College Office and Examinations Administrator

This is a pivotal position in a very busy College Office which will provide the successful applicant with key responsibilities and a varied workload. The person appointed will report to the Senior Tutor/Tutor for Graduates. They will take responsibility for particular workstreams while working closely with other team members to deliver core services to applicants, students, and academics. This is a rewarding post for someone who has excellent communication and administrative skills, and who is looking for diverse, fast-paced, and responsible work in a close-knit college office environment.,

• Support the Undergraduate Admissions & Academic Administrators with the undergraduate admissions exercise and assisting with the production and checking of decision letters, interview timetables and helping with the organisation of remote interviews.


• Support the Graduate Administrator with the graduate admissions exercise, as required.


• Work collaboratively to produce annual guidance to new students and deliver student arrival, induction and registration processes.


• Take oversight of the preparation of the College List of student members for the start of the academic year, and of termly updates as required.


• Ensure students are allocated Personal Tutors and College Advisers as appropriate.


• Oversee the College Office Assistants in producing and processing forms, transcripts and certification letters for all stages of the student career, and for alumni as required.


• Ensure student electronic files and College Records and eVision systems data is accurate and up-to-date.


COLLEGE OFFICE AND EXECUTIVE

• Support College Officers and/or other College Office staff in the preparation of paperwork for executive level committees.


• Undertake regular data analysis relating to student admissions, progress and outcomes.


• Respond to data analysis requests arising from PSED, Equality Monitoring, and strategic academic objectives as requested.


• Take overall responsibility for teamwork to ensure College Office paper files and electronic folders are kept in order and up-to-date.


• Take overall responsibility for the College Office inbox and for triage and delegation to other team-members.


• Co-ordinate with colleagues to provide cover for mailboxes as relevant during periods of leave, and manage the graduate inbox as required out of term-time (emergency emails only).


• Support the Undergraduate Admissions & Academic Administrators in administering the Teaching Management System (TMS).


• Handle all data in compliance with data protection regulation, undertaking the required preparatory and annual training.


EXAMINATIONS

The postholder has principal responsibility, with the oversight of the Senior Tutor, for the practical management and facilitation of all aspects of public examinations, examination adjustments for the Balliol student body.

This will include:

• Putting examination adjustments in place for students with approved adjustments - including guiding students through the process, receiving and distributing Student Support Plans, liaising with relevant colleagues in Balliol student support, welfare, academic administrators, Disability Advisory Service, Examinations and Assessments Service;


• Organising and planning College sittings - including booking rooms; booking invigilators; managing and timetabling invigilation arrangements; organising and setting up room and equipment; overseeing collection of exams from Exam Schools and return of papers/equipment; being present during college sittings or arranging for another member of the College Office to be present; organising invigilator payments;


• Liaising with students in receipt of approved adjustments in relation to examination venues, and accompanying students to look at alternative venues where necessary;


• Drafting and circulating information and instructions on examinations and college sittings for candidates;


• Acting as first point of contact for the College for Examination Schools and students during exams;


• Coordinating with relevant colleagues in College, Examination Schools and relevant academic departments/faculties;


• Keeping informed about and providing advice on University and College policies and procedures, examination regulations and conventions, providing updates from the Examinations and Assessments Team (Exam Schools);


• Working collaboratively to administer College examinations (collections) at the start of each term;


• Keeping accurate records of College and public examination results, liaising as required with the Student Finance Administrator in respect of academic awards.


RECRUITMENT AND RIGHT TO WORK

• Provide administrative support for the induction and onboarding phases of academic and College Office recruitment exercises, and with Equal Opportunities Monitoring data analysis as required.


• Undertake regular training to keep up-to-date with right to work processes and policy, to include regulations relating to the Student Visa Route, Tier 2 and Tier 5 visas.


• Undertake right to work checks for all those employed by the College on a casual basis.


• Maintain right to work databases and ensure that logs are kept up-to-date.


GENERAL DUTIES

• Arrange appointments, dealing as required with correspondence, notices, advertisements, telephone calls.


• Comply with the College's Information Security Policy.


• Undertake training as required or recommended.


• Respond positively to occasional requests for additional assistance from the Senior Tutor/Tutor for Graduates., Prospective applicants wishing to discuss the position should contact Katie Watson, Undergraduate Administrator, or Nicola Trott, Senior Tutor/Tutor for Graduates.
  
  Experience of academic administration and/or evidence of relevant administrative skills in the Higher Education sector.


• Willingness to take responsibility where required and capacity to work independently using own initiative.


• Strong problem-solving skills with the capability to think laterally and creatively to resolve issues as they arise and consult as appropriate.


• Able to understand and follow complex administrative systems and processes.


• The ability to work quickly and calmly under pressure whilst maintaining meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.


• Experience of managing and producing work to high professional standards. Evidence of a high standard of written and oral communication, with ability to convey information clearly.


• Excellent organisational, multi-tasking and time management skills and evidence of successfully prioritising competing demands to meet deadlines in a busy working environment.


• Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build effective working relationships with students, academic and administrative staff across the collegiate University.


• Ability to work as part of a team, offering proactive support to and collaborating effectively with colleagues. Willingness to be flexible and accommodating as part of the college office team when workloads fluctuate across the academic year.


• Evidence of excellent computer literacy including familiarity with MS Office 365 (particularly Excel) and willingness to undertake training in University IT systems (eVision, ADSS, SharePoint) if necessary.


• Working tactfully and discreetly when dealing with material of a confidential or sensitive nature.


• Educated to degree level (or equivalent).


• Sympathy with the aims and objectives of an Oxford college and the collegiate University.
  
  Balliol was founded in 1263 and is now one of the larger Oxford colleges, with about 400 undergraduates and a similar number of graduates in residence at any one time. The College takes academic work very seriously, but visitors are generally struck by the informal and friendly feel of the place. The College occupies a historic site in the middle of Oxford.


Balliol is a constituent college of the University of Oxford and employs some 80 fellows, 50 lecturers and about 180 support staff with Dame Helen Ghosh as its current Master. The College Office consists of a small team of twelve, who work collaboratively in a friendly and supportive environment.

Pension: the post-holder would be eligible to join the USS, with contributions being made by the post-holder and by the College.

Annual Leave: the holiday year begins on 1 January. The post-holder will receive a paid entitlement of 30 working days during the complete holiday year (pro rata); 5 days' holiday must be taken during the Christmas closed period. Please note that the College reserves the right to require staff to work any or all of May Day and the Spring and Autumn Bank Holidays, with a day off in lieu of each such day worked.

Probation and Notice: the probationary period will be 12 months, during which time the length of notice is one month on either side, given in writing. Following successful completion of probation, the length of notice thereafter will be three months, given in writing.

Staff Development: the Oxford Learning Institute and University's IT Services run extensive programmes of training courses. The post-holder will be required to attend essential systems training (if not already undertaken) and enabled to attend sessions or train online as appropriate.

Meal Entitlement: two-course hot meal when the College kitchens are open.

Transport: the College operates a bus pass scheme.

Sports Facilities: access to the College's gym and free use of the University swimming pool.