Further Particulars: Academic Administrator

FURTHER PARTICULARS: ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR

Job Title: / Academic Administrator (Full-time, Fixed-Term, Maternity Cover)
Department: / College Office
Responsible to: / Senior Tutor
Responsible for: / Admissions Officer
Graduate Officer/Administrative Assistant
College & Schools Liaison Officer
Job Purpose: / The Academic Administrator serves as Registrar in respect of the current junior members of Lincoln College, has operational responsibility for the College Office, and assists the Senior Tutor in the exercise of his/her functions.

The College Office is the department of the College responsible for academic affairs related to all the junior members of the College, from the initial stage of application through to the completion of their degrees. It maintains records of all the teaching done for the College and liaises closely with other College departments responsible for accommodation and fees and charges. The responsible Fellow is the Senior Tutor whose role also incorporates that of Tutor for Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions. The Academic Administrator is the senior administrator in charge of the College Office under the Senior Tutor. The other members of the team are an Admissions Officer who manages the admissions process for both undergraduates and graduates, the Graduate Officer, who is responsible for the graduates in residence as well as undertaking specific tasks to support the Admissions Officer, the Academic Administrator and the Senior Tutor, and the Schools Liaison Officer (0.5 fte) who is the point of contact for Schools, colleges, prospective applicants and their families, and who undertakes a range of activities to support and strengthen the College’s schools outreach and access work.

The Academic Administrator is, therefore, at the heart of the College’s operations and enjoys a challenging and varied role. The post brings opportunities to cooperate with colleagues in the other departments of the College and to liaise with colleagues from many departments and sections of the University of Oxford. The post holder will develop skills and experience in a wide range of aspects of academic administration.

Lincoln College

Lincoln College is a medium-sized College housed in attractive medieval buildings in the centre of the city, on Turl Street. The College has 50 Fellows, around 600 students, equally divided between graduates and undergraduates, and a large body of administrative and domestic staff. Further information may be found on the College’s website:

Duties of the Academic Administrator

1. Student Induction

The Academic Administrator is responsible for managing the induction of all students admitted to the College. Specific tasks include: co-ordinating freshers’ programmes including providing details of the Matriculation Ceremony; providing information packs both pre- and post- entry; ensuring all students have signed the student contract; ensuring all students are registered with either the College Doctor or a GP in Oxford; and ensuring all current students have University Cards.

2. Academic Registrar

The Academic Administrator is the College’s Registrar and with the assistance of the Graduate Officer ensures that up-to-date electronic and paper records are maintained on all current students, liaising as required with the University and external bodies. Specific tasks include, processing change of circumstance forms, completing the annual survey of student status and residency for the University, monitoring attendance of undergraduate student visa-holders

3. Student progress

The Academic Administrator is responsible for ensuring that the College has in place the mechanisms which enable it to track student progress, assisting the Senior Tutor in the monitoring of poor academic performance; administering the arrangements for college prizes and awards. Specific tasks include arranging the Rector’s diary of progress review meetings with undergraduates (‘Rector’s Collections’); administering temporary suspension of study; producing, or overseeing the production of, student transcripts.

4. Teaching Administration

The Academic Administrator supports the Senior Tutor in the organisation of teaching for undergraduates, monitoring the teaching undertaken by or for the college (using the OxCort database system) and arranging for payments to be made to external tutors each term. Specific tasks include undertaking right to work checks on new employees and casual tutors and entering detailsinto a central database; calculating Fellows’ stint data each year; providing analysis of data relating to UG teaching.

5. University Examinations

The Academic Administrator is responsible for ensuring that Lincoln students are entered for University Examinations and for making special arrangements where required in cases of disability, illness or other particular circumstances. Specific tasks include issuing each term appropriate examination entry forms to students; applying to the Proctors’ Office for special arrangements and dispensations in cases of disability, illness or other particular circumstances; dealing with examination-related emergencies such as non-attendance; and making suitable arrangements for examinations to be taken in College under trained invigilators; arranging for the incarceration of students with timetabling clashes, and administering the procedures for dealing with illegible scripts.

6. Other student-related activities

The Academic Administrator is the Disability Contact for the College, and works closely with the Disability Advisory Service, with disabled students or applicants, with tutors and with colleagues in other parts of the College and the University to monitor the provision of special arrangements for students with disabilities. He or she is also responsible for the efficient discharge of a range of other activities related to student welfare, feedback and the provision of information. Other specific tasks include handling non-admissions related queries to the College Office; administering the award of travel grants, book grants and vacation study grants to junior members;co-ordinating the annual updating of the Student Handbook; distributing feedback questionnaires to undergraduates, and updating those sections of the College website dedicated to current and prospective students.

7. Office Management

The Academic Administrator has operational responsibility for the smooth running of the College Office and has overall line management of the Admissions Officer and Graduate Officer. He or she is also responsible for ensuring that the College Office staff holidays are so arranged that the College Office is always adequately staffed during vacations.

8. Committee Work

The Academic Administrator supports the Senior Tutor by servicing and minuting the Senior Tutor’s Committee, which is held twice a term, and of the meetings of academic appointment panels as and when necessary.

9. Assistance to the Senior Tutor

The Academic Administrator deputises as required in the Senior Tutor’s absence.

The Academic Administrator is responsible for all academic recruitment procedures, under the direction of the Senior Tutor. This includes generation of advertisements, drafting of further particulars, collation of applications, organising of shortlisting and interviews, communication with candidates. drafting Contracts of Employment; and liaising with other departments of the College on reception of new appointees. He or she will also coordinate annual updates of internal handbooks, administer Fellows’ sabbatical and Special Leave requests, applications for Research grants and Equipment loans. The Academic Administrator also supports the Senior Tutor in ensuring the College upholds its duties under the Equality Act, the Data Protection Act, and other legal and policy frameworks, insofar as these relate to students and academic staff.

Person specification

The successful candidate will fulfil the following essential criteria:

• Degree-level education or equivalent,
• Evidence of administrative competence and of experience in of comparable activities to those required of the post holder,
• Ability to deal confidently with a wide variety of people including Fellows, other College staff, students, University administrators,
• Ability to work calmly under pressure, prioritising work and meeting deadlines,
• Ability to work in an organised and methodical fashion with accuracy and attention to detail,
• Good problem solving skills and the ability to exercise judgement,and take initiative,
• Excellent IT skills appropriate to a Windows-based office, including word-processing,manipulating spread sheets, handling databases and preparedness to learn new applications as required

• Strong written and oral communication skills,
• Ability to work independently and flexibly as a member of a small team,
• Understanding of the demands of confidentiality,
• Sympathy with the aims, objectives and academic values of an Oxford College.

The successful candidate may meet the following desirable criteria:

•Administrative experience in higher education, particularly in the University and/or Colleges of Oxford,

•Experience of servicing committees,

•Evidence of report writing and preparation of policy and procedural documents ,

•Experience of supervising staff.

The successful candidate should be prepared to undertake training to equip him or her to discharge the job.

Terms and Conditions

Availability:This is a fixed-term post covering the maternity leave of the existing postholder. The post is available from 6th January 2014 until 19th January 2015.

Appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire and the provision of proof of the right to work in the UK.

Salary scale: / £29541- £36,298 p.a. (equivalent to Grade 7 on the University of Oxford pay scale), the entry point to be determined by level of experience.

Annual leave: 38 days per annum, which includes 8 public holidays. The Academic Administrator is expected to take 8 days of this holiday entitlement during the official period of College closure in December-January, the remainder to be taken at such time or times as shall be mutually convenient, and agreed in advance with the Senior Tutor. Holidays may not normally be taken in term time and never during the periods when University Examinations are held. Public Holidays falling in term time will normally be worked but will bring entitlement to two days in lieu

Probationary period: three months

Notice period: Within the probationary period, 1 week on either side, thereafter three months on either side.

Pension: / The postholder will be enrolled automatically in the USS pension scheme, with the right to opt-out. Current members of the OSPS may elect to remain within this scheme.
Meals: / Free lunch is provided on working days
Hours of working: / Full time (36.25 hour week). Standard office hours are 8.30 am to 4.45 pm each day with an unpaid lunch break. However, the Academic Administrator will be expected to work such hours as are reasonably required to carry out his/her duties to the satisfaction of the Senior Tutor, including occasional attendance outside these times. Overtime is not usually paid but time off in lieu may be taken.

How to Apply

Prospective candidates should send the following information to the Bursar’s Secretary - by12 noon on Monday 25th November 2013: (i) a full CV, (ii) a covering letter stating how their skills, experiences, and interests equip them to undertake this role and (iii) a completed Application Form, which you can find attached to these Further Particulars. Applications by email are preferred. Postal applications may be sent to The Bursar’s Secretary (AcAd), Lincoln College, Turl Street, Oxford, OX1 3DR, to arrive by the deadline given above.

This post is subject to recruitment monitoring to ensure that the selection process is consistent with the law and the College’s Equal Opportunity Policy and Code of Practice; to this end, applicants are asked to complete a Recruitment Monitoring Form, which is available on the website. This should be sent to The Human Resources Manager, Lincoln College, at the address given above. The information supplied on the form will play NO part in the selection process, and will NOT be seen by any member of the selection panel.

It is expected that interviews will be held at Lincoln College in the week commencing 2nd December 2013.

Other Information

Equal Opportunities statement: The policy and practice of Lincoln College requires that all staff are afforded equal opportunities within employment. Entry into employment and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Where suitably qualified individuals are available, selection committees will contain at least one member of each sex.

DataProtection. All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.[1]

Any enquiries related to these Further Particulars should be directed in the first instance to the Senior Tutor, Dr Louise Durning ().

Lincoln College

Oxford OX1 3DR

APPLICATION FORM – Academic Administrator (Maternity Cover)

Post Reference Number: AC2013/06

Please complete this form and attach a full curriculum vitae together with a letter of application explaining why you are applying for this position and how you meet the selection criteria outlined in the further particulars.

Full Name & Title
Address for correspondence / Telephone number
Daytime:
Home:
Fax number:
Email(s)
Details of two referees, at least one of whom must represent your current or most recent employer / institute of education.
Name
Address
Telephone
Email
Relationship to you / Name
Address
Telephone
Email
Relationship to you
Details of Higher Education (name of degree(s), subject(s), grade(s), institution(s) and dates):
Details of current and previous posts / employment (name of institution, job title, date, salary and reason for leaving):
Have you any unspent criminal convictions to declare in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974?
If so please specify on a separate sheet. / YES / NO
Do you have current and valid permission to be in the United Kingdom and to do the type of work offered?
(Documentation will be required.) / YES / NO
Will you need a work visa under Tier 2 of the points based migration system?
See / YES / NO

To the best of my knowledge the answers given to the questions and all statements made both on this form and within all other documents associated with this employment application are true and accurate. Any falsification may be considered sufficient cause for rejection, or if employed, dismissal.

Signature of Applicant…………………………………..………….……….…Date……………………

All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post, and will be held in accordance with the principals of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the College’s Data Protection Policy.

It is the College’s policy to employ the best qualified personnel and provide equal opportunities for the advancement of employees including promotion and training and not to discriminate against any person because of age, colour, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, nationality, national origin, parental status, race, religion or belief, gender, or sexual orientation.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 12.00 midday (UK time) on Monday 25th November 2013

Applications by email are preferred. Please send this application form together with a CV and covering letter to

Postal applications may be sent to

Bursar’s Secretary (AcAd),

Lincoln College,

Turl Street,

Oxford,

OX1 3DR

to arrive by the deadline given above.

This documentation is available in large print, audio or other formats on request.

1

[1]But NB if the person appointed to the post is a migrant sponsored under the UK’s new points-based migration system, we are required to retain all applications for the duration of the sponsorship.