JOB DESCRIPTION
Post
Student Experience Project Officer
Job Family
Professional, Specialist, Administrative
Grade
5
Role code
STUEXP001
Status
Fixed-Term, 0.4FTE until 31 July 2017
Reporting to
Pro Dean/Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience
AIMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE The role holder will provide project management and student-facing project delivery, coordinating the Student Experience Project on behalf of the Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience. The Project officer will work closely with Deputy Dean (Faculty Management) and ProDean/ Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience to ensure the Student Experience project is effective and can demonstrate impact during and by the end of the project. The Project Officer will carry out focus groups and one-to-one meetings with students, responding to issues raised in line with School protocols. They will set up opportunities for students to share their experiences in a safe and productive way using online platforms and/ or other means. A key feature of the role will be to sign-post students to appropriate support or sources of information (internal and external) and where appropriate, to provide informal mediation and support to resolve issues or problems to help prevent them developing into more serious problems. The Project Officer will make recommendations in relation to enhancements to Academic and Student Services, student-facing procedures and other services/ areas of work at the School. The role is 0.4FTE and fixed-term and there will be a significant degree of flexibility regarding the way that the role holder carries out the project. They will not necessarily be required to carry out the duties in a regular pattern for 2 days each week for example. It is more likely that they will work more in core term time and peak times for engaging with students directly. Job Description
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REPORTING ON THE WORK OF
Hourly paid project assistants
TANGENTIAL WORKING LINES
Academic staff Academic Registrar and Director of Academic Services Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement Deputy Dean (Faculty Management) Head of Academic and Student Services Head of Central Outreach Student Union officers
SCHOOL-WIDE COMMITTEES /WORKING GROUPS
Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee (via Line Manager)
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The range of responsibilities and duties of this role will include the following, although priorities may change in line with the development of the role and other duties may be allocated from time to time. Service Delivery To develop and maintain effective project planning within the remit of the role. To work closely with Deputy Dean (Faculty Management) and Pro-Dean/Director of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience to ensure the Student Experience project is effective and can demonstrate impact. To carry out focus groups and one-to-one meetings with students, responding to issues raised in line with School protocols. To set up opportunities for students to share their experiences in a safe and productive way (e.g. online and/or other means). To sign-post students to appropriate support or sources of information (internal and external). To make recommendations in relation to enhancements to Academic and Student Services, student-facing procedures and other services/ areas of work at the School. Work Environment To have a robust and systematic awareness of Central’s health, safety and wellbeing, ethics and environmental sustainability policies; codes of conduct; student voice mechanisms (course committees, course representatives etc). To ensure students’ awareness of School policies and Codes as appropriate. Teamwork and To organise focus groups and one-to-one conversations with Motivation students in liaison with the Deputy Dean/ Pro-Dean.
Job Description
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Liaison and Networking
Information Review, Analysis and Scholarship
Planning & Organising
Initiative and Problem Solving
To report on emerging themes, patterns and general findings from the project in ways that facilitate enhancements to provision. To provide counsel and advice to the Pro-Dean and Deputy Dean in relation to student experience. To attend course team meetings and department meetings if invited. To liaise with teaching staff and other staff also directly involved in learning, teaching and the student experience. To survey relevant student experience project work, enhancements and initiatives external to the School, drawing on those practices as part of making recommendations suitable for Central. To take the lead with this operational project that aims to enhance student experience and learning. To plan the timeframe and delivery of the project To undertake focus groups and meetings and other structured opportunities for students to share their experiences To listen to individuals who are experiencing challenges and difficulties, and to sign-post support or suggest solutions as appropriate. To provide informal mediation in order to support students and to resolve issues to prevent them becoming more serious/ formal To work closely with the Pro-Dean and Deputy Dean to monitor and enhance the student experience and to investigate/mediate and resolve student complaints at an informal stage where appropriate.
The School is a dynamic organisation; therefore changes may be required from time to time. Any changes will be made in consultation with the post-holder. The duties and responsibilities are not intended to be an exhaustive list of tasks performed. Other associated tasks are likely to be performed as directed by the Dean of School and/or Pro Dean. While these roles (as is commensurate with Grade 7 posts) entail areas of individual responsibility and authority both within the School and among external networks, these remain subject to the oversight of the dean of School and Pro Dean. It is accepted that individual staff will have the specialist skills and knowledge base in relation to the role they have been appointed to. In addition to this the School expects that all staff will conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner at all times and have particular regard to their responsibilities under the School’s Equalities, Financial, Human Resources and Health and Safety policies and procedures.
Job Description
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Person Specification Competency
Evidence
Essential / Desirable
Evidence
Knowledge and Experience
Degree level qualification.
Essential
Certificates / Application form
Master’s level qualification.
Desirable
Certificates / Application form
student Essential student
Application form / Interview
Experience or knowledge of Desirable conservatoire or other specialist vocational training settings.
Application form / Interview
Previous experience of related well-being or services in an HE setting.
Managing People Able to: Provide project leadership.
Teamwork
Liaison and Networking
Job Description
Essential
Application form / Interview
Plan and oversee the detail of a Essential project.
Application form / Interview
Develop good working relationships Essential with managers and with students.
Application form / Interview
Ability to work productively and Essential proactively as a professional.
Application form / Interview
Promote a collegiate and solution- Essential focused approach with staff and students.
Application form / Interview
Ability to: Initiate, build and co-ordinate Essential networks within the institution.
Application form / Interview
Essential
Application form / Interview Page 4 of 10
Disseminate information from conferences and external practices on the student experience Expertise
Communication
Ability to plan for and manage Essential projects and competing deadlines in order to ensure the calm and effective overall operation of the Student Experience project
Application form / Interview
Understanding of best sectorial Essential practices in relation to the management of student well-being, student expectations and student experience
Application form / Interview
Broad understanding of the role of Essential higher education and specialist institutions such as Central in relation to the creative and cultural industries
Application form / Interview
Excellent interpersonal skills
Essential
Mediation and conflict resolution
Essential
Application form / Interview Application form / Interview
Excellent presentational and report- Essential writing skills.
Application form / Interview
Ability to represent the work, aims, values and mission of the School clearly to students in an appropriate way. Initiative and Problem Solving
Think laterally to continually Essential improve student experience.
Application form / Interview
Share in the leadership of the Essential development of new creative approaches in responding to teaching learning and student experience challenges.
Application form / Interview
Initiate new and original solutions to Essential problems.
Application form / Interview
Provide advice departments. Job Description
to
other
Essential
Application form / Interview Page 5 of 10
Sensory Physical and Emotional Demands
Work Environment
Mediate and resolve local disputes Essential and complaints.
Application form / Interview
Balance the pressures of project Essential management, and administrative demands and competing deadlines.
Application form / Interview
Advise and mentor students as Essential appropriate in sustaining healthy and productive working practices, referring them to School services as appropriate
Application form / Interview
Take responsibility for your own Essential conduct in relation to School policies and codes, and for the systematic improvement of Central as a healthy, safe, friendly and inclusive working environment
Application form / Interview
This job description has been evaluated by HERA
Job Description
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Behavioural
Characteristics Accepts responsibility and takes remedial and developmental action when mistakes are made.
Role model
Has a deep sense of own core values and operates within personal boundaries. Delivers to expectations and promises.
Personal credible
Interpersonal skills
Influencing skills
Shows enthusiasm to broaden own experience, knowledge, skills and self-insight. Offers sensible, impartial advice and is considered as wise counsel.
Builds trust of employees and managers by consistently giving carefully thought-through advice. Compares and contrasts option to highlight relative advantages and disadvantages of progressing along alternative paths. Identifies the key points to communicate on any interaction, selecting the right channel for the message and audience. Identifies the steps to achieve agreed tasks, goals and objectives in the immediate or short term.
Driven to deliver Keeps track of own progress, completing work to deadlines or informing others when targets cannot be met.
Change focus
Curious
Regards change as the opportunity to review practice, learn and improve service. Inquisitive about the current issues/developments and how they impact on their current practice. Reflects, analyses and tests ideas and insights with others.
Decisive thinker
Confidentiality
Job Description
Gathers information from a multiple sources, analyses and critiques it before making a decision. Compares and contracts situation and information identifying patterns and trends which inform subsequent decisions. Respects and promotes a high level of confidential working/information at all times. Applies sounds personal judgement in dealing with sensitive or critical information, respecting confidentiality.
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Collaborative
Job Description
Makes a positive contribution to the team, supporting colleagues in their day to day activities. Solicits the involvement of others and readily shares own expertise and experience.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT Contract type Part time (0. 4FTE), Fixed term until 31 July 2017 Remuneration
Grade 5: £32,231 - £35,678 pro rata per annum, including London Weighting. Eligible for annual performance.
increments,
subject
to
satisfactory
The maximum amount of annual increments per Grade is 5. Employees are appointed to the first increment of the advertised pay Grade. Hours of work
Location Period of notice
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Annual leave
Pension Death in service
Subject to the Working Time Regulations, full-time employees are required to work such hours as are reasonably necessary in order to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of the post with minimum on-duty hours of 35 hours per week. Swiss Cottage 1 month
All full time role holders are entitled to 35 working days pro rata per annual leave year. This amount is inclusive of seven closure days taken around public holidays in December, January, March and April. Central operates the Local Government Pension Scheme for all Specialist, Professional and Administrative staff. All staff benefit from Central’s Death in Service scheme. Central pay the whole costs of the scheme which is insured with a leading insurance company.
Season ticket loan
The scheme provides a capital sum, payable in the event of your death before your Normal Retirement Date of two times Basic Salary at the date of your date, payable to your beneficiaries, or to your estate. Cover is provided 24 hours a day, and death for any reason. Central has an appraisal scheme in place that aims to provide a focussed, evaluative review of employee performance against agreed objectives. The objectives are drawn from the Corporate Plan and other related documents for the year ahead. The appraisal process is also used as an opportunity for individuals to discuss training and development needs with their line manager. All employees are eligible to apply for an interest free annual season ticket loan.
Salary sacrifice schemes
Central operates the Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
Staff development
Job Description
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APPLICATION PROCEDURE Please send your application form as a PDF attachment to:
[email protected] Central aims to shortlist all applications within 2 weeks of the advert closing date. If you do not hear from the HR department within this timeframe, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.
Closing date
9am on 06 December 2016 Please note applications which are received after this time will not be accepted.
Interviews
20 December 2016
A formal offer will be made to the successful applicant, subject to satisfactory references. The successful candidate will be expected to be available to commence employment as soon as possible. Please note that Central does not reimburse travel expenses. The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is dedicated to Equal Opportunities in employment and seeks to achieve diversity amongst its staff to reflect the community it serves.
Job Description
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