Student Programme Administrator (Dubai) - Academic Services - 102011 - Band 500

Position Details
Dubai Professional Services
Academic Services
University of Birmingham, Dubai campus
Salary: Competitive
Band ‎500
No. of positions: ‎1
Full time
Location: Dubai, UAE
Closing date: 16th July ‎2023
University of Birmingham Dubai
Having established ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in ‎2018 we
have now moved to our new state-of-the-art campus which opened in Sept ‎2021.
These posts represent an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious World Top
‎100 University as we continue to grow our long-term strategic mission in
Dubai, the UAE and the wider region. Our campus reflects the very best of
Birmingham through our presence in Dubai.
Background
Our ethos as a Professional Services team has been developed in line with the
principles of being a Birmingham Professional . In particular here in Dubai
this means that all Professional Services colleagues seek to collaborate
effectively to ensure the needs of the whole campus community and our
stakeholders are met. It also means that we work constructively together to
provide a flexible range of service and support that adapt to the changing
needs of the Campus as we grow. There are specific focal points in the
academic cycle when all Professional Services team members will be expected to
contribute regardless of their primary role, for example Welcome or
Graduation. In addition, the duties listed below are illustrative of the
general nature and level of responsibility of this post which is likely to
change over time in response to the needs of the Campus and as you develop
your experience and skills. You will have the opportunity to develop and may
also need to specialise your duties further, over time, in agreement with your
manager.
In order to contribute to the success of the team and the University's vision
for the Dubai Campus the Professional Services team will be seeking to
continue to recruit and develop colleagues who display:
* a high level of intellectual aptitude ;
* strong agility and a portfolio of skills that can adapt to meet changing circumstances;
* an innovative and creative mind-set; and
* both an enterprising and entrepreneurial nature to support our growth and pursuit of excellence.
Role Summary
The Services and Support thematic area will focus on providing all students
with the University of Birmingham Dubai with a wide range of high quality
services and support. This will also support the University and our academic
colleagues in the delivery of our academic mission in respect of both
Education and Research including:
* Welcome and induction activities
* Careers, employability and skills support
* Programme administration support and services
* Research administration support
* Visa and immigration services
* Information advice and guidance services
* Learning an library services
* Wellbeing services
* Academic Skills support
* Support to the University of Birmingham Dubai Students' Association
* General student administration through to graduation support.
You will join a professional services team which is passionate about providing
excellent administration support for students and staff.
Duties may vary between teams, but you will have the opportunity to contribute
or take a lead in all aspects of student and programme administration ranging
from registration throughout the student journey to graduation.
You will work closely with a diverse group of people including managers,
academic staff, PS staff and students to deliver the annual cycle of teaching
and learning administration related activities, including online registration,
student fee processing, student records, student mobility and assessment and
examinations support.
Main Duties
General
* Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
* Actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.
* Undertake continuous personal and professional development.
Job Specific Duties
* Act as the first point of contact providing relevant and timely information to students, staff and external providers, answering queries promptly and handling any issues from initial contact to resolution. This will include recognising when queries need to be referred elsewhere.
* To be the lead contact for all students on Dubai taught programmes. In doing so, to initiate and/or answer enquiries to/from staff and students on those programmes about all aspects of student record data and students' progression and award.
* Using complex multi-user systems such as Banner, BIRMS and BOXI, to support the operational management of student records from Registration through to Graduation for students on a variety of taught programmes at the University throughout the academic year; this will include all aspects of Exam Board processing in the Main, Supplementary and Dissertation assessment periods.
* Provide administrative support for a wide range of activities in delivering the annual cycle of teaching and learning outlined in the role summary above; for example, recording student attendance information or seeking draft exam papers from academic staff for approval.
* Act as primary contact for academic staff involved in the Schools' /Programmes' learning and teaching, providing expert guidance, understanding and resolving queries, and identifying when to delegate or escalate queries.
* Regularly communicate relevant information to students, staff and external providers.
* Work with and support your team to plan, organise, maintain and deliver activities, enabling the successful delivery of programmes.
* Specifically take responsibility for the more complex tasks associated with student fees, student records, end of session processes, attendance monitoring and recording, student mobility admin, online and module registration, placements, examinations, progression, student status changes, and graduation.
* Contribute to the annual programme/module review and evaluation processes.
* Make a substantial contribution to the management, development and implementation of operational processes.
* Prepare and deliver management and institutional reports; this will include responding to complex data requests involving the need to pull information from various sources.
* Compile, manipulate, analyse and interpret large and complex data sets, drawing up reports and/or identifying required actions as appropriate.
* Use a variety of complex University systems and processes to collate, manipulate and interpret sets of data, and produce routine reports.
* Support the development of systems and procedures to assist in the day to day running of student and programme administration.
* Provide administrative support for event planning and delivery which enhances the curriculum and student experience.
* Proactively identify ways of enhancing the curriculum and student experience, making recommendations as appropriate.
* Contribute to periodic reviews of administrative processes and procedures with the objective of making improvements and sharing best practice across other areas within the wider University.
* Contribute to providing frontline support to student interaction points within the Campus, providing excellent customer service, initial guidance and support as necessary.
* Providing a professional secretarial service to relevant committees and meetings, where required.
* Manage all data in accordance with University policy and Data Protection Regulations.
Additional responsibilities
* Supporting timetabling and room bookings activity, as required.
* Manage all data in accordance with University policy and Data Protection Regulations.
* To undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time.
* Undertake such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Student and Programme Administration Manager.
* Undertake continuous personal and professional development.
* Conduct financial and Health & Safety duties in line with statutory and University's policies and procedures.
Person Specification
You will need to evidence:
* Substantial professional experience in a variety of similar roles; and
* GCSEs to a minimum of grade C in English and Mathematics (or equivalent qualifications) and
* A levels or an equivalent level ‎3 qualification, such as a Level ‎3 NVQ, or level ‎3 national diploma.
You will be:
* Comfortable in a role where you take significant responsibility and where you are expected to proactively propose new ways of working.
* Comfortable working on your own initiative to complete tasks and projects without close supervision.
* Able to become authoritative quickly on complex systems and be able to advise colleagues on these.
* Able to set the standard for other colleagues, acting as a role model and coaching staff as appropriate.
* You will be able to communicate and delegate effectively as required.
* Well organised with the ability to prioritise work (your own and the work of others) proactively, independently and as part of a team.
In addition to the above, you should be able to demonstrate and/or evidence
the following:
* The ability to work to tight deadlines in a collaborative team environment.
* The ability to supervise and support the work of other team members.
* A good understanding of delivering excellent customer service and the ability to influence others to deliver it too.
* The ability to interact with individuals at all levels of internal and external organisations.
* Experience of using and maintaining complex work systems e.g. student databases/record systems or equivalent.
* Exemplary attention to detail and the ability to work confidentially, use judgement and make appropriate decisions within the constraints of the role
* The ability to cope with change in a fast moving, dynamic environment where change is often required immediately.
* The ability to cope with change in a fast moving, dynamic environment where change is often required immediately.
* An understanding of the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace
* Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures.
* Ability to read and interpret Excel spreadsheets, perform basic calculations, and manipulate tables.
Dimensions
You may directly manage others in this role but, even if you do not, you will
still be expected to act as a role model and coach members of the team. You
will not normally manage a budget in this role.
Problem Solving and decision making
You will be working under the direction of a senior manager (Student and
Programme Administration Manager), but with considerable autonomy to deliver
the outputs required. You will be working within the framework of existing
policies, processes and procedures for the University and the relevant
College, but there will be plenty of scope to review and shape processes. You
will take day to day decisions on some of the more complex tasks in the team's
remit including identifying next steps as appropriate.
Internal and External relationships
This role will be liaising with internal colleagues and stakeholders, external
stakeholders as well, sometimes with customers who have issues with the
service, with an expectation on maintaining good working relationships with
all.
Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and
welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to
discussions around all forms of flexible working .