Learning and Teaching Coordinator

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.

The post is full time, fixed term for a 47 week period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager. 

The Department and role purpose: 

The Department of Engineering is consistently one of the very best UK engineering departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students.  The Department is ranked 4th in the Complete University Guide, 5th in the Guardian University Guide and 6th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 in the UK for General Engineering.  Ranked in the top six in the UK for overall profile in REF 2021 (with 95% of publications rated as 4* and 3*), this dynamic Department is an excellent place to work.  The strategic vision for the Department includes a growth plan of over 50% over the next five years, with a significant enhancement of the research challenge portfolio and a drive to enrich our undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research provision.  It is an exciting time to join this expanding Department and make your mark.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award, recognising our commitment to diversity in STEM academic and reflecting the supportive and positive environment within the Department.

The Learning and Teaching Coordinator is responsible for the provision of a professional, efficient administrative service, taking responsibility for operational aspects of taught programme delivery and other Departmental activities. The post holder will ensure deadlines are met and service delivery standards are maintained, working in accordance with University and Departmental policies and procedures.

The Learning and Teaching Coordinator will support the Learning and Teaching Manager and Director of Taught Studies, ensuring the provision of a professional, efficient administrative service, supporting a wide range of administrative activities.  They will work independently, taking day to day decisions and using his/her experience and initiative to decide on appropriate courses of action and resolve problems. They will work flexibly to ensure the team functions effectively in meeting priorities, working in accordance with University and Departmental policies and procedures, demonstrating a commitment to customer service excellence. Taking responsibility for operational aspects of the Department, they will liaise with other PSS divisions across the University.

The post holder will provide student support including resolving queries and providing information on academic and welfare related issues, making referrals to other staff, teams and services where appropriate, escalating more specialist and complex queries or issues, as required.

The Learning and Teaching Coordinator will possess excellent organisational and time management skills, display initiative and flexibility and demonstrate a commitment to customer service and excellence.

Core responsibilities:

• Act as more knowledgeable team member without responsibility for team members.
• Plan and organise own workload, taking responsibility for operational aspects of programme delivery, ensuring deadlines are met and service delivery standards are maintained. 
• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and act as a key contact in relation to taught student or programme issues, signposting to other staff or departments where appropriate and 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, providing support for outreach and widening participation activities.
• Apply theory and practice, from academic and professional development and previous knowledge within a service team.
• 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 developing expertise in relation to taught student admissions, progress and assessment policies and processes.
• Collaborate with team members to implement new policies and procedures.
• Organise and schedule resources, activities and events, e.g. post application open days, induction programmes, outreach activities.
• Identify priorities and monitor processes and activities to ensure success, e.g. monitor progress against deadlines, ensure accurate recording of data, produce documentation and multimedia material to promote taught programmes.
• Provide more in-depth independent research and analysis activities within the role.
• Analyse work activities to ensure the effective and efficient use of capital and consumable equipment and resources.
• Provide demonstrations and instruction to others outside the team.
• Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future service provision.
• Liaise with contacts and participate in networks and communities internally and possibly externally, contributing to effective collaborative working, including support for SAC, concessions and appeals cases.
• Advise others and make recommendations into work processes and procedures for consideration by senior management to improve services.

Role responsibilities:

• Deliver support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of business processes and systems, ensuring taught students receive appropriate support and guidance.
• Monitor and evaluate taught programme delivery to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional procedures and standards, including UK Border Agency requirements
• Plan and coordinate a range of teaching, learning and assessment activities, e.g. supporting and assisting with the organisation of all stages of the assessment process.
• Collaborate with colleagues across professional and administrative areas to ensure seamless service provision.
• Use initiative to identify student welfare issues, escalating to decision makers where appropriate, acting as the first point of contact for taught student and providing advice and help on academic and pastoral issues.
• Develop and enhance operational and administrative policies, systems and procedures, fostering a continuous improvement philosophy.
• Monitor data accuracy checks to identify anomalies and ensure the integrity of data and information, e.g. maintaining procedures for monitoring student attendance and engagement, coordinating data collection and admin support for timetabling of taught programmes, etc.
• Coordinate and monitor the implementation of departmental and University policies and initiatives, ensuring regulations and procedures are up to date and the Department is in compliance.
• Update data and information on systems and media for recording, storing, communicating and informing service users and team members including, but not limited to, taught programme websites and online content (e.g. Blackboard Learn Ultra).
• Work with internal and external partners to maintain effective relationships, and to plan and deliver complex collaborative programme activities, where appropriate.
• Promote the Department at Open Days and Educational Fairs and various recruitment activities, including providing support for outreach and widening participation activities.
• Produce reports and analyse and interpret statistical information for higher level decision makers within agreed timeframes, interpret programme data and statistics, ensuring that appropriate levels of confidentiality are maintained at all times.
• Accurately record information and data and disseminate within internal networks including committees.
• Act as Secretary to specified committees, arranging meetings, drafting the agenda, taking and disseminating minutes, and ensuring follow up of actions.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policy and procedures within own area of working.
• Prepare and contribute to written reports for consideration by management where required.
• Contribute to the preparation of documentation associated with external accreditation, quality management and enhancement activities related to taught programmes and the wider student experience.
• Any other reasonable duties appropriate to the grade as required.

Specific role requirements 

The Learning and Teaching Coordinator may be required to work outside of normal working hours on occasions.

Working Arrangements

At Durham we recognise that our staff and students are our greatest asset, and we want to support the health and wellbeing of all.  Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours.  If appointed to the post, your line-manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you.  Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.

Appointment to this post is fixed term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended.

This post may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.  If an internal member of staff is appointed to this role on a secondment basis, for pension purposes this will be processed in line with Step-Up arrangements.  For further details please click here .

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University's People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 27 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information available here

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification.  In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.  

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply 

We prefer to receive applications online.

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.

Information if you have a disability

The University welcomes applications from disabled people. 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, adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system, please get in touch with us on [email protected] .

What you are required to submit 

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details 

For further information regarding this post, please contact;

Dr Ruth Vater, Department Manager, [email protected] ; or

Dr Charlotte Quarless, Learning and Teaching Manager, [email protected]

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email.  Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to [email protected]

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  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.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values .  Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  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, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria 

Realising Your Potential Approach 

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here.

WORKING TOGETHER: Co-operating willingly to support the achievement of team goals

PROVIDING EXCELLENT STUDENT SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT: Delivering consistent service standards and fostering a continuous improvement philosophy

ACHIEVING RESULTS: Monitoring progress and providing regular updates

Durham University

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, in a unique and historic setting.    

OUR VALUES: We are inspiring, challenging, innovative, responsible and enabling.

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. 

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide a comprehensive service and deliver the efficient administration and governance of the University.

Overall family purpose

• Deliver direct and indirect services to stakeholders.
• Provide advice and answer queries as part of an enquiry-desk/help-desk function.
• Respond to and manage requests for information and resources.
• Deliver services to meet regulatory requirements and procedures. 
• Plan and deliver a joined-up approach to University business and people services.
• Align business processes and services to meet operational and strategic policy objectives.  
• Deliver business processes to ensure effective management, governance and the economic viability of the University. 
• Encourage, collaborate and participate in the development of productive cross-institution relationships and working.
• Provide excellent professional services that meet strategic and operational goals and business needs.
• Carry out monitoring, analysis, development and planning to design new services and service updates for continuous improvement whilst meeting changes in regulations.
• Engage with specialist professionals, consultants, and suppliers to exchange knowledge and facilitate partnership working.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering Professional Services across the University;
• A joined-up approach to University professional services, regardless of location or line management;
• A culture and practice of continuous improvement; 
• Design services that meet business need;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.