College Advisor

About the role

We would like to welcome applications to become part of a dedicated team of College Advisors within the University of Derby. The University is committed to providing an inclusive student experience, which offers all students the opportunity to achieve to their full potential. Our College Advisor makes a significant contribution to the student journey which can help them achieve their success. 

You will provide academic administration across a range of programmes, ensuring that effective processes are in place to provide an excellent experience for students. Being digitally focused you will use a range of technologies to support the inter site working of the Registry. You will also be comfortable with using technology to gather information to gain a clear understanding of the level of student engagement and performance on the programme with working knowledge of the wider services of the Registry to enable you to deliver a seamless service to students and staff. 

You will be responsible for ensuring data quality within a right first-time ethos for all data within your business area, supported by an awareness and understanding of the data processed within your area, particularly any data classed as personal or sensitive.

Working together with colleagues in our academic colleges and professional services, we aim to provide a high-quality user experience for students and staff who support the student journey (admissions to graduation). We are committed to excellence and continuous improvement in all that we do and aim to provide a service that is fair, compliant, professional, and dynamic. 

This role will be based at both our Kedleston Road and Markeaton Street campuses.

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Ashlee Higgins, College Team Leader via a.higgins@derby.ac.uk or Janet Miller, College Team Leader via j.l.miller@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk 

Principal accountabilities

1. Have a good understanding of the student journey, to provide advice, information and guidance to students on issues relating to their programme of study.
2. Work with academic colleagues to deliver excellent programme support.
3. To monitor and manage student record profiles, acting as a key contact point for students and programme teams for queries and advice regarding changes to their programme/ modules and auditing and updating records to accurately.
4. Utilise management information to support University metrics for student retention, progression and achievement.
5. Undertake activities to support programme events e.g. enrolment, induction and module evaluation, Programme Committees ensuring that students are provided with clear and timely communication.
6. Contribute to the development of suitable sources of information required to support students, ensuring it remains current, in appropriate formats and is shared appropriately with colleagues.
7. Undertake all administrative duties with regard to student assessment processes.
8. Work collaboratively with all areas of the University to ensure the best response to students.
9. Meet regularly with the Course Director/ Programme Leader to review student profiles and attendance, identify potential issues, provide advice on University processes and regulations and take action as required.
10. Provide dedicated administrative support to meet professional/accreditation body specifications as required.
11. Make a significant contribution to the development and positive promotion of the College Registry team, including active participation in appropriate Committees and meetings.
12. Ensure an inclusive service with a focus on delivering excellence.
13. Take part in the evaluation of the services provided and the setting of service standards.
14. Escalate issues or concerns to the College Senior Advisor or College Team Leader
15. Maintain your professional competence through continuous professional development in line with role.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Educated to A level standard or equivalent professional experience
• GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above

Experience

• Experience of delivering information, advice and guidance, preferably in a student support environment
• Experience of working in an administrative role in a service setting
• Experience of understanding and applying data protection requirements

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy in dealing with a wide range of contacts both internal and external to the University
• Good judgement of situations and people and the ability to respond appropriately
• Contributing to the development of innovative solutions to problems, addressing the root cause
• Working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve common goals
• Ability to use data to manage workload
• Ability to take a professional approach and work on own initiative
• Ability to adapt and be flexible
• Ability to understand and apply regulations/rules e.g. GDPR, quality assurance frameworks
• Confident and able to demonstrate digital competency across a range of technologies, including but not limited to Microsoft Office
• Systematic and organised to manage competing priorities
• Numerical and analytical abilities

Business requirements

• Able to recognise the need and be willing to work outside of normal hours at times as relevant to achieving service delivery, targets and deadlines.
• Able to recognise the need and be willing to travel and work at any of the University sites as relevant to support staff, attend events, meetings or for presence.

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level standard or equivalent significant work based experience
• Customer Service Qualifications
• NVQ (3 or 4) in Information Advice and Guidance
• IT qualification or equivalent significant work based experience

Experience

• Experience of working in the Higher Education sector

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• Ability to assimilate written and verbal information
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Minute taking skills

As well as competitive pay scales, we offer generous holiday entitlement. We also offer opportunities for further salary progression based on performance, and the opportunity to join a contributory pension scheme.

Find out more about pay and rewards

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.