Benchmark Role Profile for Department Administrator (APML3)

Version 2.0

Last amended: March 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM

Job Title:Department Administrator

School/Department:

Salary:

Job Family and Level:Administrative, Professional and Managerial Level 3

Contract Status:

Hours of Work:

Location:

Reporting to:

The Purpose of the Role:

The purpose of the role is to manage, supervise and implement the administration of the large Department across the range of its activities, providing support and strategic advice to the Head of Department and academic members of staff.

Main Responsibilities: / % time per year
1. / Assessment:
  • Managing coursework procedures, including co-ordinating coursework deadlines, implementing procedures for submission and receipt, application of late submission/excess wordage penalties, and return of feedback.
  • Managing the organisation of examinations, investigations, and exam boards, liaising with External Examiners.
  • Responsible for producing examination spreadsheets, module mark sheets, examination papers.
  • Representing the Department at University assessment boards.
  • Co-ordinating extenuating circumstances documentation.
  • Drafting exam boards reports and producing pass-lists.
/ 25%
2. / Student records:
  • Review and recommend improvements to Student records procedures.
  • Manage all aspects of undergraduate registration, responsible for design and update of Week 1 activities.
  • Manage and be responsible for co-ordinating student module entry procedures, ensuring that all students are registered on correct modules. Dealing pro-actively with any problems as they arise. Supervising entry of data onto SATURN.
  • Manage Department’s Undergraduate and student records.
  • Develop and maintain systems to produce accurate information and advise the Head of Department and School Manager on planning and strategic issues.
/ 25%
3. / Documentation and policies:
  • Up-date and redraft Undergraduate handbooks.
  • Maintain catalogue of modules on SATURN, liaising with academic staff
  • Responsible for co-ordinating module submission documents and programme specifications.
  • Ensuring the Department adheres to the University policies and procedures with regard to quality issues.
  • Advising academic staff on School and University policies and procedures to ensure the Department meets University and School regulations.
  • Draft reports, important correspondence and recommendations for a variety of external and University audiences.
/ 10%
4. / Advice and supervision:
  • Liaison point between students and academic staff.
  • Independently resolve undergraduate and postgraduate queries.
  • Respond to complaints and resolve problems involving other schools/departments or external contacts, decide when to refer.
  • Oversee the roles of other office staff regarding their allocated areas of responsibility, as directed by the Head of Department.
/ 10%
5. / Finance:
  • Draft recommendations for improved financial management.
  • Manage departmental and research accounts to ensure accuracy and to investigate and resolve any incorrect charges. Provide HoD and Principal Investigators status of accounts.
  • Supervise the processing of expense claims, purchase orders, receiving goods, collection of funds, bank deposits, sales, and cash handling, verifying accuracy and timely delivery for accurate financial reporting.
  • Manage, budget and organise overseas study trip for Undergraduate students.
/ 10%
6. / Curriculum support:
  • Co-ordinate and organise field trips and fieldwork for students overseeing transportation, scheduling, collecting and depositing contributions and maintaining attendance records for student files on field trips and field work. Responsibility for Risk Assessment.
  • Work with the School Administrator to co-ordinate Course Review and quality audit activities.
  • Develop and maintain a system to record and track coursework submission.
  • Organise and co-ordinate Department Open Days/UCAS procedures.
/ 10%
7. / Other duties:
  • Service all of the Department’s Committees, following up action points.
  • Co-ordinate repairs, minor works and office moves to ensure a safe and well-maintained environment for staff, students and visitors.
  • Make arrangements for new permanent/temporary staff and visiting lecturers to ensure a smooth integration into the Department.
  • Co-ordinate undergraduate admissions processes, including Department Open Days, production of undergraduate recruitment and admissions materials, in liaison with Undergraduate Admissions Officer.
  • Co-ordinate and organise international student and staff exchanges, including Erasmus-Socrates and Universitas 21.
/ 10%
8. / Any other duties appropriate to the grade and role

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications/Education / HNC/HND, or equivalent plus English and maths at GCSE or equivalent OR substantial work experience in further or higher education.
RSA III typing/work processing or equivalent qualification / Educated to degree level, or equivalent
Knowledge/Skills/Training / High level of IT skills, including MS Word, Excel and Access and ability to integrate different packages.
Skills in drafting complex documentation
Excellent verbal and written communication skills. / Knowledge of SATURN
Experience / Considerable experience in relevant field. / Previous relevant work experience in a Higher Education environment.
Other / Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
Ability to work accurately under pressure and to meet deadlines.
Flexible approach
Appreciation of other cultures and languages.
Decision Making

i)Taken independently by the role holder;

  • Plan and organise own workload and delegate work.
  • Deal independently with enquiries from students and staff and people external to the University.
  • Resolve issues/problems not of routine nature.
  • Draft reports, important correspondence and recommendations.
  • Organisation of registration arrangements.

ii)Taken in collaboration with others;

  • Up-dating central information on SATURN (e.g. module submission documents, programme specifications).
  • Up-dating staff, undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks.
  • Department Open Days.

iii)Referred to the appropriate line manager by the role holder;

  • Serious complaints from student and others.
  • Personnel issues relating to other staff.

Additional Information

This is a vital role, involving managerial, strategic input and supervisory activities: co-ordinating and organising the administration of the Department, and ensuring its smooth running, thereby enabling the Department to meet its objectives of high-quality research and teaching. The role requires the role-holder to work independently and pro-actively to provide a wide range of advice and support to the Head of Department, academic staff and students. The role-holder is expected to liaise with central support services, academic staff and the School in order to fulfil University regulations. They have an important input into the framing of School practices and policies with a view to constantly updating them, improving them and making them more efficient.

/ The University of Nottingham strongly endorses Athena SWAN principles, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in furthering women’s careers. It is our mission to ensure equal opportunity, best working practices and fair policies for all.