University of Warwick Hiring for Student Support and Progression Officer Job at United Kingdom , UK Full Time

Permanent position, 36.5 hours per week (1.0 FTE).

The Department of Economics is a thriving community of staff and students. We have an exciting opportunity for a resourceful, empathetic individual to join our team of professional support staff in the newly-created post of Student Support and Progression Officer. This pivotal post will work alongside the existing Student Support and Progression Officer in providing wellbeing support for undergraduate students facing personal and academic issues, and will underpin the Department’s student support strategy by planning, delivering and reviewing initiatives to bolster the welfare and maximise the progression and potential of undergraduate students.

This is a busy and important role which will centre around providing direct support to undergraduate students experiencing difficulties affecting their learning, guiding and signposting students to wider student support services to resolve issues. The successful candidate will be part of the Department’s Academic and Pastoral Support team, as well as a member of the Undergraduate Office team, dealing with mitigating circumstances, temporary withdrawals and student engagement, and will be at the forefront of planning and delivering a programme of activities and initiatives designed to support student wellbeing. The postholder will also have the opportunity to contribute towards Department strategy in maximising student academic progression by designing and operationalising the collection, review and analysis of student engagement, welfare and attainment data.

We are looking for a resilient, compassionate and resourceful person with the ability to work well in a team, and to work on their own initiative. The ability to remain calm when faced with sensitive issues is a key component of the role as are excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build rapport, handle confidential information and situations appropriately, and liaise with staff and students in a sensitive, professional manner. The successful candidate will show a strong track record in working with and providing support to students, and will have demonstrable ability and resilience to organise a busy workload and to juggle competing priorities. A high degree of IT literacy and the ability to work across the MS Office suite and management information systems are a must, as well as the ability to analyse and present statistical information.

The supporting statement should not exceed two sides of A4 paper. Please do not submit a curriculum vitae for this role.

Informal enquiries to find out more about the role can be directed to Jo Turrall, Programmes Manager (UG) via [email protected].

Interview Date: TBC.

Job Description

JOB PURPOSE

To work with the senior academic and PSS staff undertaking a lead role in the development and delivery of pastoral and study-related support to undergraduate, diploma and visiting students, promoting student wellbeing and engagement with the teaching and learning experience, and facilitating the fulfilment of academic progression and potential.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Advice and Support

i. Working as part of the Academic and Pastoral Support Team, act as the designated support to provide pastoral and study-related advice and guidance to all undergraduate, diploma and visiting students within the Department of Economics.

ii. Provide advice and support to students experiencing difficulties. Use the information gained to identify and discuss next steps, referring the student to appropriate services as required (e.g. Programmes Manager, Personal Tutor, Year Tutor, /Senior Tutor, Advisor to Female Students, Advisor to Overseas Students, student support, counselling service) and subsequent liaison between Wellbeing and other support services and the Department. Exercise judgment in escalating serious cases of student wellbeing to senior colleagues.

iii. Liaise with temporarily withdrawn and resit/sit students to manage their return to Warwick. Develop and introduce a systematic process to facilitate a smooth plan of return for each student.

iv. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the University’s support services, policies, procedures and best practice, and to advise and train colleagues on these as appropriate. Act as a source of expertise and Department authority on matters relating to student wellbeing.

v. Develop a range of communications for staff and students on student wellbeing, including newsletter items, handbooks and web pages, liaising with the Student Engagement and Experience Officer where appropriate.

Operations

xiii. Support the Academic and Pastoral Support team in organising and delivering the Personal Tutor system, in-line with the University’s expectations of the Personal Tutor arrangements and working towards a greater consistency of provision of support across the system. Working alongside the Senior Tutor in organising the training for the Academic and Pastoral Support team and Personal Tutors, and overseeing the allocation of Personal Tutors to students.

vi. Coordinate, alongside the Senior Tutor the development and maintenance of recording processes and systems to collate information on student welfare and progression (academic marks, support and feedback class attendance, missed monitoring points, extension requests, mitigating circumstances), facilitating a co-ordinated approach to the collection and use of student welfare, engagement and progression data between colleagues and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

vii. Grant or refuse requests for extensions for assessed work or exemptions from tests based on evidence provided according to the mitigating circumstances policy.

viii. Responsible for the management of mitigation submissions on Tabula, including: checking, processing and reviewing highly confidential and sensitive documentation and evidence from students; advising students on a wide range of circumstances, taking a judgement on referrals to other support services and on escalation; supporting Year Tutors in preparing reports to ensure that mitigation is presented accurately to the Mitigating Circumstances Panels prior to the Exam Boards; acting as a member of the Mitigating Circumstances Panels and acting as a member of undergraduate examination boards.

Student Experience

ix. Plan and organise the delivery of an annual calendar of activities directed at student support and wellbeing to cater for key times of the year in the student life cycle (e.g. Open Days, Welcome Week, study skills sessions, maths/stats support, revision sessions, awareness campaigns, examination period). Liaise with the Student Engagement and Experience Officer and Student Services to ensure that activities fit with the overall programme of student experience events.

x. Lead and manage the undergraduate mentor scheme to include recruiting and training of mentors, allocating mentees to mentors and promoting the mentor scheme.

xi. Responsible for the student support budget (£5k).

Strategy

i. Work with the Senior Tutor, Year Tutors, Directors of Engagement and Progression and the Undergraduate Programmes Manager, undertaking a lead role in the development and delivery of the Department’s strategic plan for student wellbeing and progression.

ii. Analyse a range of student welfare and progression data to identify concerns at an early stage. Ascertain appropriate strategies to implement to thereby enable students to continue with their studies and reach their full potential. Report and make recommendations to the Senior Tutor to inform decision making and strategy development.

iii. Act as a key member of the Departmental Academic and Pastoral Support team, advising and briefing the Senior Tutor and the Group on student welfare issues. Lead on new initiatives, managing the prioritisation of activities and implementation of key improvement projects.

iv. Act as a key member of the Departmental Student Progression Working Group, advising and briefing the Chair and the Group on student progression issues. Play a key role in contributing towards new initiatives to better identify and address student academic progression trends.

v. Contribute towards the development of a strategy for supporting students from a disadvantaged background across the student lifecycle (who are likely to have received contextualised offers) enabling them to progress and enjoy the university experience. Work with the Advisor to Overseas Students and the Advisor to Female Students to develop a strategy for meeting the needs and expectations of overseas students and female students.

vi. Act as the intermediary between the Department and other departments/the Faculty/University in matters relating to student welfare. Represent the Department at a senior level, both within and beyond the University.

vii. Ensure that the Department’s strategy for academic and pastoral support embodies the University’s policy on diversity and inclusivity, taking into account the needs of all groups of students, and with a focus on removing barriers to widening participation in an education in economics.

General

viii. Deputise for the Senior Tutor as and when required.

The above duties are not exhaustive and may be subject to change. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties within the scope and grading of the post.