Learning & Teaching Administrator

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.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Durham University

The Role and the Department

The Faculty of Arts & Humanities is looking to recruit a Grade 4 Learning and Teaching Administrator to join the Learning and Teaching team in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. As well as having responsibility for the Faculty's well-established Liberal Arts programme, the team is also responsible for the delivery of a suite of interdisciplinary postgraduate programmes some of which are delivered remotely, that launched in October 2024. As well as having responsibility for the day-to-day delivery of student-facing processes administered by the Faculty Office, the role will therefore be able to contribute to the development of new processes underpinning the delivery of these new programmes. The postholder will also be expected to provide an excellent staff and student experience as the first point of contact for enquiries relating to the Faculty's programmes and processes. The role will involve:

• Supporting key education processes, liaising with other team members as well as professional services colleagues in colleges, departments and central services.

• Under the direction of the L&T Manager and working with other members of the Faculty Learning and Teaching team, take responsibility for day-to-day support for the Faculty's Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Taught programmes, acting as a key point of contact for enquiries relating to admissions, induction, registration, progression, module and programme changes. The role requires using initiative to solve problems through liaison with other departments and services and escalating issues to more experienced team members where appropriate.

• Under the direction of the L&T Manager, and in collaboration with other members of the Faculty's Learning and Teaching team, taking responsibility for the administration of key student-facing processes within and across the Faculty. This aspect of the role will require excellent attention to detail, and the ability to communicate information clearly and concisely.

• Co-ordinating student-facing events, activities and resources relating to the programmes, including induction events and open days.

• Providing administrative support for Faculty Examination Boards, including inputting and checking student marks, preparing agendas and other supporting documentation, and ensuring that actions are recorded and followed up.

The Faculty Learning and Teaching Administrator will possess excellent organisational and time management skills, display a high degree of initiative and flexibility, and demonstrate a commitment to customer service excellence and collaborative working. The Faculty Office places a strong emphasis on inclusivity and collegiality, as well as professional development, and team members are encouraged and supported to identify and take forward process improvements and other initiatives in order to develop the key skills and competencies required for progression to more senior roles. The post older may also be asked to support other departments within Arts and Humanities, which will provide an opportunity to gain experience of working within department(s) and help identify areas of best practice. This is a highly dynamic role within a supportive environment, which will provide the role holder with experience of and insight into the processes and systems that support the student journey in Departments, Faculties and other units within the University.

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 plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• 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.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

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

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

To be considered for this role, here are the skills/experience we're looking for:

Qualifications/Experience
1. Five GCSE's at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or equivalent experience.
2. Relevant administrative experience in a busy office environment and the ability to manage a varied workload including the ability to progress several tasks or projects simultaneously.

3. Experience of managing time to meet deadlines and working under pressure without compromising on quality.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
4. Excellent spoken and written communication skills with the ability to communicate complex information clearly, concisely and accurately*
5. Good digital skills including experience in using digital devices and apps including [the internet, email, digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, applications, including Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams, in an administrative context].
6. Ability to solve problems and to use initiative resolve straightforward issues yourself and as part of a team.
7. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues. *

8. Experience of managing work as part of a team.

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 separate document (in table format) which shows examples of how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification (maximum 200 words per criterion).

Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Kate Buckley (Faculty Learning and Teaching Manager) would be happy to speak to you. Please drop them a line at kate.buckley@durham.ac.uk to arrange a convenient time.

Typical Role Requirements

Hiring Manager - If you would prefer you can move this to further up the document, but we find candidates are keen to have an overview of the role, the benefits and what is required for them to apply. We have therefore moved it to the bottom. It is important that you spend some time contextualising the responsibilities, but please highlight any changes in a new colour as they may be checked. We would particularly encourage contextualisation where we have put words in square brackets. You can add any specialist requirements for the role but please clearly mark added text. The headings are to help candidates, but you can change them and the bullet points can be moved around accordingly to best fit each category/heading.

Here are the kind of activities that you'll be asked to undertake and ways in which you'll be expected to operate.

Role Delivery

• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University's values.
• Provide an excellent and timely service to our students, your colleagues and anyone else you come across as part of your role.
• Use your experience and problem-solving skills to resolve routine issues with things relevant to your role such as student queries and provide information and updates to help your team find solutions.
• Collect, organise and record data and information accurately and provide reports as required.
• Promote positive wellbeing arrangements which benefit you and your team.
• When carrying out your role, use and apply relevant professional and regulatory standards e.g. data protection when managing data.
• Use standard office-based digital systems, tools and equipment to carry out data recording, communications and networking.
• Update guidance on standard operating procedures followed by the team.
• Arrange meetings/events and manager diaries for senior colleagues.

Teamwork
• Resolve queries and respond to requests for information and advice and bring any complex issues to the attention of more experienced team members.
• Help your team organise and provide administrative services that support key activities for example process reviews undertaken within your service and contribute to team planning activities.
• Help your team ensure that products and services are adapted in response to feedback and to meet changing demands.

• Record data and information accurately and provide reports as required to team members and more experienced staff.

Communication/Networking
• Seek feedback from [students, staff and anyone else that you come across as part of your role] on their requirements from your service to ensure that their reasonable expectations are being met.
• Record information [e.g. bookings for activities/events] and respond to queries which you receive.
• Liaise with [staff in other areas, professional organisations and agencies] to ensure that services are being delivered in an efficient and collaborative way.
• Liaise with external [suppliers, contractors, specialists and service providers] to plan the delivery of services and events.
• Provide support for meetings, working groups and committees, such preparing and sending documents for meetings, drafting reports and taking minutes.

• Any other reasonable duties.

Useful links
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 Privacy Notices - Durham University 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.

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