Senior Programme Officer

The School of Global Affairs is recruiting a full-time Senior Programme Officer (maternity cover) who will be responsible for managing the administration of undergraduate programmes within one of our departments.

The Senior Programme Officer provides essential administrative 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 King’s community, you will work alongside inspiring academic staff, administrators and students.

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King’s provides an extensive and varied range of career-focussed training and on-the-job learning. We support staff to maintain a work/life balance, offer flexible working and parental leave opportunities, reduced membership rates for staff at gyms at three of our campuses, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as 27 days annual leave (plus Christmas closure days), an occupational pension scheme, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme. Find out more at  

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/hr/staffbenefits/index

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract until February 2024 (Maternity cover)

• 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
• Cover the management of day to day student enquiries with the Programme Officer to   provide responses as appropriate within agreed timeframes whilst taking responsibility for responding directly to more complex enquiries
• 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 the wider Education 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 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.

Essential criteria

1.       Degree level or equivalent qualification or experience

2.       Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to draft documents and correspondence autonomously to a broad range of audiences

3.       Strong numeracy skills and ability to analyse complex numerical data

4.       Excellent time management and organisational skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines with minimal supervision

5.       Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft packages and experience in the use of databases and student records systems (such as SITS, Insight, Power BI) to provide management information data to a high level of detail and accuracy

6.       Experience of stakeholder management, ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders in a professional and assured manner

7.       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

8.       Ability to balance completing priorities under pressure of deadlines and workload and comprehend complex situations quickly

9.       Good track record of academic programme administration with the ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently with minimal supervision

10.    Commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace

Desirable criteria 

1.       Experience of using virtual learning environments

The selection process will include a panel interview and an assessment.

The School of Global Affairs is located within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy. Together, we support an inclusive culture and diversity for our staff and students. We are committed to encouraging further growth from diverse groups, and we welcome applications from people of all abilities and currently under-represented groups, which we are able to support with our range of flexible and inclusive benefits.