Assistant Junior Dean

THE PRINCIPAL AND FELLOWS OF THE MANCHESTER ACADEMY AND HARRIS COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; Arford; On-site; GBP 2,900 - 3,100; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Free accommodation

Free meals

On-call duty

Weekly duty rota

Easter/Summer breaks

Job summary

Harris Manchester College invites applications for the role of Assistant Junior Dean. The post supports pastoral welfare, enforces discipline, and coordinates safety with the Dean, Bursar, and Domestic Bursar.

The role requires confidentiality, discretion, and flexibility across a variable shift pattern. Essentially a graduate-student position at Oxford, the candidate should be ready to handle emergencies, training in first aid, and be able to work evenings, weekends, and vacations.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in full-time graduate study at the University of Oxford.
• Experience handling confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Ability to respond to unpredictable changes without clear guidance.
• Valid First Aid at Work or willingness to train to become first aider.
• Flexible work style including evenings, weekends and vacations.

Responsibilities

• Respond to out-of-hours calls related to student wellbeing and discipline.
• Maintain Junior Dean mobile on duty and coordinate with emergency services as needed.
• Enforce college rules and provide pastoral welfare support to students.
• Assist with First Aid and fire marshal duties; report maintenance issues.
• Coordinate with JCR/MCR events and manage duty rosters to ensure coverage.
• Assist with evacuation drills and evacuation of on-site/off-site properties.
• Prepare weekly reports to the Dean and maintain record-keeping protocols.

Skills

Confidentiality

Discretion

Diplomacy

Adaptability

First Aid

Education

Enrolled in full-time graduate study (Oxford)

Job description

Assistant Junior Dean

Further Particulars

Job Title: Assistant Junior Dean

Honorarium: £3,000 per annum paid termly in 3 equal instalments. In addition, the postholder will receive free accommodation along with meals at no charge whenever they are provided for students or staff.

Hours: Variable depending on agreed shift pattern

Contract type: Initially Fixed Term from 10 January 2027 to 24 September 2027

Responsible to: The Dean, working in close collaboration with the Junior Dean

Overview of Post

The Assistant Junior Dean supports the Junior Dean to promote good relations and a positive atmosphere within the College by contributing to the College’s pastoral and welfare provision, alongside maintaining discipline, and enforcing College rules and regulations where necessary. You will also support the Bursar and the Domestic Bursar to ensure the security and safety of the College (including fire safety). You will possess reliability, good judgement, discretion, and an appreciation of the confidential nature of some elements of the role. As well as an ability to relate to people at all levels and can respond and adapt to a wide range of unpredictable changes or situations where there may not be clear processes or guidance.

Key Responsibilities

Out-of-hours cover

Respond to out-of-hours calls which could range from a medical incident to other issues relating to student wellbeing and student discipline. Ensure that any incidents are logged as part of the incident reporting procedure, and that information is shared in a timely manner between the junior dean and assistant junior dean.

Hold and monitor the college-provided Junior Dean mobile phone when on duty, which is contactable by all students and links to the college’s fire alarm system.

Ensuring that all calls are dealt with in a speedy and efficient manner, referring the student on to the relevant authority as appropriate.

Call for additional support as required; this could include requesting support from other college officers, Emergency services, or University Security services.

Support College Discipline

Enforce college rules and regulations ensuring the Dean is made aware of any issues.

Provide pastoral and welfare support to students on a range of issues as appropriate, passing issues to the Welfare lead as necessary.

Liaise with JCR committee and the Bar Manager regarding dates and arrangements for JCR and MCR events (bops); monitoring any excessive noise and disturbance, ensuring that events finish, and are quiet, at the agreed time.

Support College Infrastructure

Act as one of the College’s qualified First Aid team. Training will be provided if required.

Act as a fire marshal, responding to related incidents as appropriate. Training will be provided if required.

Assist with monitoring the condition of student accommodation, reporting any maintenance or cleaning issues as they arise.

When required, assist with a full evacuation of a student property (off site), and assist the Lodge Porters with a full evacuation (on site).

Other Duties

The duties of the Assistant Junior Dean include:

Participate in compulsory training at the start of the academic year, this includes Junior Dean training, First Aid and Mental Health First Aid training (all funded by the college).

Provide weekly reports to the Dean.

Ensure there is a rota in place providing sufficient coverage between the Junior Dean and Assistant Junior Dean.

Ensure information is shared between the Junior Dean, the Assistant Junior Dean, and other relevant staff daily so that they are kept up to date with live issues.

Be responsible for and adhere to relevant college record-keeping protocols.

To assist the Domestic Bursar with the annual update of the Junior Dean handbook as required.

To participate in the recruitment and training of new Junior Deans as required

Undertake other commensurate duties as requested by the Dean or Bursar.

Selection Criteria

Essential

Enrolled in full time graduate study at the University of Oxford for the duration of the appointment. Candidates should strongly consider whether the demands of their course are compatible with the high level of visibility and presence required for the Assistant Junior Dean position.

An appreciation of the welfare and disciplinary issues relevant within a student community.

Experience of working with confidentiality, discretion, tact, and diplomacy to own initiative.

Ability to respond and adapt to a wide range of unpredictable changes or situations where there may not be clear processes or guidance.

Valid First Aid at Work Certificate or willingness to train to become a qualified first aider.

Open to and capable of adopting a flexible work style for duties, including working unsociable hours including evenings, weekends and during vacations.

Desirable

Experience of relevant voluntary or welfare work.

Experience of dealing with emergencies e.g. accidents, security issues, fire evacuations etc.

Benefits

Honorarium of £3,000 per annum payable termly in three instalments

The post holder will be provided with a room in College for the duration of the employment free of charge

The post holder will be entitled to take free meals whilst in residence whenever the College Kitchen is open.

When on duty the post-holder will be on-call between the hours of 22:00 and 06:00.

The post holder will agree a rota with the Junior Dean to ensure there is continuous on-call coverage during term time and during vacations.

In addition, the post holder is expected to be on duty during the Easter and Summer vacations but is entitled to a two-week break during the Easter Vacation and a six-week break during the Summer vacation (at mutually agreed times).

Important Information for Candidates

Data Privacy

Please note that any personal data submitted to the College as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation. For further information, please see the College’s data protection policy here.

Equal Opportunity

Harris Manchester College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Conduct against fellow employees and College members which is offensive, or detrimental to them on grounds of age, colour, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, nationality, national origin, parental status, race, religion or belief, gender, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated.

Right to work in the UK

The appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of proof of the right to work in the UK.