Halls Operations Assistant

Joining an award winning and highly motivated team, the Halls Operations Assistant will provide comprehensive operational support to the Halls Operations Manager in ensuring that the accommodation is safe and comfortable for our students.

Educated to GCSE level, or NVQ level II, or possessing equivalent experience working in a similar role, the successful candidate will have experience of working in a client based environment with a commitment to customer care.

Also essential are excellent organisational, communication and IT skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office, as well as a meticulous approach to record keeping.

The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh or a commitment to learn to a specified level is essential for this post.

This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.

It will be necessary to work occasional evenings and weekends, especially at the start and end of academic sessions.

Due to the nature of the work, it is also not possible to take holidays during September.

This post requires a valid driving licence.

Committed to Equal Opportunities.

The Residential Life department provides students with the best experience in their living accommodation, by keeping them safe and supported and by promoting their participation and ownership of an equal and responsible communal society.

The department currently supports approximately 2,500 students living in 38 buildings across two purpose-built villages. We are an award winning, fast paced and student focused department, delivering the best in student experience.

The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic and positive team and will be expected to contribute proactively to the ethos of the department.

• To support the Halls Operations Manager in the delivery of all accommodation services in the Halls of Residence.
• Assisting in the day-to-day operational supervision of the residences, to include inspections and report.
• To ensure compliance with all Departmental and Institutional policies and procedures.
• To help maintain Health & Safety of students across residential campus, including undertaking Health and Safety checks where applicable.
• To assist with key tasks in ensuring that Halls of Residence are ready for new intakes.

Health and Safety

• Making effective decisions using established procedures in regard to the health and safety of residents, building users and the buildings themselves.
• Day-to-day monitoring of Halls, ensuring compliance under direction and on own initiative.
• To be conversant with relevant Health & Safety regulations and to maintain risk assessment registers.
• Report and record the repair of equipment and buildings within the Halls.
• Reporting all accidents and near misses.
• To attend training courses as required by Management.
• To take pride in the look and feel of the residences, ensuring that they meet exacting standards.
• To effectively delegate prioritised maintenance work requirements to the Halls handymen, Halls electrician and internal and external contractors.
• Carry out daily key tasks to ensure compliance with fire procedures, legionella prevention, and overall safety and security of residents and buildings.

Operations / Information Management

• On a rota basis, to provide a reception for contractor, suppliers and visitors to Halls. Responsibility for the allocation and security of all door entry cards and keys to authorised contractors and visitors.
• Providing the main liaison point for internal departments such as Domestics, Security, Conferences and Maintenance on all operational issues within Halls, communicating confident and accurate information.
• Provide back office support service to students for maintenance issues, health and safety concerns and all other operational issues within the residences.
• Maintain electronic door entry systems ensuring all hardware is kept up to date and that authorised staff access is sustained.
• Receive, generate and process all room and building maintenance requests via email, telephone and the online Kinetics reporting system and refer to the relevant teams.
• Receive, handle and resolve customer issues by providing feedback and/or escalating where necessary. Monitoring and inspection of equipment and student residences.
• Report on findings accurately and comprehensively. This will include regular inspections of occupied and void bedrooms and following up on any identified health & safety and maintenance concerns.
• Carry out daily visits to residents following up on maintenance requests and complaints and using initiative to resolve effectively- making appropriate decisions on a case by case basis.
• Provide effective clerical support for a range of administrative activities within the department.
• Carry out regular stock control checks and ensure all supplies are maintained.
• Acquire thorough working knowledge of the operational IT systems in the Halls of Residence including Kinetics, Salto, Prefect, Planon and BHI.
• Maintain essential paper and electronic office information systems including, forward planning charts, financial records, project records, UUK compliance etc.
• Development of excellent communications with residents through interactive paper, email, Kinetics and web, and contributing to the enhancement of the students’ experience in the Halls.
• Carry out the student damages procedure ensuring repair costs where necessary are charged to the responsible person.
• Responsible for processing and implementing operational systems in conjunction with the Operations Manager.
• Contribute to and take minutes of meetings as necessary with residences staff.

• This position is physically demanding and involves numerous visits to the Halls and frequent use of stairs.
• Carry out other reasonable duties as requested by the Halls Management team.
• The post holder will also be required to work within any of the residential sites in Bangor.
• The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities.
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Policy and the Welsh Language Standards.
• The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for him/her self and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by his/her actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments.
• The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their posts.

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• Educated to GCSE level, NVQ level II (or equivalent) in an appropriate subject or possess equivalent experience in an administrative or clerical capacity.
• A valid driving licence is essential as the successful candidate will be required to drive departmental vehicles.

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Customer focused experience with an understanding of customer concerns. An excellent ability to use electronic media as part of day-to-day activities, to include proficiency in Microsoft Office and the capability to adapt to using new systems.

Desirable

• Previous experience of working within a quality and standards environment.
• Experience of undertaking building inspections or audits.
• Experience of creating or delivering surveys and feedback reports.
• Experience of working in the HE sector.
• Experience of working within the hospitality/residential sector

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Confident communicator with excellent inter-personal skills, and an ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Excellent attention to detail with experience of producing precise and thorough work in a busy environment.
• Ability to contribute positively to a team and collaborate with other team members.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to handle a varied and demanding workload.
• Accurate data entry skills and demonstrable attention to detail.
• Be proficient in the use of a computer and Microsoft Office applications; be able to use email, web, and telephone as electronic communication tools; word processing and spreadsheet software to undertake office communications and record keeping.
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative.
• Proven ability to behave in an appropriately assertive and professional way and deal with difficult situations.

Other

Essential

• The ability to speak Welsh fluently and carry out tasks such as writing emails in Welsh to a variety of audiences is essential for this post. Alternatively, a commitment to learn Welsh to the level specified is essential.
• This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.
• Able to engage positively and confidently with both staff and students, and maintain relationships with colleagues across the University.
• A willingness to participate in training and undertake further professional development.
• Excellent attention to detail is paramount.
• Willingness and ability to work some flexible hours when required, including some evenings and weekends.

The 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 strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.

We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us. When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful. If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa. The following link provides information on the various visa routes into employment and the eligibility requirements (including switching visa status where permissible) https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas. If you are successful in your application we will discuss visa options with you at the time of making the offer of employment.

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.

Closing date for applications: 31/03/2024

Disclosure & Barring Service

This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.
As Bangor University meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. DBS checks will be updated every 3 years.

Candidates should note that the University uses an external Umbrella body to process DBS checks. As such you should be aware that, if successful in your application, your name and e-mail contact details will be shared with the Umbrella body in order that they may contact you to start the application process.