Deputy Student Services Manager

15470BR

School of Law and Politics

Managerial, Professional and Specialist Staff – MPSS

Advert

Deputy Student Services Manager
School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the post of Deputy Student Services Manager in the School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University. The School of Law and Politics is a large but friendly research and teaching School comprising three inter-related departments: Politics and International Relations, Law, and Professional Legal Studies. The school offers a number of undergraduate, taught, research and vocational postgraduate programmes and is based on the Cathays campus of Cardiff University near to the city centre.

This role will support the Student Services Manager in the delivery of student facing services to students and staff within the school and directly manage the day-to-day operations of the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes teams (currently sixteen staff). The role holder will work closely with the school’s Student Support and Education Quality and Enhancement teams as well as the network of professionals at college and university levels.

The successful candidate should be educated to degree/NVQ4 or have equivalent work-related experience. Excellent communication skills, the ability to work independently and as part of a team as well as the ability to prioritise and organise own workload are essential requirements for the post. The post holder should also have good interpersonal skills, be committed to personal development and actively engage with stakeholders within the University. Substantial recent experience of managing a large team delivering a service is essential,and is an advantage if the applicant has experience of working in an educational environment.

Informal enquiries should be made to the Student Services Manager, Alisha Tucker ([email protected] ) or School Manager, Dr Lucy Hammond ([email protected] )

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 37 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) local pension scheme, blended working (meaning you will be able to work from home for some of your time wherever the role and business need allows), a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments up the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter. The university is committed to making a positive contribution to the development of the Welsh language and will support staff to improve their Welsh language skills at all stages of ability, from complete beginner to Gloywi.

This is a full-time, open-ended post. 

Salary – £35,333 – £42,155 per annum (Grade 6)

Date advert posted: Friday, 28 October 2022

Closing date: Sunday, 13 November 2022

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We especially welcome and encourage applications from those from under-represented groups within the University workforce, such as those who identify as LGBT +, BAME or those with disabilities. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. Our school is working towards an Athena SWAN award and is committed to advancing gender equality within our school.

Job Description

To support the Student Services Manager in the effective and efficient delivery of all services provided by the Student Services Team, overseeing the operation and development of the School’s taught and research programmes, providing advice, guidance and support, and leading projects in this area.

Key Duties

•    Support the Student Services Manager in the leadership, management and operation of the School’s Student Services Team, ensuring School objectives are communicated and engaged with, planning, organising and delegating work, monitoring progress and intervening as required.
•    Work closely with the Student Support Team and Student Quality and Enhancement Team ensuring a holistic delivery of services across teams.
•    Support academic staff in the delivery of teaching and teaching-related administrative work, including developing, maintaining, disseminating, and prompting the timely conduct of a cycle of business and its reporting.
•    Manage performance, induction and development of the Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Professional Programme Team leads.
•    Support and guide team members in welfare issues, escalating as necessary to specialist support areas
•    Ensure the delivery of the Student Service Team’s service level agreements, adapting these according to changes in workload and customer requirements, liaising with the Student Services Manager as required
•    Make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures
•    Undertake the training of others in areas relating to the Student Services Team’s work
•    Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to, and which will enhance performance
•    Establish working relationships with key contacts and develop networks across the department, school and university to ensure the success of the team’s objectives and long-term plans
•    Liaise closely and collaboratively with colleagues in central and College professional services to resolve in a timely manner any issues that may arise and to ensure that the School is fulfilling its role in respect of those functions devolved to it and is contributing effectively to those activities undertaken outside the School
•    Gather and analyse data to inform decisions, establishing basic trends and patterns in data and creating reports as appropriate.
•    Plan and deliver specific small scale projects, co-ordinating and supervising project teams created as needed
•    Ensure that the School’s student administration practices and processes comply with the University’s academic regulations and procedures at all times and to support staff across the School in their implementation

General Duties

•    Deputise for the Student Services Manager as required

•    Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
•     Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties

•    Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity

•    Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

Person Specification

Important note:

It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined above. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.

When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 15470BR

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

1.    Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent work-related experience

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

2.    Substantial recent experience of leading, motivating and managing a large team in a specialist function, with evidence of the ability to plan and delegate work, over extended time periods, reacting to changes in workload priorities
3.    Specialist knowledge of complex administrative systems and processes, with the ability to provide professional advice to internal and external customers
4.    Significant experience of working within a process driven environment with proven proficiency in developing new policies and procedures to adapt to changing regulations, improve service delivery and enhance administrative performance

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

5.    Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally to a wide range of people
6.    Proven ability to develop networks to contribute to long term developments
7.    Experience of dealing with performance and welfare issues, with the proven ability to guide and advise
8.    Evidence of ability to explore customers’ needs and adapt the service accordingly to ensure a quality service is delivered, with the proven ability to influence and negotiate

Planning, Analysis and Problem solving

9.    Proven ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity, identifying and proposing both practical and innovative solutions, using data to inform decisions and using a detailed understanding of methodologies to select the right approach
10.    Proven ability to undertake and deliver specific projects and supervise short-term project teams

Desirable Criteria

1.    Postgraduate/Professional qualification
2.    Experience of working in a Higher Education environment
3.    Fluency in Welsh, written and oral

Job Category

Admin / Clerical