Citations Officer

Job Title: Citations Officer          
Department: Research & Innovation Services        
Grade: 7 
Salary range: £35,333 to £42,155 per annum
Working arrangements: Full time, Fixed Term for two years 
   
The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people.  A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.  
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.  We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here  
 

The Role and Department

Research and Innovation Services (RIS) provides guidance, expert advice and hands-on support for all aspects of research and research-related work, including securing funding, working with partners, undertaking knowledge exchange, demonstrating impact, commercialising outputs, ensuring good research practice and supporting professional development.  

This post sits within the Policy, Systems and Performance team in RIS. The team is responsible for the University’s research information management systems, the overall governance and ethical framework for both funded and unfunded research & research related activities across the institution, support for institutional strategy development and the compilation of relevant returns including HEBCI, KEF, KEC and REF.   

The key purpose of the role is to assist in the delivery of the citations and global reputation project running at Durham University. The key responsibilities will be: 

• Development and provision of high-quality citations reporting 

• Supporting the Senior Manager Strategy and Performance in the delivery of the citation’s improvement programme. 

• Working with key internal academic and professional services, and external stakeholders to understand and enhance current understanding and performance. 

Core Responsibilities  

• Recognised professional practitioner and service specialist. 

• Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service strands or project streams. 

• Provide specialist expertise and support with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis. 

• Contribute to development of operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience. 

• Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements and 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. 

• Identify and design activities to meet learning objectives and outcomes. 

• Deliver training, teaching and/or development delivery for stakeholders. 

• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals including provision of advice using specialist knowledge. 

• Contribute to and lead business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at departmental and operational service levels. 

• Responsible for managing small budgets for consumables and some capital items, keeping records and processing invoices.  

Role Responsibilities  

• 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. 

• Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services. 

• Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads making recommendations for improvement as appropriate. 

• Provide proactive and comprehensive input and support to Head of Services, School and/or Department to achieve strategic and operational priorities. 

• 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. 

• 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 oversee committee working and deal with complaints. 

• Provide training and/or instruction to stakeholders. 

• Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality services. 

• Any other reasonable duties 

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description. 

Working at Durham 

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: 

•    30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.  
•    The University closes between Christmas and New Year  
•    We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled  into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
•    No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered.  We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
•    There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally.  There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University.  All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. 
•    Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
•    On site nursery is available and children’s clubs in the summer holidays.
•    Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
•    The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
•    Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions. 
•    A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. 
•    If you are moving to Durham, we can help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools.  If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham University is committed to equality diversity, inclusion and values

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct.  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. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

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.  If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application.  If you are a candidate with a disability, 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, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification

When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description.  

Your application should cover the following criteria:

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).   
•  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.  
• Highly developed organisational skills, including project and time management 

Desirable Criteria

• 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 using SciVal or other bibliometric databases.

How to Apply   

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.   
  
Submitting your application 

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about 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 make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
  
What you need to submit   

•    A CV
•    A supporting statement or covering letter which outlines how you meet all of the essential criteria within the Person Specification (above)

Contact details   
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Victoria Money – [email protected] 

Typical Role Requirements

Service Delivery

•    A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
•    Contribute to development of operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience. 
•    Responsible for managing small budgets for consumables and some capital items, keeping records and processing invoices.  
•    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. 
•    Ensure the review and improvement of systems and procedures in line with University, School, Department or unit frameworks. 
•    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. 

Planning and Organisation

•    Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service strands or project streams. 
•    Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements and the design and planning of services. 
•    Analyse service data and provide reports to Service Heads making recommendations for improvement as appropriate. 

Teamwork

•    Contribute to operational leadership teams and decision making to shape the nature and level of support services. 

Communications and Networking

•    Internal and external relationship development and partnership working, networking and participation to engage and influence future services and the University reputation. 
•    Deliver training, teaching and/or development delivery for stakeholders. 
•    Contribute to and lead business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at departmental and operational service levels. 
•    Provide proactive and comprehensive input and support to Head of Services, School and/or Department to achieve strategic and operational priorities. 
•    Provide advice to stakeholders in relation to University, School and or Department policy, procedures and regulations. 
•    Coordinate and oversee committee working and deal with complaints. 
•    Provide training and/or instruction to stakeholders. 

Knowledge and Experience

•    Recognised professional practitioner and service specialist. 
•    Provide specialist expertise and support with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis. 
•    Identify and design activities to meet learning objectives and outcomes. 
•    Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access, and provision of advice using specialist knowledge. 
•    Awareness of the external environment and sector best practice to support high quality services.   

•    Any other reasonable duties.   
  
Useful links

If you would like further information you may find the following will help

RIS-Recruitment-Brochure-Citations-Officer.pdf (durham.ac.uk)
  
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.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.   

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.