Student Experience and Wellbeing Officer (Dubai) - Dubai Professional Services -99969

- (220001CE)

Position Details
Dubai Professional Services
University of Birmingham, Dubai campus
Salary: Competitive
Grade ‎6
Full time
Location: Dubai, UAE
Closing date: ‎7 August ‎2022
University of Birmingham Dubai
Having established ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in ‎2018 we
have now taken up residence of our state of the art new campus and are excited
to build on our brand and reputation as a global institution. This post
represents 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.
Professional Services Ethos
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 mindset; and
* both an enterprising and entrepreneurial nature to support our growth and pursuit of excellence.
Department Overview
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.

Job Summary
The postholder will be responsible for devising, implementing and delivering a
range of activity that supports a positive and enriching student experience.
The post holder will support student wellbeing services, provide a range of
guidance, advice and support, as well as act as an operational lead for
student experience activities and events (for example, Welcome, induction,
pre-arrival, and Student Association events), under the strategic direction of
the Head of Student Wellbeing and Experience, and in collaboration with the
University's Student's Association.
The postholder will contribute and play a key role in the provision of a range
of wellbeing and welfare services for the students. They will also be
responsible for the development and coordination of student communications,
working in close partnership with the UoBD communications leads.
Responsibilities also include working to embed innovative and inclusive
practices across the University through networking and contributing to
training. The post holder will be required to operate flexibly to meet the
demands of the service, working collaboratively with Edgbaston colleagues, and
in addition supporting campus wide student experience activities and events.
This post holder will have a specific strategic aim to improve and deliver
services and student experience activities to our post graduate community;
therefore, working hours will include Saturday and Sunday, with ‎2 weekday rest
days.
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.
Student Experience & Communications
* Identify the neds and preferences of current students to inform a student experience programme. This is likely to be through feedback, surveys, focus groups, and conversations with students and relevant committees.
* Plan, implement and delivery student experience activities, taking into consideration the academic cycle, cultural and regional events.
* Contribute and lead aspects of the planning and delivery of UoBe Festival in collaboration with colleagues in UK.
* Contribute and lead aspects of the development of ideas and activities, and support and facilitate delivery of Welcome, induction and pre-arrival activities for students, with additional support in delivery from the whole campus staff.
* Work closely with the Student's Association to devise, promote and deliver an engaging annual programme of activities and events that meet the needs of students. This may include trips, residentials, speakers, careers and networking events, or exam support sessions for example.
* Develop, coordinate, and distribute student communications and act as a key conduit to students, to ensure that everyone is well-informed and knows how they can participate in the campus community.
* Work with academic staff to ensure the student experience is embedded as a consideration through the taught experience of students, through liaison and collaboration.
* Providing first line support and response to student queries when working at our Dubai Student Hub.
Careers Advice/Coaching
* Providing one-to-one entry level careers guidance advice to students, such as CV checking, application writing and interview preparation.
* Signposting and referring bespoke careers support available through the global Careers Network and UoBD Careers Adviser.
* Provide students with relevant Careers Resources.
Wellbeing Support
* Provide support, advice and guidance to students on matters relating to wellbeing through one-to-one advice appointments, drop-in and via written communication
* Provide advice and guidance to Students of Determination /Disabled Students and liaising with the UK based Disability Service to implement reasonable adjustments and access requirements.
* Using the CRM system to respond to queries
* Consider and respond to requests for extensions and extenuating circumstances.
* Support students and refer them to the appropriate support services as required, for example student mental health and wellbeing services, including exchange students from partner institutions and/or other UoB campuses.
* Provide relevant support to academics in relation to changes of status, for example Extenuating Circumstances, the Reasonable Adjustment Process, Withdrawals, Leave of Absence, and Programme Transfers.
Additional responsibilities
* To undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time, to further the work of the wellbeing services and the development of the student experience, or the University.
* Undertake continuous personal and professional development.
* Conduct financial and Health & Safety duties in line with statutory and University's policies and procedures.
Person Specification
* Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification(s).
* Significant experience of working in a professional environment; relevant experience of working in Higher Education is desirable.
* Experience of providing first-line advice and guidance.
* Significant experience of organising a large scale programme of events.
* Experience of supporting students in relation to welfare issues.
* Strong understanding of the student experience, issues, and the student lifecycle.
* Significant knowledge and experience of writing communications for a variety of different audiences.
* Working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office software.
* Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act ‎2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
* Actively promotes equality and diversity to internal stakeholders
* Able to use data to identify equality and diversity issues
* Experience of developing interventions to address equality and diversity issues
* A recognised qualification or professional training in mental health, wellbeing or similar is desirable.

Dimensions
This role will require you to exercise personal initiative within and beyond
the department. You will not manage a team or budgets.
Planning and organising
After consulting others:
Support and implementation of the Wellbeing and Student Experience support
strategy.
Or that would be referred to someone else:
Decisions affecting the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.
Decisions requiring additional institutional strategic investment.

Problem solving and decision making
After consulting others:
Support and implementation of the Wellbeing and Student Experience support
strategy.
Or that would be referred to someone else:
Decisions affecting the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.
Decisions requiring additional institutional strategic investment.

Internal and external relationships
* Chief Operating Officer
* Head of Wellbeing and Student Experience (line manager)
* Student Experience team (Dubai)
* Student and Programme Administration team (Dubai)
* Colleagues across Dubai campus - Professional Services and Academic
* Colleagues in UK campus - including Academic Services, Colleges and central PS teams
* External partners - including regional government agencies, regulatory bodies, educational and health-related organisations.
As interest in all of the advertised posts has been extremely high, we
encourage you to apply online, tailoring your skillset against the listed
criteria in the application form.
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.

Primary Location AE-AE-Dubai
Work Locations Dubai Dubai International Academic City341799 Dubai
Job Specialist/Professional
Organization External Relations
Schedule Temporary
Full-time
Job Posting ‎17.07.‎2022, ‎5:41:‎58 PM
Grade (for job description) Grade ‎6
Advert Close Date ‎07.08.‎2022, ‎5:59:‎00 PM
Fixed Term Contract End Date ‎03.09.‎2025