Senior Investigating Officer

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:

The Student Conduct Office is part of the Student Support and Wellbeing Directorate within the Colleges and Student Experience Division. This office administers University-level complaints, and institutional disciplinary processes resulting from non-academic and behavioural misconduct.

Role Purpose:

This role enables the University to sensitively and appropriately conduct investigations into student misconduct, including sexual misconduct and violence and other forms of misconduct defined in the Sexual Misconduct and Violence Policy and other serious student misconduct. The role-holder will investigate and make findings of fact based on a balance of probabilities in relation to a range of allegations relating to student misconduct, including sexual misconduct and violence.  The role-holder will ensure that the investigation processes is fit for purpose and routinely monitor and report on outcomes and provide advice to internal stakeholders on relevant University procedures, decisions and risk assessment. The specialist knowledge and skills of the role-holder will enable the University to assure itself that the risk posed by these cases is assessed and mitigated, and that investigations are conducted in a professional and proportionate manner. This role sits within the Student Conduct Office and works closely with the Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response Manager.

Core responsibilities: 

• Recognised professional practitioner and service specialist.
• Implement changes to the design and development of service processes, techniques and deliverables for one or more service strands or project streams.
• Provide specialist expertise and support with complexity of data and information sources, interpretation and analysis.
• Contribute to development of operational service activities to ensure excellence in the stakeholder experience.
• Collect and analyse stakeholder feedback to help define needs and requirements and the design and planning of services.
• Maintain an awareness of current policy for University business goals such as widening participation and access, and provision of advice using specialist knowledge.

Role responsibilities:

• Responsible for undertaking trauma-informed investigations into student misconduct, including sexual misconduct and violence and all misconduct defined within the Sexual Misconduct and Violence Policy.
• Undertake scoping investigations, communicating with and interviewing relevant parties, gathering other evidence and reaching findings of fact.
• Produce investigation reports, as well as presenting the report to senior University decision-makers for scrutiny, including in the presence of the accused student (Responding Party).
• Undertake the handling and investigation of student reports in accordance with the Sexual Misconduct and Violence Policy, Respect at Study Policy and Code of Practice and Procedures for Students to make a Complaint about Harassment, the Non-Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Procedure, and other procedures under the responsibility of the SCO.
• Provide management for the operation of a stakeholder focussed service delivery area.
• Manage and monitor service performance and provide metrics and reports to Service Heads, making recommendations as appropriate.
• Participate in and monitor communities of practice and partnership working internally and externally, including working collaboratively with members of the Student Conduct Office (SCO) and stakeholders to review relevant policies and procedures to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect best practice within the sector.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to communicate best practice in handling and investigating student reports, including where the report is highly sensitive or could constitute an alleged criminal offence.
• Collaborate with the Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response Manager to record the outcomes of investigations conducted by the role-holder, which would enable routine reporting.
• Network and engage with external and internal stakeholders to gather feedback and identify future service needs, to ensure excellence in service provision.
• Contribute to the development of operational and strategic plans and service level agreements.
• Produce and analyse statistical service metrics to identify successful delivery and areas for future improvement.
• Distribute and process key service information to all stakeholders.
• Plan, implement and monitor continuous service improvements to enhance the delivery of stakeholder services.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders using appropriate media and methods, including management of the development of new student communications and revisions to existing student communications relating to the investigation of student reports.
• Develop, modify and optimise service protocols and methodologies.
• Deliver support elements of the wider student experience.  
• Any other reasonable duties.

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.

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:

• 30 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. A Word document, with examples of how you satisfy the person specification. Please ensure you give detailed examples of how you meet these criteria if requested.  

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;

Mr Alex Hopkins, Head of Student Conduct Office, [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 

Job Family: Community, Participation and Engagement Services

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

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 an excellent stakeholder experience for our diverse and supportive community.   

Overall family purpose

• Provide excellent student support services, development and extra-curricular activities.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Respond to stakeholders at the point of service delivery, either in situ or remotely.
• Facilitate the development of excellent colleague and academic engagement.
• Provide a stakeholder focussed service designed to increase widening participation and diversity.
• Promote the Durham reputation by establishing and broadening national and international community links to enhance the cultural and economic viability of the City and region.
• Enhance the Durham wider student experience by developing extra-curricular activities.
• Contribute to and enhance active, inclusive and supportive communities of stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Engage with suppliers, consultants and specialist professionals to deliver programmes and activities to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage outreach and participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.
• Engage and network with both internal and external stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange and impact through local, national and international communities.  

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically and environmentally sustainable approach to delivering stakeholder focussed services across the University;
• A world-class student, alumni and donor experience;
• Focussed on the needs of all users working together to deliver front-line services as part of the Wider Student Experience;
• Learn from and match best practice in the Wider Student Experience around the world;
• Opening up our world-class sporting facilities to local clubs and athletes;
• Support and facilitate activities as part of the Widening Student Experience at Durham;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.