Apprenticeships Coordinator

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. Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is akey hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.

We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thrivining University. Further information about the University can be found here .

The Department

The University offers an education that is challenging, difficult, enabling and transformative. Curriculum, Learning & Assessment supports this offering.

Working for the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), we develop and implement educational guidance, policy and regulations. We manage engagement with external educational bodies and reviews, support the University’s Education Committee (and its sub-committees), run and analyse Durham's national student surveys, and publish and maintain the University's regulations and handbooks. We work directly with departments and faculties, overseeing quality assurance and enhancement processes, and managing progress and examination processes for research degree students. We oversee student appeals and academic misconduct processes, and run the University’s matriculation and graduation ceremonies. Our Common Awards Team manages the national Common Awards partnership, working with the Church of England and Theological Educational Institute (TEIs) partners across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Apprenticeship Unit is a new team within CLAS, created in 2022-23 to provide professional support for the University’s five-year Degree Apprenticeships Strategy.   The Unit will have a central coordinating function and be responsible for the provision of apprenticeship policies, processes and templates, registration and other required external compliance documentation, Ofsted preparation and planning, financial oversight and administration.

Curriculum, Learning & Assessment is part of the Academic Office. The Academic Office provides a professional administrative support service to staff, students and potential students of Durham University. The Academic Registrar is the head of the department and is responsible to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) for its management. The following services fall under the remit of the Academic Office:

• Curriculum, Learning and Assessment
• Student Immigration and Funding
• Student Registry

All of the services are based at the Palatine Centre in Durham City, and currently operate in a hybrid working model, currently based around working 3 days in the office and 2 days at home as part of a year-long pilot.

The Role

This new role will provide support for Degree Apprenticeships.  This involves carrying out and coordinating duties across a broad range of areas relating to the management of Degree Apprenticeship processes (such as programme approval, curriculum development, internal and external review, budget control and records management), as part of Durham's five-year strategy for developing and expanding current apprenticeship provision.  The postholder will also be responsible for coordinating and submitting monthly ILR returns to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (EFSA), working with academic and professional support staff in academic departments. 

The postholder will undertake more general duties in support of the work of the Unit, which may include: responsibility for internal communication, maintaining the Unit’s webpages, systems and related processes, and liaising with other offices and departments within the University, and by providing support for surveys, committees and groups. The postholder will report to the University's Senior Apprenticeship Manager.

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:  

• 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 39 days per year.  The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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. 
• We offer generous pension schemes.

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.

Person Specification: What you need to demonstrate when you apply

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   

Desirable Criteria   

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. Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence.

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 variosu points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

What you are required to submit:

• A CV
• A supporting written statement which includes examples of how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.

Contact details

If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, please get in touch with the Senior Apprenticeship Manager, Melanie Dunnett ([email protected] ).

Further Information about the role

Role Delivery

• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members. 
• Respond to stakeholder needs to deliver and shape an excellent stakeholder experience. 
• Deliver support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of business processes and systems. 
• Monitor and evaluate service delivery to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional procedures and standards. 
• Monitor data accuracy checks to identify anomalies and ensure the integrity of data and information. 
• Update data and information on systems and media for recording, storing, communicating and informing service users and team members. 
• Analyse data and statistics and provide reports for higher level decision makers. 
• Accurately record information and data and disseminate within internal networks including committees. 
• Prepare written reports for consideration by management where required.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.

Planning and Organising

• Plan and organise own workload with or without involvement with project work streams. 
• Organise and schedule resources, activities and events. 
• Identify priorities and monitor processes and activities to ensure success. 
• Analyse work activities to ensure the effective and efficient use of capital and consumable equipment and resources. 

Teamwork

• Act as more knowledgeable team member without responsibility for team members. 
• Collaborate with team members to implement service alterations. 
• Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision. 
• Provide training to team members on data handling and recording. 

Communication/Networking

• Collaborate with colleagues across professional and administrative areas to ensure seamless service provision. 
• Contribute to collaborative decision making within the team with service provision to deliver an excellent stakeholder experience in accordance with policy and procedures.  
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and/or externally with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver a service. 
• Provide guidance and advice to resolve problems and queries for a broad range of service users. 
• Provide demonstrations and instruction to others outside the team. 
• Liaise with contacts and participate in networks and communities internally and possibly externally, contributing to effective collaborative working. 
• Advise others and make recommendations into work processes and procedures for consideration by senior management to improve services. 
• Work with internal and external partners to deliver cross-functional administrative, business and financial work streams. 
• Work with internal and external partners to deliver cross-functional services and activities. 

Knowledge and Experience

• Apply theory and practice, from academic and professional development and previous knowledge within a service team. 
• Provide more in-depth independent research and analysis activities within the role. 
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policy and procedures within own area of working.  
• Any other reasonable duties as required. 

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.