Education and Student Experience Assistant

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Discounts

Staff networks

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking an organised administrator to join the Education and Student Experience team. You will be the first point of contact on the school’s reception, handling enquiries from students, staff and visitors, and providing frontline support to ensure an outstanding student experience.

You will manage a range of administrative tasks, maintain accurate records, and support events, exams, and timetabling while working flexibly in a busy environment.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent experience).
• Previous experience of working within a reception or customer service environment.
• Excellent customer service skills in person, by phone and email.
• Ability to carry out effective administrative duties in a busy environment.
• Commitment to working flexibly, including prioritising urgent or unscheduled tasks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with sensitive verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Proven IT skills, with experience of Microsoft and Google packages.
• Ability to work as part of a team, while using own initiative.
• Ability to maintain information with high accuracy and attention to detail.
• Assessment/test as part of selection.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact at the school’s reception and handle enquiries from students, graduates, staff and visitors.
• Signpost and refer confidential student-related matters to relevant information sources or services.
• Compile and collate student information using information systems and assist with inputting marks and updating records.
• Respond to general information requests and refer complex queries to colleagues.
• Plan and organise events, including welcome activities and graduation support.
• Administer ethics applications and related processes for in-curricular activities.
• Support Extenuating Circumstances and Extensions processes, referring complex cases as required.
• Provide high quality administrative service for education and student experience meetings, including diary management and minute taking.
• Carry out general admin duties to support Education and Student Experience and cross-team collaboration.
• Provide first line support for Blackboard queries and assist in setting up assessment groups.
• Liaise with other schools and professional services to provide joined-up student service.
• Suggest improvements to school processes to enhance student and staff experience.
• Support colleagues to deliver the full remit of responsibilities in a timely manner.

Skills

Customer service

Interpersonal communication

IT literacy

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

You will be part of a team that develops, manages and improves the effective organisation of our taught programmes and related student procedures. You will ensure policies and processes across the student journey are clear and straightforward, meet regulatory requirements, are consistently applied and deliver educational excellence.

You will provide crucial frontline support, representing the school in real time to deliver an outstanding student experience. As well as working on a reception, you will take ownership of a range of administrative tasks that support students as they progress through their programme.

The ideal candidate will have outstanding customer service and interpersonal skills, and an ability to put people at ease through sophisticated and sensitive verbal and non-verbal communication skills. We are looking for a flexible, confident and enthusiastic approach to work and a focus on improving the experience of our students. Excellent time management skills along with the ability to work on a range of tasks in a timely and accurate way are also essential

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact on the school’s reception taking care of enquiries from students, graduates, staff and visitors in person, via email and chat functions and telephone, recording enquiries on various information systems as required.
• Take care of sensitive, confidential, and personal student-related matters, signposting and referring appropriately to relevant information sources, self-help resources and specialist services as required.
• Compile and collate student information using a range of University Information Management Systems; assisting with the collation and inputting of student assignment and examination marks onto databases, monitoring and updating student records, including change of status, repeat study and assisting in the preparation of student letters.
• Respond to requests for general student information, referring more complex queries to other colleagues in the team.
• In collaboration with colleagues, plan and organise events to a high standard, including supporting welcome and induction activities and graduation.
• Administer ethics applications and related processes related to in-curricular activity.
• Support the School’s Extenuating Circumstances and Extensions processes, referring complex cases to senior colleagues as required.
• Provide a high quality administrative service for education and student experience meetings, including diary management and date setting, accurate minute taking and subsequent write up, ensuring timely follow-up of actions from meetings are received, and collating and distributing papers.
• Carry out general administrative duties to support the effective delivery of Education and Student Experience. This may include across activities related to assessment and feedback, academic misconduct, student voice (eg TellUS configuration) and timetabling, as well as broader cross-team support , working collaboratively across the team as required.
• Provide first line support and troubleshooting for Blackboard queries, updating templates in Blackboard, creating guidance for staff/students, and assisting in setting up assessment groups and other activities.
• Liaise and collaborate with other schools and professional service departments to provide a joined-up service to students.
• Suggest improvements to the School’s processes and activities in order to improve the student and staff experience.
• Support colleagues across the Education and Student Experience Team to ensure that the School is able to deliver the full remit of its responsibilities in a timely and effective manner. Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential Or Desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent experience)

Essential
Application
Previous experience of working within a reception or within a customer service environment

Essential
Interview /
Application
Excellent customer service skills, with experience of working within a customer facing environment, including responding efficiently and effectively to face-to-face, phone and email enquiries

Essential
Interview /
Application
An ability to carry out effective administrative duties in a busy and sensitive customer care environment, including responding quickly and confidently to a range of complex enquiries from a diverse audience.

Essential
Interview /
Application
Commitment to working flexibly, including prioritising urgent or unscheduled tasks and accommodating changes.

Essential
Interview /
Application
Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to use sensitive verbal and non-verbal communication.

Essential
Interview /
Application
Proven IT skills, with experience of working with Microsoft packages, Google packages, email and the internet.

Essential
Interview /
Application
Ability to work as part of a team, whilst being willing and able to to work independently and on own initiative.

Essential
Interview /
Application
Ability to maintain information with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail

Essential
Test

Further Information

Grade

4

Salary

£25,754 - £29,354

Work arrangement

Full-time

Duration

4th January 2027 - Permanent

Line manager

Student Experience Manager

Direct reports

n/a

Our website

https://sheffield.ac.uk/mac

For informal enquiries about this job contact Leanne Brunt, School Manager ([e-mail])

Next steps in the recruitment process

This will consist of an Interview and an In-Tray Exercise. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage soon after the post closes. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail]

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What We Offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
• paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
• support for those going through the menopause
• paid time off and support for fertility treatment
• and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.