Further Particulars This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with the application. 1. Role details Vacancy reference: 11072 Job Title: Associate Lecturer Services Assistant Reports to: Associate Lecturer Services Manager Salary: 18,549-20,781 Terms and Conditions: Secretarial and Clerical Grade: 4 Duration of post: Working Hours: Location: Closing date: Type of application form accepted: 12 months 37 hours per week The Open University in the North, Baltic Business Quarter, Abbots Hill, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE8 3DF Thursday 17 September 2015, 12.00 noon Standard application form Number of referees required: 2 Recruitment contact: R09-Human-Resources@open.ac.uk Page 1 of 7
2. Summary of duties Purpose Statement Working as part of the integrated UK-wide Associate Lecturer Services team supporting all processes and procedures associated with the employment of the University s part time Associate Lecturers, the organisation of tutorial programmes and the provision of support services to faculty staff. You will work as a member of the region s Associate Lecturer Services team managed by the Associate Lecturer Services Manager. The main areas of activity are: Associate Lecturer recruitment, appointment and staff development Associate Lecturer payments and records Tutor-Student Allocation Tutorial and day school facilities, including timetables Support services to Academic Staff Your main responsibilities will include: Services to Central Academic Unit (CAU) staff Acting as a point of contact for faculty staff Responding on behalf of faculty staff to module-specific student emails and telephone calls through the Customer Relationship Management system (VOICE), referring on those that require input from faculty staff, or which are the responsibility of Learner Support staff, and recording all contacts appropriately Monitoring faculty VOICE queues Maintaining electronic diaries Making travel arrangements for faculty staff Arranging meetings as appropriate and preparing agendas and papers Attending and taking notes in meetings as appropriate, e.g. academic staff meetings Making arrangements for marketing and employer engagement events where appropriate Tutor: Student Allocation Assist with Tutor: Student Allocation using University database systems to: Create, monitor and adjust allocation groups (of students to tutors) Attach Associate lecturer appointments to allocation groups Fix allocation groups and notify both students and Associate Lecturers, in consultation with the Associate Lecturer Services Manager Tutorial Timetabling Liaising with Associate Lecturers regarding draft and final tutorial timetables Making tutorial bookings on OU IT systems Making tutorial arrangements for students with additional requirements Making agreed amendments to bookings and timetables Contacting students when a tutorial is cancelled or re-scheduled and the Associate Lecturer is unable to do so Providing support for setting up Day Schools, including booking rooms and sending invitations and feedback forms Setting up telephone/video/online tutorials as required Page 2 of 7
Associate Lecturer recruitment Advising faculty staff on Associate Lecturer recruitment deadlines and procedures. In consultation with AL Services Managers and faculty staff: running long lists in report and final mode. Liaising with faculty staff making arrangements for Associate Lecturer interviews including collating, checking and dispatching all interview documentation, booking rooms and catering, welcoming candidates, collecting and checking documentation provided by candidates on the day including eligibility documents and qualifications Requesting and receiving references Recording all stages of the process on the University s database system Associate Lecturer employment Contacting Associate Lecturers to make arrangements for appraisal meetings with their line managers Recording of tutorial visits Maintaining records across a range of IT systems Associate Lecturer payments and expense claims Checking claims received from Associate Lecturers, inputting them on the system against the appropriate budget code (according to monthly payroll schedule), verifying receipts received and that expenditure is appropriate before passing them on to an authoriser. Querying unclear or unsubstantiated claims with the Associate Lecturer concerned and referring to Senior Associate Lecturer Services Assistant or AL Services Coordinator for guidance where appropriate. Checking programme/practice tutor visits to students in work settings with the relevant Staff Tutor and processing expense claims General Duties Preparing formal correspondence and documents in compliance with University standards Maintaining electronic and paper filing systems ensuring strict adherence to data protection and retention policies Dealing with a wide range of enquiries, both internal and external and referring and recording these as appropriate Providing information in response to enquiries from other units within the University Maintaining an up to date knowledge of policy and procedure relating to Associate Lecturer Services activities Feeding back suggestions to improve service standards across the Associate Lecturer Services team Undertake Career Development and Staff Appraisal (CDSA) Actively engage in own staff development and training Contribute to the training and induction of new members of staff Providing cover for other team members in their absence Undertaking other duties as required by the AL Services Manager and Coordinator Contributing to projects as required N.B. The role holder may be required to undertake any other duties reasonably required as within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the role, subject to the proviso that Page 3 of 7
normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the Job Description in specific terms. All staff are expected: To comply with the University s Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the performance of their duties To take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of themselves and that of any other person who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work To co-operate with the Open University in ensuring as far as is necessary, that Statutory Requirements, Codes of Practice, University Policies and Departmental Health and Safety arrangements are complied with To demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity This is not intended as an exhaustive list of duties or a restrictive definition of the role but rather should read as a guide to the main priorities and typical areas of activity of the roleholder. These activities are subject to amendment over time as priorities and requirements evolve and as such it may be amended at any time by the line manager following discussion with the role holder. 3. Person specification PERSON SPECIFICATION EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED Essential Desirable Education, qualifications and training 1. GCSE/Credit Standard Grade or equivalent English and Mathematics (Grade C minimum). 2. NVQ Level 2/SVQ 2 Customer Service or equivalent experience. 3. ECDL. Knowledge, work and other relevant experience 1. Previous experience in a customer service environment. 2. Experience of working as part of a team. 3. Experience of working in an office environment. Skills and capabilities 1. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral. 2. Good IT skills including MS Word, Excel, Outlook. 3. Ability to undertake data entry and manipulation. Personal Qualities 1. Flexibility and openness to change in working practices. 2. Willingness to learn new IT skills. 3. Ability to work successfully as part of a team and on own initiative. 4. Willingness to support faculty staff across faculties and locations as appropriate. Page 4 of 7
5. Ability to prioritise and work calmly under pressure. 6. Accuracy and attention to detail. 7. A positive approach. Special working conditions e.g. shift working 1. Willingness to undertake occasional out of hours working Additional requirements 4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working Willingness to undertake occasional out of hours working, with overtime pay or time off in lieu as appropriate. 5. About the unit/department Student Services is responsible for the provision of educational and administrative services to students and for the recruitment, staff development and supervision of Associate Lecturers. It is the largest Unit of the University with an annual budget of more than 90 million. More than 7,000 staff (1,100 internal staff and 6,000 Associate Lecturers) are employed by the Unit at or through: five central Sub-Units based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes three Nation centres based in Scotland, Wales and Ireland together with nine English regional centres and a central Associate Lecturer Services team based in Milton Keynes The Director, Students, who is the Head of Student Services, is a member of the Vice- Chancellor s Executive and reports directly to the Vice-Chancellor. Student Services is divided into four functional areas as follows: Student Recruitment and Financial Support Teaching and Learner Support Assessment, Credit and Awards Planning and Development. Teaching and Learner Support Main Aims: to develop and deliver teaching and learner support services in furtherance of the university s academic objectives and mission; to contribute to the defining of challenging student service standards; to develop and deliver teaching and learner support services that are high quality, costeffective and inclusive; to contribute to the integration of teaching and learner support across university functions and locations. The Teaching and Learner Support sub-unit has over 100 staff at Walton Hall and 150 staff in Associate Lecturer Services in regions and nations. It liaises closely with the regional and national centres in delivering teaching and other services to students. It includes the following teams: Page 5 of 7
Associate Lecturer Services Associate Lecturer Support and Professional Development Careers Advisory Service Communications Disabled Student Services Learner Development Learning, Design and Technology Residential Schools Widening Participation and Offender Learning. Associate Lecturer Services The Associate Lecturer Services team, led by Dr David Knight (Director, Access, Communications and Teaching Support) is a UK-wide team of staff based at Walton Hall and in the regional and national centres. The team, working in liaison with faculty colleagues in regions and nations, is responsible for the recruitment, appointment and employment of the University s 6,500 Associate Lecturers teaching students on over 400 modules. The Open University in the North is one of the nine English locations responsible for supporting students resident in England and for providing services to the University s Associate Lecturers. The generic responsibilities of Nation /Regional Centres include the following: promoting the image and interests of the University; promoting the University s courses and services; providing an educational advisory service for prospective and existing students; arranging advice, guidance and learning support for students throughout their studies with the University; recruiting Associate Lecturers, who work face-to-face, by correspondence, by telephone and through ICT with students, and providing their induction, staff development and overall management; organising tutorial programmes and personal academic support for students at appropriate venues or at a distance; organising examinations at appropriate times throughout the year; organising Degree Ceremonies for graduates The Open University in the North is the host location for the Arts and Humanities Student Support Team. Working closely with staff in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities we focus our support services on students studying Arts and Humanities qualifications, regardless of location. At the same time, we continue to provide a limited range of services for students who live in the North area. The Regional Centre is located in an office building at Baltic Business Quarter, Abbots Hill, Gateshead. This is a twenty minute walk from the city centre and railway station or there is a Q1/Q2 Quaylink bus that provides a 10 minute service between Newcastle and Gateshead. Gateshead bus / metro Interchange is approximately10 minutes walk. It is easily reached by car and there is ample barrier-controlled parking at the rear of the building. Local facilities include shops, banks and a choice of eating establishments within 15 minutes walk and The Baltic, Gateshead Sage and Quayside are only 10 minutes away 6. How to obtain more information about the role or application process If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application please contact Julie Rankin on 0191 202 6922. Page 6 of 7
If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact Jacqui Thompson at R09-Human-Resources@open.ac.uk. 7. The application process and where to send completed applications Please ensure that your application reaches the University by: 12.00 noon on Thursday 17 September 2015. Post it to: Name/Job title: Jacqui Thompson Department/Unit: The Open University in the North Address Post Code: Baltic Business Quarter Abbots Hill Gateshead NE8 3DF Or e-mail your application to: R09-Human-Resources@open.ac.uk 8. Selection process and date of interview It is in your interest to show how your experience and personal qualities address each aspect of the person specification and role requirements. To do this: please ensure you complete all sections of the application form in full. You are welcome to enclose a curriculum vitae, but CVs will not be accepted on their own. Information collected through the Equal Opportunities questionnaire enables the University to monitor fairness in the recruitment process; you must include a covering letter of no more than 1000 words. This should clearly identify how you meet the person specification. Please ensure you provide relevant examples as evidence to support your statements. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. The interviews are planned to take place in the week beginning 12 October. The selection process for this post will include an exercise, to be undertaken on the same day as the interviews. We will let you know in early October whether you have been shortlisted for interview. If you have not heard from us by October 12 you can assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful. Page 7 of 7