Senior Student Support Adviser

The Open University UK; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking a Senior Adviser to join the Student Support Hub in Nottingham, delivering informed advice to students and prospective students across the lifecycle. You will help with study choices, progression and satisfaction, using IAG principles and collaborating with specialist staff where needed.

You will handle diverse queries via calls, emails, and online channels, maintain accurate student records, and contribute to service improvements while working within agreed

Responsibilities

• Provide advice to students and potential students across the lifecycle via multiple channels (phone, email, webchat, letters, forums, social media, in person)
• Act as the first referral point for querying students, guiding them to appropriate information or specialists
• Navigate complex guidance needs, applying policies and guidelines within agreed procedures
• Record and maintain student records in university systems accurately
• Contribute to service standards, teamwork, and continuous improvement initiatives

Job description

Department: Student Information and Advice FBL and WELS

Closing Date: 26 August 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Permanent

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

As a Senior Adviser you will work within the Student Support Hub and will help students and prospective students make study choices that will lead to successful progression, qualification completion and customer satisfaction. The key duties are:

• To provide support, through the provision of advice to students and potential students across the student lifecycle on a wide range of queries from qualification, careers-based enquiries, change of study intentions to assignment extensions and tutor referrals, all received via a variety of channels to maximise student success.
• Where necessary to refer on to other staff with specialist expertise, as part of the Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) model; making interactions with The Open University as effortless and seamless as possible.
• To concentrate on the delivery of expert advice with a focus on a particular curriculum area and the associated Faculty, whilst also providing some advice across all curriculum areas when appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

To provide advice to support students and potential students via a number of channels including inbound and outbound phone calls, emails, letters, online webchat, online forums, social media and face-to-face:

• Act as the first point of referral for students and potential students requiring advice and information, using judgement and expertise to assess queries and ensure that guidance needs are identified and addressed, referring on where appropriate.
• Act as the first point of referral for students and potential students who may present with challenging issues and/or behaviour, e.g.; where a student is distressed because they have missed a deadline critical to their studies.
• Using your experience and initiative, you will navigate and respond to issues, interpreting and applying procedures and guidelines as laid out within agreed policies.

To undertake associated administrative and operational processes to action student and potential student requests:

• Accurately record and maintain student and potential student details on university systems and databases.
• Ensure that complex guidance needs and issues are identified and met, referring/transferring calls appropriately and effectively to other specialist staff as part of an IAG model.

To work as part of a flexible operation to provide support and answer queries from students, potential students and Associate Lecturers within agreed timescales. To work to a rota as part of a Work Force Management System to ensure that all activity is dealt with promptly and effectively and within agreed Service Levels:

• Participate actively in the achievement of agreed service standards.
• Exercise judgement in dealing with complex issues, interpreting and applying guidelines with initiative whilst operating within defined boundaries.

To assist proactively in the development and continuous improvement of good internal and inter-team working and service provision:

• Attending and actively participating in team meetings and developmental activities.
• Contributing to business improvement ideas and initiatives, making recommendations to managers as appropriate.
• Showing initiative in helping the team to run smoothly and working with and supporting other teams as required.
• Undertaking other activities as directed by the Manager.

To continually develop skills and knowledge to maintain and improve personal performance in the spirit of continuous improvement and to adopt correct and evolving business practices and procedures:

• Undertaking all duties in accordance with internal policy and external legislation.
• Working with the Manager, to understand personal performance and areas for development.
• Providing feedback to contribute to colleagues’ performance development.

About You

• A good standard of written English language, grammar and mathematics commensurate with the role.
• Experience of answering and actioning complex and diverse queries, using a wide range of information sources.
• Good communication skills: both oral and written, with effective telephone techniques and the ability to explain policies and processes in plain English as well as to write clearly, succinctly and correctly in plain English.
• Flexibility: including adaptability to changing circumstances, duties, work practices and systems and a commitment to ongoing development with the ability to demonstrate a rapid understanding of newly presented information.
• An ability to deal with and follow complex information and procedures: using initiative and judgement in problem-solving, whilst recognising boundaries.
• 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.
• Ability to maintain own knowledge bank in a coherent and systematic way and carry out research as necessary, whilst proactively identifying deficiencies in any shared information sources.
• Good interpersonal skills: including active listening skills and the ability to respond to identified needs using varied questioning techniques.
• Good planning and organisational skills: including the ability to cope with heavy workloads and to meet deadlines, working productively and accurately in a high-pressure environment.
• An understanding of team working and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to carry out the role in a way that is consistent with equality legislation and University policies.
• Relevant NVQ to Level 2 or above (e.g. Customer Services, Information, Advice and Guidance or Customer Care) or equivalent.
• Experience of inbound and outbound telephone conversations in a complex customer services environment.
• Experience of working to personal, team and organisational targets.
• Ability to use customer relationship management systems.

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.

Work Location

It is anticipated that this role will follow a hybrid working pattern, allowing you to work from both home and the office. As the role is contractually aligned to our Nottingham office, some in-office attendance will be required in line with business needs. We expect this to be full-time attendance during the initial six-week training period, followed by approximately one day per month thereafter.

Hours of work, leave during peak periods and travel.

• You will be required to work to an agreed pattern, between the hours of 8.00am – 8.00pm Monday to Friday, as directed by business demands. The current work pattern is between 8.00am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday.
• Please note that leave in the busy peak periods is severely restricted.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interview date is to be confirmed.

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.

Looking for Associate Lecturer (AL) roles?

Please use our AL home page to find AL vacancies.

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.