International Partnerships Coordinator

Job Title: International Partnerships Coordinator

Department: International Office

Grade: 5

Salary range: £24,285 - £27,131 (per annum/pro-rata)

Working arrangements: Part Time (17.5 hours) Hybrid working is in place in the International Office 

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 the Department

The International Office is responsible for:

• The recruitment of international students to all areas of the university to meet institutional targets
• Supporting and managing the developing of international partnerships to raise the University’s global profile and to support academic colleagues in developing international links and collaborations
• Managing the university’s student mobility programmes (Erasmus+, Turing and other exchange partnerships) to meet the University’s student mobility targets.

As a member of the International Partnerships Team, the post holder supports the development of partnerships and networks with responsibility for the underpinning administration. Partners include HEIs, research organisations, NGOs, scholarship bodies, government departments and Ministries. The post holder is responsible for the administration of Partnerships Approval processes, Global Engagement Grants and Joint seedcorn funds, maintaining accurate partnership records, organisation of incoming and outgoing delegation/VIP visits and events, and secretarial support for committees as required. This role requires significant joint working with teams within Research and Innovation Services, Marketing and Communications, Development and Alumni Relations, Legal Services and the Executive Office, as well and academic staff at a range of levels.

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 childrens 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 asterix* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered. 

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.  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 supporting statement which shows examples of how you meet all of the essential criteria within the Person Specification (above).

Contact details 

If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Suzanne Gregory ([email protected] ) in the International Office would be happy to speak to you.

Further information about the role

Role Delivery

• Resolve queries and requests for specialist information and advice on international partnerships and networks, escalating 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 for the administration of international partnerships to meet deadlines, including the administration of partnerships approval processes. 
• Work with internal colleagues to keep up to date with internal processes and procedures and contribute to improvements where necessary
• Monitor and evaluate service delivery to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional procedures and standards. 
• Manage expenditure against the Partnerships budget related to Global Engagement Grants and Seedcorn Funds. Organising payments and monitoring spend throughout the year.
• Maintain and update the Partnerships webpages, coordinate the International Partnerships newsletter, and ensure partnership development guidance for internal staff is up to date.
• Contribute to the organisation of incoming and outgoing delegation/VIP visits and events in conjunction with academic departments and professional services colleagues.
• Provide secretariat support to committees/groups directly related to International Partnership development as required (e.g. TNE Task and Finish Group)
• Analyse data and statistics to provide reports for higher level decision makers, including Global Engagement Grants, Seedcorn funds and partnership development statistics. 
• 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 (including Partnership approval processes, Global Engagement Grants, travel and visitor protocols) to ensure success. 

Teamwork and Communication

• Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision. 
• Collaborate with colleagues across professional, administrative and academic areas to ensure seamless service provision. 
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and externally with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver an exceptional service
• Provide guidance and advice to resolve problems and queries for a range of service users, including colleagues and external partners. 
• Provide advice to others outside the team within area(s) of responsibility. 
• Liaise with contacts and participate in networks and communities, 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 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. 

Specific role requirements  

• Occasional weekend or evening work will be required, particularly at peak periods and University Open Days.
• During peak periods (e.g. beginning of the new academic year) there may be restrictions on taking leave.

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.