Course Officer

University of Bedfordshire; Luton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension and annual leave

Gym membership

Flexible working

Personal and professional development

Family-friendly policies

Job summary

University of Bedfordshire in Luton is seeking a Course Officer to manage student records and course administration across the student lifecycle. The role supports the Senior Course Officer and assesses data quality for reporting, liaising with academic staff and partnership organisations to ensure an excellent student and academic experience.

You will handle complex administration, provide secretarial support to committees, and contribute to data reporting aligned with the academic calendar.

Qualifications

• A Levels or equivalent qualification/experience.
• Experience providing proactive administrative support in HE.
• Familiarity with student records systems and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Maintain student records from registration to graduation.
• Provide secretarial support to committees and respond to enquiries.
• Liaise with partnership organisations and external examiners.
• Support Assessments Team in delivery of assessment processes.

Skills

Administrative support

Data handling

MS Office proficiency

Minuting committees

Customer service

Education

A Levels or equivalent

Relevant certificates

Tools

SITS

CRM software

Job description

This post sits within the remit of the Director of Student Registry Services and with the Student Lifecycle Operations teams. This post reports to the Senior Course Officer and is responsible for the delivery and support of the student lifecycle, from registration to graduation, including the related systems, with a focus on supporting partnerships. The post holder is part of a team which is responsible for the management, organisation and support for student and course administration through the student life cycle, from registration to graduation. Teams provide high‑quality support to students, academic staff, professional services staff, and partnership organisations to ensure the delivery of an excellent student and academic experience. This role includes updating student records, related systems and reporting according to the academic calendar and internal and external reporting needs. The team ensures the effective management of data quality for student and course administration. Team members provide guidance and information on academic regulations, student‑ related polices and process to academic and other professional services staff.

Responsibilities include maintenance of student records from registration to graduation, a range of complex course administration duties, secretarial support to quality assurance committees and other administrative committees and handling a broad range of enquiries from students, staff, and partnership organisations, and at times externally from external links where students are placed for work experience or other elements of their programme.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Katie Nicholas via email: [e-mail]

Microsoft Word - JD Programmes Administrator.docx

The post will be based at Luton (with travel to other campuses as required)

The University is committed to equality of opportunity and values the diversity of all its workforce and student population.

At the University of Bedfordshire, inclusivity is a key University value, and we are committed to creating an environment in which we celebrate and value the diversity of our staff and student community and provide fair opportunity and outcomes for all.

We recognise that diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent and benefit from opportunities that the diversity of talent and thought creates.

We, therefore, particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in the University of Bedfordshire's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds (particularly in roles in grades 7 and above), disabled people; LGBTQ+ people; and women in some senior grades.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Benefits

• A generous pension and annual leave entitlement
• Free fitness classes and gym membership
• Flexible working arrangements
• Personal and professional development
• Family-friendly policies

Job Details

• Job Title: Course Officer
• Department: Registry
• Job Reports To: Senior Course Officer
• Location: Luton
• Pay Point: Grade 5

Context

This post sits within the remit of the Director of Student Registry Services and with the Operations teams. This post reports to the Senior Course Officer and is responsible for the delivery and support of the student lifecycle, from registration to graduation, including the related systems. The post holder is part of a team which is responsible for the management, organisation and support for student and course administration through the student life cycle, from registration to graduation. Teams provide high‑quality support to students, academic staff and professional services staff to ensure the delivery of an excellent student and academic experience. This role includes updating student records, related systems and reporting according to the academic calendar and internal and external reporting needs. The team ensures effective management of data quality for student and course administration. Team members provide guidance and information on academic regulations, student‑related policies and processes to academic and other professional services staff.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include maintenance of student records from registration to award, a range of complex course and assessment administration duties, secretarial support to quality assurance committees and other administrative committees, liaison with external examiners and handling a broad range of enquiries from students and staff and at times externally from external links where students are placed for work experience or other elements of their programme. Course Officers will also support the Assessments Team to ensure the effective delivery of assessment processes.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Work with the Head of Operations to manage the development of the student registration programme
2. To provide administration of student records for a range of programmes within the academic departments. This includes a wide range of inputs into the Student Record System relating to courses, units, students' assessments
3. To have responsibility for the management of the student journey at academic partnerships, working closely with the Faculty to ensure that partnerships are managed effectively and that student records relating to partnership students are accurately maintained. To provide a high level of customer service to all university stakeholders (e.g. students, staff, academics) in support of a positive experience
4. To provide secretarial and other services to committees (e.g. Cause for Concern, Fitness to Practise), and other meetings as required
5. To provide student related data from the Student Record System to support the effective administration of courses
6. To provide student data and analysis for external reporting to specific stakeholders as directed by the Senior Course Officer
7. To undertake recurring university activities including student induction and course and unit registration participation at graduation ceremonies and the use of student enquiry systems for recording and resolving student queries
8. To support the Senior Course Officer in ensuring adherence to Academic Regulations and the Academic Quality Framework requirements, including:

Sub‑Accountabilities for Item 8

• Timely, accurate delivery of documentation such as minutes of meetings including SSOQACs, SSECs and other Faculty meetings as required
• Working closely with the Assessments Team to ensure that the student assessment processes work efficiently and effectively throughout the student lifecycle, including exam paper collation and management, coursework submission deadlines and assessment due dates
• Representing the team as required in meetings to ensure that Regulations and changes to them are understood and communicated, also that local circumstances are considered in associated decision‑making processes
• Checking diets and units set up by Student Records
• Working with the apprenticeship team to maintain apprenticeship student records
• Clarifying with academics matters associated with unit choices within courses and ensuring adherence to required processes and time scales
• Working with academic and non‑academic colleagues to ensure that student feedback schemes are properly administered and outcomes recorded
• Maintenance of a wide range of records for academic quality assurance purposes

Accountabilities 9-12

1. Develop and maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with stakeholders across the university
2. To engage with appropriate training opportunities to promote professional effectiveness in this role
3. Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and participate in testing (e.g. User Acceptance Testing and Upgrade testing) to ensure the upgrades improvements meet the user requirements and business needs before release
4. To undertake such other duties as may be required by line management, in keeping with the knowledge, training, experience and grade of the post holder

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A Levels or equivalent qualification/experience
• Application form and certificates

Knowledge

• Knowledge of administrative systems and processes
• Knowledge of MS Office (word, excel and powerpoint), databases, email and the internet
• Knowledge of administration within the Higher Education sector
• ECDL
• Use of SITS
• Use of CRM software (university uses Tribal Enterprise Service Desk)
• Application form

Experience

• Experience of providing a highly proactive and comprehensive administrative service
• Working in a complex regulatory environment
• Working in rapidly changing environment
• Ability to work confidently with a variety of software packages and willingness to undertake relevant training.
• Working with databases
• Minuting committees

  Skills/abilities/competencies