Student Appeals and Complaints Coordinator

Northumbria University; North East; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent pension schemes

Flexible working

Flexible hours and location where role

Generous holiday entitlement

Positive work-life balance

Job summary

Northumbria University is seeking a Student Appeals and Complaints Coordinator to join the Student Appeals and Complaints Office within Legal Services. The role focuses on assessing complaints and academic appeals under the Handbook of Student Regulations and providing procedural guidance to students and staff.

The team handles sensitive cases and responds to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education.

Qualifications

• Honours degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience applying policies to individual cases and making evidence-based decisions.
• Intellectual and emotional resilience; impartiality and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Assess complaints and academic appeals against the Handbook of Student Regulations.
• Make impartial, evidence-based decisions on cases.
• Provide clear procedural guidance to students and staff.
• Respond to enquiries from students and staff.
• Manage sensitive and complex cases.
• Write accurate reports explaining the rationale for decisions.
• Respond to information requests from the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education.
• Collaborate with colleagues and share best practice.

Skills

Analytical skills

Verbal and written communication

Organising work

Independent and collaborative work

Handling feedback constructively

Decision making under pressure

Education

Honours degree or equivalent experience

Job description

The Student Appeals and Complaints Coordinator sits in the Student Appeals and Complaints Office at Northumbria University, a small team within Legal Services that decides formal appeals and complaints. The work centres on assessing complaints and academic appeals against the Handbook of Student Regulations, reaching impartial, evidence-based decisions and advising students and staff on procedure. Cases are often sensitive and complex, and the team also responds to Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education requests. Candidates need a good honours degree or equivalent experience, plus resilience.

What the job involves

• Assess complaints, academic appeals and other challenges against the Handbook of Student Regulations
• Make impartial, evidence-based decisions on cases
• Give clear procedural guidance to students and staff
• Respond to enquiries from students and staff
• Manage sensitive and complex cases
• Write accurate, well-reasoned reports explaining the rationale for decisions
• Respond to requests for information from the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
• Work on casework with colleagues across the University and share good practice
• Contribute to team learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Good honours degree or equivalent relevant experience

Experience

• Applying policies, regulations or procedures to individual cases and making evidence-based decisions

Skills & knowledge

• Strong analytical skills
• Assessing complex information and exercising sound judgement
• Explaining decisions clearly and confidently
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Organising work, prioritising competing demands and meeting deadlines
• Learning quickly, working independently and collaboratively, and responding constructively to challenge and feedback

Other

• Intellectual and emotional resilience
• Impartiality and professionalism when faced with challenging behaviour

What’s offered

• Excellent pension schemes
• Flexible working
• Flexible hours and location where the role allows
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Positive work-life balance