JOB DESCRIPTION. 1. JOB TITLE: Disability Support Officer 2. HRMS REFERENCE NUMBER: HRMS/ ROLE CODE: SWSSGS

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1 JOB DESCRIPTION 1. JOB TITLE: Disability Support Officer 2. HRMS REFERENCE NUMBER: HRMS/ ROLE CODE: SWSSGS 4. DEPARTMENT: Student Support and Guidance 5. ORGANISATION CHART: See separate sheet 6. JOB PURPOSE: Working as part of the Disability Support section of Student Support and Guidance you will work with disabled students, University staff and external agencies to ensure that disabled students are able to participate fully in University life. This will include implementing reasonable adjustments, providing one-to-one support to disabled students and students with mental health difficulties and supporting students throughout the Disabled Students Allowance application process. 7. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT VISION Student Support and Guidance will strive to reach every student in raising their individual educational and personal aspirations, and to excel in promoting active citizenship and social, economic and moral responsibility. DEPARTMENT MISSION Student Support and Guidance facilitates a positive, self-directed student experience by providing support, guidance and development opportunities, empowering students to become proactive lifelong learners to achieve their full potential in society. (Updated July 2010) Founded in 1839 as a teacher training college and created a University in 2005, Chester is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the UK. Growth has been fast in recent years and there are now over 10,500 students based across three campuses and several hospital sites. In 1994, recognising the changes facing Higher Education and the challenges that these would present to students, the University established the department of Student Support & Guidance. The department co-ordinates a range of student services including welfare, disability and specific needs, student development and student discipline services.

2 The department has an excellent record, reflected in a number of QAA commendations, Matrix accreditation the award in December 2008 of 5* Recognition for Excellence, and being shortlisted for the UK Excellence Award in 2011 as well as through student satisfaction surveys. The University has seen a 45 per cent increase in the number of disabled students over the past 5 years. Disability Support is a section within Student Support and Guidance which comprises Disability Support Officers who organise support for disabled students and Academic Skills Tutors who provide specialist study skills support to students with specific learning difficulties. 8. WORK PERFORMED AND/OR KEY RESULT AREAS: 8.1 Communicating Effectively To work with students and staff on a daily basis through face to face, telephone, video conferencing or (there are interactions on an average day). To represent the Disability Services Manager as required at meetings and committees. To provide accurate information and advice to students on disability issues including applying for Disabled Students Allowance. To provide guidance to students and staff on disability issues and relevant University processes. To work in a sensitive manner with students with mental health difficulties, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. To interact with heads of academic departments, the Director of Registry and associated staff, heads of administration and support departments, academic staff to resolve student issues. To maintain accurate records in accordance with departmental procedures. To use Disability Support IT systems. To produce Inclusion Plans and Examination Arrangements forms in an accurate and timely manner. To produce reports about specific student issues e.g. summarising concerns about a student for a student mental health panel. 8.2 Leadership and Working Collaboratively To work as an effective member of the Disability Support team. To take responsibility for particular areas of work as directed by the Disability Services Manager. 8.3 Liaison and Networking To keep in regular contact with, and ensure appropriate action within, academic departments through informing and supporting Disability Link Tutors and other appropriate staff as necessary, with respect to general welfare issues

3 To liaise on a regular basis with external professionals including Student Finance England, Assessment Centres, Social Services and health professionals, in order to ensure access to high quality expertise for student support. To liaise with academic and academic related departments to ensure consistency of support for students. To liaise with external agencies such as the Student Loans Company to ensure students are receiving appropriate support. To participate in relevant internal and external networks to develop and maintain best practice 8.4 Delivering a High Quality Standard of Service To provide high quality information, advice and guidance to disabled students and to staff working with disabled students. To take particular responsibility for working with students with mental health difficulties ensuring appropriate support is in place within the University and within the community. To use data about service provision and use to identify areas for service improvement. To undertake specific improvement projects as directed by the Disability Services Manager. To work within agreed service boundaries including confidentiality and the Data Protection Act. To work on the Disability Support Information Point as required to ensure an effective service to all disabled students. 8.5 Effective Decision Making To be a member, as required, of University working parties and advisory groups, and other appropriate forums as agreed with the Disability Services Manager. To be responsible to the Disability Services Manager for the execution of designated responsibilities as outlined in relevant policies. To make recommendations about non-standard reasonable adjustments to the Disability Services Manager. To advise the Disability Services Manager about anomalies in technical reports such as Assessment of Needs reports To advise the Disability Services Manager in complex student cases. To contribute to team decisions about working practices. The post holder will be directly responsible to the Disability Services Manager, but must be able to work effectively alone using his/her own initiative in a pressurised environment. 8.6 Planning and Organising Self and Others To be responsible for own workload and ensuring that targets are achieved. To organise case conferences with students, university staff and external agencies as required. To contribute to the development of departmental systems to improve efficiency.

4 8.7 Innovation and Improvement (Effective Problem Solving) To have excellent problem solving skills, be responsive to student requests for assistance and work with the student, using your own initiative, to find appropriate solutions. Problems can be complex, requiring many hours of work, or simple issues which can be resolved by the provision of an appropriate resource or identification of a strategy. To identify more complex difficulties experienced by disabled students e.g. difficulties specific to a particular placement setting and identify potential solutions. To deal with basic day to day enquiries, as well as more complex issues from students, and ensure that accurate and timely information and advice is given, in order to empower students to follow the most appropriate course of action. To propose solutions in complex cases to the Disability Services Manager To contribute to the culture of continuous improvement within the department. 8.8 Analysis and Research To use departmental systems to ensure a high standard of record keeping and provision of accurate management information. To keep up-to-date with developments in supporting disabled students and to disseminate to colleagues as appropriate. To contribute towards strategic planning through the contribution of statistical and other data. To analyse performance against targets and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. To prepare reports in relation to service delivery or individual student cases. To contribute to departmental research as required by the Disability Services Manager or Head of Student Support. 8.9 Sensory and Physical Demands Standard for office work Hazards are those associated with working with VDUs 8.10 Work Environment Role holder works in an office environment on different campuses and sites Role holder undertakes regular travel between campuses and sites 8.11 Pastoral Care and Welfare To support students experiencing high levels of distress, including students experiencing a mental health crisis.

5 To demonstrate high levels of empathy and to work with students to enable them to manage their distress of difficulties effectively. To make recommendations to the Disability Services Manager about appropriate support for students experiencing complex difficulties Team Development To work as an active member of the Disability Support team. There may be an occasional requirement to induct new members of the team. To provide training and support to other members of the team. To work effectively with members of the wider Student Support and Guidance team, contributing to departmental initiatives as agreed with the Disability Services Manager Teaching and Learning Support To deliver presentations to students during Induction Week, and also to deliver presentations to prospective students and external agencies throughout the academic year Knowledge and Experience To have a broad knowledge of the barriers facing disabled students in Higher Education. To have particular knowledge of the barriers facing students with mental health difficulties in Higher Education. To be able to identify appropriate sources of information and guidance to deal with new or unusual student issues. See person specification for further details General To undertake any other duties commensurate with your grade, and/or hours of work, as may reasonably be required of you. To take responsibility for upholding and complying with the University s Equality and Diversity policies and for behaving in ways that are consistent with fair and equal treatment for all. To comply with all University Health and Safety policies.

6 PERSON SPECIFICATION Job Title: Disability Support Officer Department: Student Support and Guidance Criteria / Method of identification Qualifications: Educated to Degree level or NVQ Level 4 or equivalent A higher degree (or working towards a higher degree), or equivalent, in a relevant subject ECDL or equivalent Proven Experience: Excellent literacy, numeracy and IT skills Experience of working with disabled people and people with mental health difficulties Experience of working with disabled students and students with mental health difficulties in a Higher Education Environment Experience of using or familiarity with a range of assistive technologies Delivering academic and service excellence: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills certificate certificate certificate Application interview interview Ability to produce accurate case notes in a demanding environment Ability to respond to and prioritise multiple demands in a demanding environment Managing self and inspiring others: Excellent organisational skills Ability to maintain confidentiality and to deal with students and colleagues with tact and diplomacy A commitment to continuous improvement in own practice and in the wider team Test Test interview interview interview

7 Working together: Willingness to travel between sites as required A committed team member who is willing to work flexibly to support colleagues. Ability to maintain own motivation and that of colleagues in a demanding environment Organisational and stakeholder awareness: Understanding of the changing demands of the HE sector Understanding of Disabled Students Allowance application process Understanding of the range of stakeholders engaged in supporting disabled students, locally and nationally Understanding of the range of reasonable adjustments which may be required by disabled students Knowledge of the QAA Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in Higher Education, Section 3 Disabled Students Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010 and relevant codes of practice.in relation to disabled students Ability to make evidence based decisions in complex student cases and to communicate these decisions and their rationale effectively to stakeholder. Requirements are those, without which, a candidate would not be able to do the job. Applicants who have not clearly demonstrated in their application that they possess the essential requirements will normally be rejected at the shortlisting stage. Requirements are those that would be useful for the post holder to possess and will be considered when more than one applicant meets the essential requirements. Method of identification is where the selection panel will match the candidate s skills and abilities to the required criteria outlined (i.e. application form, interview, test)

8 UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT DISABILITY SUPPORT OFFICER STUDENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE SALARY SCALE University Scale OS7, points 23-26, 24,520-26,779 per annum payable monthly in arrears. RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT It is a requirement of this post that within 12 months of appointment, the postholder should live within a 30 mile radius or within a one hour travelling time by public transport from the University. HOURS OF WORK Monday to Thursday 9.00am pm Friday 9.00am pm (less one hour for lunch each day) A flexible approach to work will be required as there may be occasions when it would be necessary for you to work additional hours as dictated by the workload. HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENT 22 days per annum (pro-rata during the commencement and cessation years), rising to 27 days after five years' continuous service. Two extra statutory days per annum during the Christmas period. CRB CHECKS The successful applicant will have to undergo a CRB check before an appointment can be made. MEDICAL EXAMINATION Successful candidates will be required to complete an Occupational Health questionnaire, and may be required to undergo a medical examination. ESSENTIAL CERTIFICATES Short-listed candidates will be asked to bring to interview, proof of qualifications as outlined on the Job Description and Person Specification provided. Upon appointment, copies of essential certificates will be required by HRM Services. PENSION SCHEME The University is an admitted body to the Cheshire local government pension scheme. All support staff are eligible for membership of the scheme, and upon appointment, will be asked to indicate whether or not they wish to join the scheme. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES The University has a policy of equal opportunity aimed at treating all applicants for employment fairly.

9 SMOKING POLICY The University operates a No-Smoking policy. PROBATIONARY PERIOD A nine months' probationary period applies to all University posts. CLOSING DATE Completed application forms should be returned to HRM Services, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ, no later than noon on 10 th December 2012 quoting reference number HRMS/12084.

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