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? - Information Page.

The Role

This role will provide vital support for our Degree Apprenticeships. This involves carrying out and coordinating duties across a broad range of areas relating to the management of Degree Apprenticeship processes (such as curriculum development, records management, and providing administrative support for our Degree Apprenticeship Steering Group), while being responsible for coordinating and submitting monthly ILR returns to the DfE/DWP, managing our BUD records system supporting apprentices, and working with academic and professional support staff in academic departments (particularly Durham Business School, with whom the postholder will work closely).

The postholder will undertake more general duties in support of our apprenticeship provision, which may include: responsibility for internal communication, maintaining relevant webpages, systems and related processes, and liaising with other offices and departments within the University, and employers and other apprenticeship partners, and providing support for surveys, committees and groups. The postholder will report to one of the Education Business Partners within the Academic Quality Service (AQS), who takes the lead on ensuring we comply with relevant external rules and regulations for apprenticeship provision.

The Department

The University offers an education that is challenging, difficult, enabling and transformative. The Academic Quality Service (AQS) supports this offering.

Supporting the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), we develop and implement educational guidance, policy and regulations. We manage engagement with external educational bodies and reviews, support the University's Education Committee (and its sub-committees), run and analyse Durham's national student surveys, and publish and maintain the University's regulations and handbooks. We work directly with departments and faculties, overseeing quality assurance and enhancement processes, and managing progress and examination processes for research degree students. We oversee student appeals and academic misconduct processes. We provide support for the University's apprenticeship programmes, and our Common Awards Team manages the national Common Awards partnership, working with the Church of England and Theological Educational Institute (TEIs) partners across England, Scotland and Wales.

AQS is part of the Student & Academic Services Directorate (SASD). SASD provides a professional administrative support service to staff, students and potential students of Durham University. The Academic Registrar is the Director of SASD, and is supported by two deputies. The following services fall under the remit of the Deputy Academic Registrar (Quality Assurance & Academic Services) within SASD: Academic Quality Service (AQS); Student Immigration and Funding; and Student Registry.

All of the services are based at the Palatine Centre in Durham City.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

• You'll receive 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. 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.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference to the local community.
• Our family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• If you are keen on advancing in your role or career, we have a genuine passion for developing our colleagues from qualifications to IT skills, courses and apprenticeships.
• We offer generous pension schemes with varying contribution amounts to help you plan for your future.

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.

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

Your application should cover the following criteria:

Essential Criteria

Qualifications/Experience

1. Five GCSEs at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or a Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.

2. Experience of working in a busy office environment delivering front line administrative services to a high standard.

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

4. Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

5. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

6. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including email and digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications.

7. Ability to solve problems yourself and as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions.

8. Committed to continuing professional development.

9. Demonstrable ability to proactively work with team members to ensure delivery of high-quality services.

10. Ability to operate complex procedures efficiently and effectively.9.

11. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchange information.

Desirable Criteria

12. Experience of working with Degree Apprenticeships or a related area

13. Familiarity with relevant contractual, funding and policy environments

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 criteria within the Person Specification

Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Melanie Dunnett (Education Business Partner) would be happy to speak to you (melanie.dunnett@durham.ac.uk).

Typical Role Requirements

Service Delivery
• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and the University's values.
• Ensure that relevant regulatory and professional standards regarding Degree Apprenticeships are being used within services being delivered by your team.
• Help to develop and implement policies and procedures relating to your service area.
• Respond to queries and provide information/advice, while raising more specialist or complex queries with more experienced team members.
• Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve issues relevant to your role and make recommendations based on your findings.
• Continually review what is required from staff, apprentices and external partners to make sure the best possible service is provided.
• Ensure that processes and business systems effectively support the apprenticeship services provided by AQS.
• Monitor and analyse the use of apprenticeship data and resources to ensure efficiency and report your findings to senior colleagues.
• Ensure that data is accurate and provide reports and analysis of patterns and trends to senior colleagues.
• Capture and share information and data that needs to be shared with relevant networks and committees.
• Use digital media (e.g. SharePoint, T4 webpages) to update team members and colleagues, apprentices and external contacts.
• Prepare reports for senior managers.

Planning and Organising
• Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role.
• Organise and schedule assigned apprenticeship or regulatory activities and events.
• Monitor processes and activities to ensure team priorities are met.

Teamwork
• Provide specialist support and advice to team members on apprenticeship provision.
• Explain and provide instruction to other team members on how to correctly record and manage data.
• Make changes to the services provided by your team in discussion with other team members.
• Identify opportunities and contribute to decisions on how to improve services being delivered by the team.
• Seek feedback from apprentices, staff and employers on their requirements from your service and recommend improvements to senior colleagues.

Communications/Liaison
• Use your knowledge and expertise to provide advice and guidance to resolve problems and respond to a wide range of queries.
• Provide instruction and demonstrations to others about the needs and requirements of our apprenticeship provision.
• Create good working relationships with other team members and anyone else that you come across as part of your role to work together on joint activities.
• Liaise with internal and external partners to ensure that services are being delivered in an efficient and collaborative way.
• Create good working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers to work together on joint activities.
• Build relationships with contacts and contribute to internal and external networks to share good practice and exchange information.
• Liaise with external employers and suppliers to plan the delivery of services and events.
• Any other reasonable duties.

SECONDMENT
The post is full time, fixed term for a 2 year period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.

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

Durham University

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