Admissions Officer

Job details

Department

The Registry

Responsible to

Admissions Manager

Location

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

Salary

£29,476 to £32,406 per annum (For exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £37,267 per annum)

Closing date

Sunday 6 August 2023

Contract type

Permanent

Post type

Full-time

Reference

0253-23

About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and dedicated individual to join a brilliant department that plays a pivotal role in the success of the University and applicant engagement. 

The Admissions team provides a vital service to enable the University to meet its student recruitment targets by delivering an excellent customer experience. The Admissions team remit covers UK and international students across the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. 

As Admissions Officer you will work with the Admissions Manager and other key stakeholders to deliver a customer-focused, compliant, efficient and effective admissions service for the University. This will include ensuring that processes are aligned to the University’s strategy and policies, managing high and unpredictable volumes during peak periods, meeting KPIs such as turnaround times, and ensuring compliance requirements are met. 

You will manage a team of Admissions Advisors with a portfolio of courses. While a defined area of work will be allocated each year, usually on a rotational basis, you will be expected to work collaboratively across all areas.

We are looking for a customer-focused individual with excellent organisational skills who can use complex systems and provide line management to our professional, proactive, and motivated team. 

Principal accountabilities

Work with colleagues to deliver an effective, customer-focused admissions service. This includes continuously improving procedures, processes, systems, activities, and meeting KPIs; researching and recommendation of entry tariff points/grades; meeting recruitment targets; ensuring effective governance of data for external returns such as university league tables.

Support institutional goals for candidate quality and enhance applicant conversion.

Identify and implement opportunities to improve the approach, tools and methodologies used by the admissions team to meet applicants’ needs.

Understand and adhere to the University’s Admissions Policy, Office for Students (OfS) conditions and other regulations, frameworks, processes and applicant experience to ensure that College, UCAS and statutory bodies’ requirements are met.

Make decisions on complex non-standard applications and queries relating to fee status or visa requirements; ratifying any judgement decisions which carry a risk.

Work with the Admissions Manager to implement practice which widens participation to higher education and upholds the values of equality and social inclusion in admissions.

Understand UKVI compliance requirements in relation to international admissions, and ensure effective and timely management of international applications, from initial assessment of application through to Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) issuance.

Ensure that service provided to applicants and stakeholders is delivered as expected and to a high standard.

Assist in establishing service level agreements with internal stakeholders and service providers. In doing so, reviewing feedback from applicants, partners and stakeholders and adjusting services to reflect customer needs and requirements.

Support institutional liaison with UCAS, Department for Education (DfE) and other relevant bodies and in particular help gather information to assist with responding to consultations and directives as required.

Communicate clearly and effectively with internal and external stakeholders, this includes producing information for reports to support institutional decision making.

Liaise and support the Admissions Managers to create and maintain institutional groups/methods for engaging and supporting college management, admissions tutors and others. This will serve to support consultation but also to brief and inform colleagues in the institution on admissions developments and requirements, including the development of new/reformed qualifications for entry to Higher Education.

Line manage a team of Admissions Advisors, ensuring that they are enabled and supported to deliver an excellent service.

Deputise for the Admissions Manager when required by supporting management of senior relationships and the profile of the Admissions area.

Ensure that the admissions team act in a responsible, professional manner and comply with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and data security legislation/policy.

Develop and document all the key policies, procedures and standards relating to key operations within admissions and ensure they are regularly reviewed and updated.

Provide a high level of technical expertise, support and tactics to benefit recruitment, conversion and compliance.

Develop and deliver a programme of induction, training and continuous development for admissions staff, academics, and other stakeholders in order to maintain best practice best practice and compliance.

Ensure that key governance and quality assurance underpins the process of admission across all the department to ensure performance and minimise risk.

Maintain a good level of awareness and knowledge of sector trends, practice and developments.

Seek opportunities for continuous service improvement and development through research, evidenced based practice and departmental learning.

Person specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent qualification) or comparable knowledge and transferable skills gained through professional experience

Experience

• Line management experience
• Experience of delivering a service operation
• Experience of successful implementation of business processes and systems
• Experience of managing change at a tactical/operational level
• Demonstrable experience of successfully managing competing priorities within a resource-limited environment
• Demonstrable experience of working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve common goals
• Experience of building and maintaining strong working relationships

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Excellent ability to balance multiple priorities, planning and managing own and team members’ workload
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify the root cause of issues and implement effective solutions
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy in dealing with a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong customer and service focus
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good judgement of situations and people and the ability to respond appropriately, professionally and commendably
• Ability to adapt and be flexible
• Ability to work through service pressures methodically and calmly
• Ability to understand and apply regulations such as GDPR
• Excellent digital literacy and ability to confidently use a range of tools such as Microsoft Office Suite, CRM systems and database products

Business requirements

• Able to work flexibly from home and at our Kedleston road site
• Willing and able to work outside of normal hours during peak periods in the year, particularly during August and September. Prior notice will be given for evening and weekend work

Desirable Criteria
Qualifications

• Relevant professional body membership

Experience

• Demonstrable management experience in a busy service environment
• Experience of working in an admissions/recruitment team
• Experience of working in the Higher Education sector
• Understanding of a post-16 vocational institution 

How to apply

You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.

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If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at [email protected] .

Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.

Important information

Please note that unfortunately, this role will not attract sufficient points to obtain a sponsored Skilled Worker visa under the UK Visas & Immigration points based immigration system; however, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route..

Please consult the Home office website for further information.

Equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings.

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Further details

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Why join Derby?

Challenging, interesting and constantly changing, the University of Derby is an extraordinary place to learn and an incredibly rewarding place to work.

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We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect everyone who works for us to also share this commitment and to treat people with courtesy and respect.