Job Description /
Job Details /
Job Title: / Joint Programme Administrator: Finance, Planning & Logistics
School/Dept/Institute & Centre: / School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
Reports to: / Director of Nanchang Joint Programme
Grade: / 4 / Full Time
Appointment period: / Indefinite
Current Location: / Mile End (limited travel to China)
Job Context /
The post is based within the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, home to 95 academic employees, 30 administrative staff and 28 technicians. The School of Biological and Chemical Sciences is divided into four departments – Chemistry & Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, Organismal Biology and Psychology. The School has approximately 1700 undergraduate students and is one of five Schools in the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
The School of Biological and Chemical Sciences (SBCS) is one of a number of academic Schools within QMUL that have Joint Programmes with Universities in China. The Joint Programme with Nanchang University provides an Undergraduate Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Biomedicine taught in Nanchang. The Joint Programme, was launched in 2013/14, and will progressively expand its student numbers from ca 850 now to ca 1250 over the next three years as well as developing its research portfolio.
The School is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering which comprises of five schools and two institutes. The Faculty’s student population has grown, both within the UK and overseas, in recent years and its research profile has strengthened considerably. The Faculty is focussed on establishing itself as one of the leading Faculties for Science and Engineering in the UK.
This post is part of the Professional Services Career Family at QMUL which support functions across multiple sites and provide the infrastructure and support for all our research, teaching and learning activities.
Job Purpose /
To take responsibility for the efficient and effective Finance and Logistical aspects of the UK based operations for the Joint Programme between Queen Mary and Nanchang University. Providing the Co-Director with the financial models, systems and support for monitoring of expenditure, including the organisation of fights and accommodation of staff travelling to China, with a budget of £1million.
The post-holder will work with the Co-Director of the Joint Programme and staff from Professional Services to model the budget for the Nanchang Joint Programme (approximately £4M in 2016/17), and thereby inform future strategy and planning.
The postholder will be first line contact for all financial and staff travel matters, working proactively and unsupervised to act decisively within the scope of established procedures and be responsible for ensuring financial records are up-to-date and compliant.
The post-holder will deputise for the Teaching and Learning Administrator when required and work alongside that individual.
Please note that whilst this Job Profile relates to the role of Joint Programme Administrator: Finance, Planning & Logistics based at the Mile End campus, this is one of a number of similar roles with the University. In order facilitate lateral career development and meet organisational needs you may be assigned work in a different School on a temporary or permanent basis following consultation.
Main Duties & Responsibilities /
· To be for responsible for the day-to-day Finance and logistics related administration, of the Nanchang Joint Programme including record keeping and reporting.
· To manage staff travel between the UK and China, including ticketing, hotels, and transportation (this includes ensuring that QM and JP travel booking regulations are adhered to -essential for future price negotiations). Researching the latest developments in the Nanchang hotel market to inform the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme’s negotiations for future long stay deals, and working with the Nanchang JP Co-Director in negotiations with airlines annually to obtain discounts on travel to China for all QMUL employees.
· To manage all aspects of visas required in the running of the Joint Programme (requires careful interpretation of frequently changing and often complex visa regulations as well as the provision of any visa invite letters required by Nanchang University)
· To manage other logistical aspects of the Joint Programme – this including shipping teaching materials, examination scripts and coursework etc. and keep abreast with import/ export regulations and with consideration of best value.
· To manage the delegation visits from Nanchang University and research presentations provided by QM staff at Nanchang University and reciprocal visits (including transport, accommodation, itineraries, meetings catering .
· To model the budget for the Nanchang Joint Programme in liaison with the Faculty Accountant and Chief Strategy Officer. This enables discussion and agreement of the budget for this developing programme in the PAR exercise, and is essential in order for the NCU JP Director to make strategic planning and decisions. To prepare all required documents for the College’s Annual Planning and Accountability Round (PAR) and any other financial paperwork required by the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme for the smooth running of the programme.
· The postholder is also required to provide management information and statistical data as required with regards to the finance and travel aspects of the operation.
· Under the guidance of the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme to manage accounts and budgets, monitor income and expenditure against forecasts and ensure targets are adhered to and income received in a timely manner, provide the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme with regular updates and reports and reconcile all accounts including payment cards and expenses claims.
· To manage all aspects with regards to the payment cards held by staff on the programme, this includes development of financial procedures, co-ordination of staff application for these cards and reconciliation and monitoring of payment cards.
· To provide comprehensive direction and advice on resource and financial compliance issues, financial procedures and policies to staff, and support staff members in all areas of budgetary control. Where appropriate, initiate, prepare and manage relevant training events. Identify and apply best practice within the Joint Programme, by working with established finance teams in the School and QM. Work with any internal and external finance staff to ensure that recommendations are fully implemented and regulations are adhered to.
· To manage any payments and procurements necessary for the smooth running of the operation and advise staff on relevant financial procedure. This includes purchasing scientific equipment for the support of student learning in China, maintaining an inventory of the equipment and purchasing laboratory consumables.
· To keep accurate travel records for staff, and using these to work with the tax advisors in China and College Payroll/Systems to ensure that staff tax liabilities in China are correctly calculated, and reclaimed by individual staff members.
· To assist and understudy the UK based Nanchang JP Administrator Teaching and Learning and deputise as required in the running of allthe examinations and QA processes.
· Responsible for the QM side of NCU JP communication strategy, which includesQM based websites of the Nanchang Joint Programme and updating mailing lists supporting the programme as well as update the College Directory.
· To organise the operational and financial aspects of the Nanchang JP summer school, which takes place over six weeks and will have 190 students attending in 2017, consulting the member of academic staff responsible when appropriate.
· To make the necessary arrangements (including travel) for the graduation ceremony which will first take place in 2018 in conjunction with other areas of QMUL, including the Events office and Principals Office.
· To assist the SBCS HR officer with the running of staff interview days (ie lunches, tours, chaperoning) and to co-ordinate the induction of new staff members including any necessary procurement, IT set up and staff access cards and Health and Safety requirements, the latter being under the guidance of the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme.
· To undertake such other reasonable duties as may be required by the QM Co-Director of the Joint Programme or the Head of School of Biological and Chemical Sciences.
The above list of responsibilities is not exhaustive and the jobholder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the level of the role, as reasonably requested by their line manager.
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of the responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot in themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
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Job ProfilePerson Specification /
This table lists the essential and desirable requirements needed in order to perform the job effectively. Candidates will be shortlisted based on the extent to which they meet these requirements.
/ Requirements / Essential / Desirable / How Assessed /Qualifications / Degree or equivalent experience / E / A
Knowledge,
Skills and
Experience / Relevant experience, ideally within a HEI, in an administrative role which involved working independently / E / A/I
Experience of administrative IT tools including spreadsheets, databases, web building, social media, etc. / E / A/OM
Experience in a financial role / D / A
Experience of working for a diverse range of individuals and groups over a range of functions / D / A/I
Experience of producing quality written work (e.g. explaining complicated regulations to staff or students, reports and information for committees) / E / A
Ability to empathise with the needs of staff working in an international context / E / I
Good numerical skills / E / A/I
Experience in working with policies and procedures in a pragmatic and solutions driven manner. / E / I
Ability to communicate concisely and effectively both orally and in writing, especially with individuals whose first language is not English / E / OM
Ability to work alone and as part of a team / E / I
Understanding of visa requirements to work in the UK and China / D / I
Ability to work unsupervised on own initiative and to plan workloads, balancing conflicting priorities and meeting deadlines / E / I
Excellent organisation skills, a methodical approach and strict attention to detail / E / I
Knowledge of the context, characteristics and current issues of higher education in the UK and China / E / I
Able and willing to travel to China and undertake certain administrative duties there, currently two to three visits per annum / E / I
Essential/Desirable:
E = Essential: Requirements without which the job could not be done.
D = Desirable: Requirements that would enable the candidate to perform the job well.
How Assessed:
A = Application I = Interview OM = Other Means (e.g. presentation, test, etc.)
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