Senior Student Records and Awards Officer

About the University

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region. We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

The Registry supports the whole student journey, from initial enquiry and admission through to final award and beyond. We work as an integrated, student-focused service, using our expertise, insight and technology to deliver excellent services and support student success. Our teams work collaboratively across the University, fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture that promotes wellbeing, development and opportunity for all.

About the Student Records and Awards Team

Student Records and Awards support students throughout their whole student journey, from organising their first steps at enrolment to playing an integral role in students finally crossing the stage at graduation. Student Records and Awards works alongside our other colleagues in the Registry, to provide an outstanding service to all our users.

About the Role

The Senior Student Records and Awards Officer will provide team leadership for the University's awards and graduation activity, acting as the team lead for the Awards function within the Student Records and Awards team. Working closely with the Student Records and Awards Manager, the post holder will support the delivery of award and graduation processes, support the day-to-day management and development of staff, and help coordinate large-scale operational activities throughout the academic year.

The role also contributes to a broad range of student lifecycle and Registry functions, working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders across the University to ensure services are delivered accurately, efficiently and in line with regulations. A key focus of the position will be driving continuous improvement and supporting ongoing transformation initiatives, including the digitalisation of processes, enhancement of service delivery, and implementation of innovative solutions that improve the staff and student experience.

Principal Accountabilities

Responsible for day-to-day operations of the team around operational delivery and continuous improvement of procedures, processes, systems and policies on records, fees/funding, assessment, exams, awards, and graduation management and associated KPIs. This will include research and recommendation of regulatory changes, ensuring effective governance of data for external returns e.g. HESA and metrics for university league tables. Ensuring that all services supported by the team are delivered on time, accurate, effective, and professional, through staff development and effective utilisation of resource.

Responsible for compliance and assurance around student profiles and on programme activity against policies, regulations, and legislation. This will include the ongoing monitoring of audit reports and liaison with College Student Centres and other key stakeholders to ensure that all on campus students' profiles are accurate and compliant from an on programme and assessment perspective.

Responsible for the accurate maintenance of students records on the University Student Record System, including data entry for statistical and auditory returns, considering the need for accuracy and confidentiality. This includes responsibility for overseeing Registry data requirements within Data Futures and other returns.

Maintain and evolve further the student-centred culture to support institutional goals for student experience, retention, and progression. In doing so, to continually improve the approach, tools and methodologies used by Student Records & Awards and thus transferred into Research, Partnerships, College Registry teams and other business units when supporting student needs.

Responsible for the accurate, effective, and timely delivery of seamless processes for the service delivery, highlighting complex queries, issues and areas of improvement for fees/funding and associated KPIs. This will include research and recommendation of regulatory changes, ensuring effective governance of data for external returns e.g. SFE, HESA and metrics for university league tables.

Ensure that customer services provided to university staff, applicants and students are delivered efficiently and to a high standard. Assist in establishing service level agreements with internal customers and service providers. In doing so, help establish a Customer Service culture, seeking feedback from applicants, students, partners and stakeholders and adjusting services to reflect customer needs and requirements.

Liaise and support the Assistant Registrar to create and maintain institutional groups/methods for engaging and supporting college management, college registrars, course directors and others. This will serve to support consultation but also to brief and inform colleagues in the institution on developments and requirements.

Responsible for the delivery of efficient and effective onboarding processes around enrolment, in conjunction with College Student Centres and other key stakeholders.

Responsible for CRM enhancements in order to support efficient and effective operations against required operations throughout the student journey.

Uphold and guard the student, academic and research regulations and policies and the interpretation of them. Work with the Assistant Registrar to implement practice which enhances the student experience and upholds the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Support and actively drive digital/technological advancement of services and people in collaboration with the Student Lifecycle Development, Registry Systems and ITS teams to assist with the design and delivery of implementations/programmes as required.

Responsible for clear, effective, and timely communication as appropriate to internal and external stakeholders. Help produce data/content for reports for the Assistant Registrar, Academic Registrar and others that are authoritative and support institutional decision making.

Support all student finance aspects of the administrative processes related to undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees. Providing confidential, sympathetic and helpful financial information and guidance to students and other key stakeholders as appropriate.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria – Qualifications:
HND (or equivalent qualification) or comparable knowledge and transferable skills gained through professional experience.

Essential Criteria – Experience:
Some experience of managing a team and managing resources and operational activity effectively. 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. Negotiating stakeholder requirements, planning work and managing expectations. Leading a successful operational team. Working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve common goals. Building and maintaining strong working relationships at all levels across an organisation.

Essential Criteria – Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy in dealing with a wide range of contacts both internal and external to the University. Manage own time/priorities and the work of others in the team effectively. Strong customer and service focus. Excellent writing skills. Good judgement of situations and people and the ability to respond appropriately, professionally and commendably. Ability to adapt and be flexible. Ability to understand and apply regulations/rules e.g. GDPR. Confident to demonstrate digital competency across a range of technologies, including but not limited to Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and MS Access). Create innovative solutions to problems, addressing the root cause and thus making high impact. Good level of ability in people and operational leadership and management. Good analytical skills and ability to convey messages. Is consistently a positive role model to the team and strives for all team members to perform to their highest potential by inspiring and motivating others to achieve their best at all times. Has a resilient nature and able to work through service pressures methodically and calmly. Is able to be flexible and adaptable with the ability to work across teams, building and developing effective relationships. Is focused and driven to achieve excellence in their own work and the work of others. Able to consider a problem through widely asking searching questions and produces innovative solutions. Takes ownership and responsibility for themselves and the team.

Essential Criteria – Business Requirements:
Evidence of continuous professional development. Able to recognise the need and be willing to travel and work at any of the University sites as relevant to support staff, attend events, meetings or for presence. Ability to work outside of normal working hours (including some evenings and weekends), to support the business during key University events, such as Graduation, Clearing and Open Days.

Desirable Criteria – Qualifications:
Degree qualification or equivalent. IT qualifications (or equivalent experience) e.g. Excel, Access, web development, SharePoint, MS 365, MS Teams. Relevant professional body membership.

Desirable Criteria – Experience:
Significant management experience in a busy office environment. Experience of working in a records, fees/funding, assessment, exams or awards team. Experience of working in the Higher Education sector.

Desirable Criteria – Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Understanding of a post-16 vocational institution.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata). Local Government Pension Scheme. Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme. Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers. Discounted onsite gym. Cycle to Work scheme. A flexible working environment. A commitment to personal and professional development.