Education Support Officer, Quality

Updated: over 1 year ago
Location: Durham, ENGLAND
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 05 Dec 2022

Education Support Officer (Quality)

Grade 6: - £27,929 - £34,308 per annum
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 05-Dec-2022, 7:59:00 AM

Job Title: Education Support Officer (Quality)
Department: Academic Office (Curriculum, Learning & Assessment Service)
Grade: Grade 6
Salary range:  £27,929 - £34,308 per annum
The closing date for applications is Sunday 4th December 2022, at midnight.

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 a key 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 thriving University.  

Further information about the University can be found here .

The Role and Department

The University offers an education that is challenging, difficult, enabling and transformative. The Curriculum, Learning & Assessment Service (CLAS) 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.

CLAS 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 Service (CLAS)
  • Student Immigration and Funding
  • Student Registry

All of the services are based at the Palatine Centre in Durham City.

The Role

This role will support the operation of the University’s quality assurance processes for programme and partnership development. Working with the Head of Section and Senior Education Policy Officer, the postholder will provide formal support for the University’s Quality & Standards Committee, and other related committees and bodies (such as the CMA Steering Group). Working with the faculty-linked Education Support Officers in CLAS, the postholder will support new proposals as they are taken for formal approval within the University. This will include providing support for the programme academic review process, and partnership and other approval panels. The postholder will work with colleagues to ensure that information relating to new programmes in accurate in light of external regulations (such as the requirements of the Office for Students).

The postholder will also help to coordinate non-standard curriculum development activities (including modules for credit bearing and non-credit bearing continuing professional development), liaising with staff across the University, and supporting University responses to changing external regulatory requirements. The postholder will provide wider support across the office as required. This may include support for and coordination of sub-committees and other groups, working on process and policy enhancement, and helping to develop and maintain sources of guidance and information (such as the Learning and Teaching Handbook).

As part of their role, the postholder will collaborate closely with colleagues in CLAS, the wider Academic Office, other professional support services, and in academic departments and faculties.

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:

  • 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.

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.  Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered. 

Your application should cover the following criteria:

Essential Criteria  

  • Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).
  • Excellent written communication skills and the ability to draft reports for committees and other meetings.
  • Excellent presentation and oral communication skills.
  • Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
  • Excellent team working skills and the ability to work co-operatively as part of a team across institutional boundaries.
  • Time management skills with the ability to balance the conflicting demands, work to deadlines and deliver under pressure.
  • The ability to use own judgement and initiative to solve problems.
  • Excellent attention to detail and an ability to maintain accuracy whilst working under pressure.
  • Experience of implementing complex policy and procedures effectively and efficiently.
  • Strong digital competence with demonstrable skills in using core digital tools including internet, email, digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, digital booking system, project planning, financial systems.
  • Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.   
  • Desirable Criteria  

  • Experience of committee support, not necessarily in a work environment.
  • Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines, and the ability to develop and maintain an understanding of changing external requirements.
  • Experience of working in Higher Education or a related area/.
  • 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.  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 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 covering letter and/or statement which shows 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 contact Andy Rennie ([email protected] ).

    Typical Role Requirements

    Service Delivery

    • Specialist support with problem solving and query handling. 
    • Reactive and proactive service provision with others to deliver an excellent stakeholder experience. 
    • Interpret, curate, design and present information, data, equipment and resources. 
    • Monitor and report incidents. 
    • Carry out more in-depth investigations, searches and research information and data to identify trends and patterns. 
    • Accountable for managing/maintaining financial and budget records and reconciling consumable expenditure queries. 
    • Ensure activities, guidance, policy and published information comply with internal University and external regulation, policy and procedures. 
    • Ensure accuracy by instituting recognised and routine checks, assessment criteria and techniques. 
    • Record data and information accurately, provide reports and distribute information to key stakeholders in the process or service. 
    • 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. 
    • Manage and organise relevant curriculum and committee processes, activities and resources to achieve defined targets and outcomes. 
    • Develop, implement and enforce recognised procedures in relation to quality assurance and curriculum development to ensure compliance with internal and external requirements and meet University values of inclusion, diversity and participation, coordinating effort and working collaboratively with academic departments and professional support services. 
    • Manage and organise professional business and administrative service processes, activities, events and/or resources to achieve defined targets and outcomes. 
    • Develop, implement and enforce recognised procedures to ensure compliance, co-ordinate effort and contribute to team goals.

    Teamwork

    • Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision.

    Communication and Networking

    • Relationship building, network participation internally and externally to build and update knowledge and skills. 
    • Engage with external peers and specialists to exchange knowledge and information. 
    • Supervises service users and stakeholders undertaking activities, events, project work and exhibitions. 
    • Contribute to business meetings, working groups and committees to help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations. 
    • Use a range of digital media and tools to communicate with a diverse range of key stakeholders, both verbally and in written format who may need to access information across different geographic and time zones. 
    • Develop, plan and deliver internal and external events and activities for stakeholders. 
    • Establish, maintain and develop productive and ongoing relationships with stakeholders to influence perception of the University.

    Knowledge and Experience

    • Experienced service practitioner, planning and co-ordinating of projects and work streams with inter-related activities. 
    • Take responsibility for day to day decision making within own area of responsibility for operational aspects of service delivery, translating external requirements into practical application and advice. 
    • Provide professional guidance and advice to staff and students with the operational running of budgets, processes, data and information recording and assessment data.  
    • Any other reasonable duties. 

    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. 

    When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

    DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.



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