

• Work outside normal office hours during peak periods.

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.

Interviews for this position will take place as soon as possible.

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:

• 27 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 above;
3. Completion of the application questions with examples of how you satisfy the person specification. 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;

For further information please contact Deborah Hobbs, Department Manager, via D.J.Hobbs@durham.ac.uk or Helen Ferguson, Learning & Teaching Manager, via english.ltm@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

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
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. Relevant administrative experience in a busy office environment*.
5. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues. 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. Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve straightforward issues. 
6. Accuracy, numeracy and attention to detail.
7. A high level of discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.
• Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working in a team.
• Experience of working in Higher Education
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment.

*(Where a criterion is marked with an asterisk, the University consider this to be a key requirement for this post and it may therefore receive additional weighting when applications are scored during shortlisting.) 

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.