Qualifications Adviser

The Open University UK; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Milton Keynes office attendance

Job summary

The Open University is recruiting two Advisers to join the Qualifications Centre in Tuition, Assessment, Curriculum and Quality (TACQ). You will provide specialist information, advice and guidance to students and colleagues across the University by phone and email, and complete activities related to OU qualification awards.

Roles involve delivering services within a busy team, with a pattern 09:00-17:30, Monday to Friday, and some leave restrictions during peak periods.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in an environment providing advice and guidance to customers.
• Experience of responding to complex and diverse queries using a wide range of information sources.
• Experience of working with confidential information and an understanding of data protection issues.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with effective telephone techniques and the ability to explain policy and process clearly.
• Experience of working as part of a team in a busy environment and the ability and willingness to adapt to changes in working practices.
• Strong IT skills, including use of standard Microsoft Office packages, and the ability to learn to use a range of in-house and commercial systems.

Responsibilities

• To provide information advice and guidance on qualification requirements and regulations to students, colleagues and third parties.
• To update student qualification records in line with agreed university policies.
• To interrogate curriculum data base systems to inform student qualification assessment.
• To create and maintain documentation relating to the conferment of qualifications, take payments, dispatch duplicate certificates and manage stocks of certificate stationery.
• To contribute to identifying and implementing continuous improvement in service delivery to internal and external customers and maintaining agreed service standards.
• To use systems and processes effectively to support delivery of services to internal and external customers.
• To contribute to building a flexible culture within the sub-unit, responding positively to changes within the Centre and the University and contributing to project work when required.
• To be aware of KPIs and quality standards, and work in a way that supports them.
• To develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues across the University, passing on information promptly to ensure co-ordination of effort.
• To maintain a good knowledge of relevant OU policy and procedures.
• To undertake such duties as required by TACQ senior management.

Skills

Advice and guidance

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

IT skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

In-house systems

Commercial systems

Job description

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: Not Applicable

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

We are recruiting two Advisers to join the Qualifications Centre in Tuition, Assessment, Curriculum and Quality (TACQ).

As an Adviser, you’ll be responsible for a range of tasks within the Qualifications Centre, including qualification identification and completion, student qualification record maintenance and certification of OU awards. Activities vary throughout the year and will be determined by workflow through the centre and the cycle of events through the academic year.

The succesful candidate will provide specialist information, advice and guidance to students and colleagues across the University by phone and email. They will also be responsible for completing a range of specialised activities related to the award of OU qualifications including collaborative teaching schemes and the production and dispatch of certificates.

The succesful candidate will be working as part of a busy team and will be required to work to an agreed pattern, between the hours of 09:00 - 17:30 Monday - Friday.

Please note: There are leave restrictions during some periods of the year due to peak operations.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide information advice and guidance on qualification requirements and regulations to students, colleagues and third parties.
• To update student qualification records in line with agreed university policies.
• To interrogate curriculum data base systems to inform student qualification assessment.
• To create and maintain documentation relating to the conferment of qualifications, take payments, dispatch duplicate certificates and manage stocks of certificate stationery.
• To contribute to identifying and implementing continuous improvement in service delivery to internal and external customers and maintaining agreed service standards.
• To use systems and processes effectively to support delivery of services to internal and external customers.
• To contribute to building a flexible culture within the sub-unit, responding positively to changes within the Centre and the University and contributing to project work when required.
• To be aware of KPIs and quality standards, and work in a way that supports them.
• To develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues across the University, passing on information promptly to ensure co-ordination of effort.
• To maintain a good knowledge of relevant OU policy and procedures.
• To undertake such duties as required by TACQ senior management.

About You

• Experience of working in an environment providing advice and guidance to customers.
• Experience of responding to complex and diverse queries, using a wide range of information sources.
• Experience of working with confidential information and an understanding of data protection issues.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with effective telephone techniques and the ability to explain policy and process clearly.
• Experience of working as part of a team in a busy environment and the ability and willingness to adapt to changes in working practices.
• Strong IT skills, including use of standard Microsoft Office packages, and the ability to learn to use a range of in-house and commercial systems

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email [e-mail] quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required once per week on a Thursday in Milton Keynes. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

We anticipate that interviews for this role will be take place in person in Milton Keynes during week commencing 9 November 2026.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.