Postgraduate Admissions Coordinator

Please note that there are two roles available, both full time (35 hpw), x1 fixed term until 12/12/2025 and x1 permanent. Your application will be considered for both positions.

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.

We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be foundhere

The Role and the Department

We are recruiting for a Postgraduate Admissions Coordinator. The Admissions Coordinator supports a professional, knowledgeable, effective and efficient admissions service delivering the University's strategic aims and targets and ensuring that University and external regulations and policies are adhered to. The post involves processing applications with a focus on certain departments normally in one of the University's faculties, applying judgement to independently make criteria-based decisions. The post will take a lead within the admissions team on an area of work, identifying opportunities to make improvements where possible and then promoting these ideas to others. It also involves providing information, advice and guidance and developing positive working relationships with other staff within Recruitment and Admissions, across the wider University, and beyond. A commitment to maximising personal and team effectiveness and the principles of equality and diversity is essential.

Recruitment and Admissions Services brings together a number of teams providing services in events, enquiry management, CRM, data analysis and forecasting, projects and compliance and admissions. It provides an essential service to the University in ensuring its financial sustainability and in delivering student number growth and increasing diversity in line with strategic aims and targets. We are the public face of the University in UK schools and colleges, through our contact with prospects, enquirers and applicants across the world and through our events programme. The team includes a range of professionals from a number of specialisms including administrators, decision makers, data analysts and forecasters, IT specialists, designers and marketers, events managers and recruiters.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

• 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• On site nursery is available and children's clubs in the summer holidays.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community
• Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• We offer generous pension schemes.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification

When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.

Your application should cover the following criteria:

Essential Criteria

Qualifications/Experience

1. Five GCSE's at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics.

2.Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.

3.Relevant administrative experience in a busydata-drivenoffice environment,working with complex administrative processes and requiring a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

4. The ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.

5. Strong digital competence with demonstrable skills in using core digital tools including internet, email, digital communication tools, and Microsoft 365 applications.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

6. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

7. Ability to solve problems yourself and as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions.

8.Ability to make criteria-based decisions and to think critically with sound judgement.

9. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchangeadvice andinformation for development purposes.

10. Demonstrable ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.

11.Demonstrable ability to proactively work with team members to ensure the delivery of high quality services.

12.Committed to continuing professional development.

Desirable Criteria

13. A good understanding of the student experience provided at Durham University.

14. Knowledge and experience of Higher Education admissions processes, including making decisions on applications.

How to apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence. Please don't forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

What you are required to submit:

• A CV

• A word document that uses a table format to detail your experience, strengths and potential in relation to the essential and desirable criteria in the person specification.

Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role,Jill Howarthwould be happy to speak to you.j.m.howarth@durham.ac.uk

Typical Role Requirements

Service Delivery

• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University's values.

• Ensure that relevant regulatory and professional standards are being used within services being delivered by your team.

• Help to develop and implement policies and procedures relating to your service area.

• Respond to queries and provide information/advice, while raising more specialist or complex queries with more experienced team members.

• Continually review what is required fromstakeholdersto make sure the best possible service is provided.

• Ensure that processes and business systems effectively support theadmissionsservices being delivered by the team.

• Ensure that data is accurate,to identify anomalies and ensure the integrity of decision -making, data and information.

• Capture and share information and data that needs to be shared with relevant networks and committees.

• Usesystems anddigital media[e.g. SharePoint, MS Teams]to update team members andservice users.

•Independently apply judgement to make accurate decisions on applications in accordance with agreed criteria, ensuring applications are processed in line with University and external regulations.

• Prepare reports for senior managers.
• Make changes to the services provided by your team in discussion with other team members.
• Identify opportunities and contribute to decisions on how to improve services being delivered by the team.

Planning and Organising

• Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role.

• Organise and schedule assignedresources, activities and events

• Monitor processes and activities to ensure team priorities are met.

Teamwork

• Provideadvice, guidance, information andtraining where necessary to team members onadmissions decision making,data handling and recordingto disseminate and share practice.

•Provide specialist support and advice to team members.

•Provide feedback to team members about the monitoring and achievement of team objectives and performance expectations.

•Work collaboratively to make decisions as part of the team.

Communications/Liaison

• Use your knowledge and expertise to provide advice and guidance to resolve problems and respond to a wide range of queries.

• Create good working relationships with other team members and anyone else that you come across as part of your role to work together on joint activities.

• Liaise withstaff in other areas,to ensure that services are being delivered in an efficient and collaborative way.

• Create good working relationships with internal and external partners(in particular admissions leads in academic departments)to deliver cross-functional admissions services and activities.

• Build relationships with contacts and contribute to internal and external networks to share good practice and exchange information.

•Provide expert information, advice and guidance to external customers and their advisors in writing and verbally. This includes participation in recruitment events, such as open days.

• Occasional weekend/evening working will be required. This is to attend external events and assist with tasks such as open days and undergraduate confirmation. Due to the operational needs of the Office, annual leave is not permitted during the week of A level results and other peak periods are restricted.

• Any other reasonable duties.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy StatementPrivacy Notices - Durham Universitywhich provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

MATERNITY COVER
One of these roles is fixed term maternity cover. Appointment to this role is fixed term to cover the substantive post holder's maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended.

SECONDMENT
One of these roles is full time, fixed term until December 2025 and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.