Learning and Teaching Coordinator

The closing date for applications is 30 June 2022 at midnight.

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 Department and role purpose: 

The Department of English Studies at Durham is one of the leading English departments in the UK, with an outstanding research culture and excellent students. It is consistently ranked in the top five English departments in a range of university guides and consistently records excellent scores in the National Student Survey. In REF 2021 90% of our research was judged to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent'. It has particular clusters of expertise in the following areas: world literatures and theory; twentieth- and twenty-first-century literature; eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature; medieval and early modern literature and culture; creative writing; medical humanities.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced administrator to join a dynamic, friendly team.  The Learning and Teaching Coordinator is responsible for the provision of a professional, efficient administrative service, taking responsibility for operational aspects of programme delivery. They 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 work independently, taking day to day decisions and using their experience and initiative to decide on appropriate courses of action and resolve complex problems. They will possess excellent organisational and time management skills, display initiative and flexibility, and demonstrate a commitment to customer service 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 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.
• 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 teaching, learning and assessment policies and processes.
• Collaborate with team members to implement new policies and procedures.
• Organise and schedule resources, activities and events, e.g. student registration, student induction.
• Identify priorities and monitor processes and activities to ensure success, e.g. produce marking schedules, monitor progress against deadlines, ensure accurate recording of marks, and ensure feedback is given in a timely manner.
• Provide more in-depth independent research and analysis activities within the role.
• Analyse work activities to ensure the effective and efficient use of resources.
• Provide demonstrations and instruction to others within and 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.
• Advise others and make recommendations into work processes and procedures for consideration by senior management to improve services.

Role responsibilities:

• Plan and coordinate a range of teaching, learning and assessment activities.
• Deliver support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of business processes and systems, ensuring students receive appropriate academic support and guidance.
• Monitor and evaluate service delivery to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional procedures and standards, including UK Border Agency requirements.
• 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.
• Develop and enhance operational and administrative policies, systems and procedures, fostering a continuous improvement philosophy.
• Provide training to team members on data handling and recording.
• Monitor data accuracy checks to identify anomalies and ensure the integrity of data and information.
• Coordinate and monitor the implementation of departmental and University policies and initiatives.
• Update data and information on systems and media for recording, storing, communicating and informing service users and team members.
• Work with internal and external partners to maintain effective relationships, and to plan and deliver complex collaborative programme activities, where appropriate.
• Produce reports and 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, including minutes of meetings, and disseminate within internal networks including Board of Examiners meetings and Student Staff Consultative Committees, initiating and following up on actions as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policy and procedures within own area of working.
• Prepare written reports for consideration by management where required and contribute to the preparation of documentation associated with internal and external accreditation, quality management and enhancement activities.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

• Work outside normal office hours during peak periods.

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.

Interviews are anticipated to take place on 21 July 2022.

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

The post is full time, fixed term for a 12-month period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.

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 

1. A CV; 

2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out in the essential and desirable criteria;

3. Examples of how you satisfy the criteria in the person specification. This will require completion of the 'Questionnaire' application section.  

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: Deborah Hobbs, Department Manager, via [email protected], or Helen Ferguson, Learning & Teaching Manager, via [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

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent experience). 
• Relevant administrative experience in a busy office environment*.
• Demonstrable ability to proactively work with team members to ensure the delivery of high quality services.
• Experience of working on the front line with service delivery, and the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.
• Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
• Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions.
• Ability to effectively network and exchange advice and information for development purposes.
• Accuracy, numeracy and attention to detail.
• A high level of discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality

Desirable Criteria

• Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.
• Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working in a team.
• Experience of working in Higher Education.
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment.
• Experience of providing support to formal committees including taking minutes.

*(Where a criterion is marked with an asterisk, the University consider this to be a key requirement for this post and it may therefore receive additional weighting when applications are scored during shortlisting.)

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.