Educated to Degree Level Or Equivalent

Job Profile

Core Job Information
Job Title / Postgraduate Administrator
School / Electronic Engineering & Computer Science / Faculty / Science & Engineering
Career Family / Professional Services / Grade / 4
Working hours per week / 28 / Appointment period / Maternity Cover
Reports to (job title) / Teaching Services Manager / Current location / Mile End
Job Purpose
To manage the administrative service for taught postgraduate programmes and to support the Director of Postgraduate studies. To take direct and executive responsibility for all matters relatingtothe administration of taught postgraduate students in the School. To ensure efficient and effective quality service, encompassing the areas of recruitment and admissions; programme management; assessment; communications, planning and the development of policy. To do so within the context of continuous quality assurance and enhancement.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Requirements / Essential/Desirable
Qualifications /

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Relevant experience in a senior administrative role in a HEI

/ Essential
Desirable
Experience /

• Experience of student recruitment and selection
• Experience of commissioning and designing records databases
• Experience of maintaining and interrogating complex student records databases
• Experience of working with and advising senior academic and administrative staff
• Experience of supporting strategic planning for teaching activities
• Experience of generating and analysing data and reports to inform quality assurance, policy formulation and strategic planning
• Experience of compiling reviews and reports on teaching programmes
• Significant administrative experience at a level which requires a minimum of supervision.

/ Essential
Desirable
Essential
Desirable
Desirable
Essential
Desirable
Essential
Knowledge, skills & abilities /

• High level of competence in using administrative IT resources
• Able to manage a varied and demanding workload under pressure, identifying and setting priorities with an awareness of the impact of priority ordering
• Ability to develop good relationships and networks both within the School and across other relevant functions in the University
• Understanding of skills and abilities required and willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills proactively to assure and maintain personal professional development
• Ability to undertake problem solving proactively and innovatively
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• Good IT skills including spreadsheets, email, word processing and databases
• Able to motivate and support and academic staff and students at different levels
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to anticipate needs and exercise initiative
• Ability to use sophisticated databases
• Responsive and flexible attitude to providing support
• Ability to be responsive to feedback
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to transfer skills and knowledge effectively to colleagues
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Experience of ensuring compliance with legal requirements, policies and guidelines

/ Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Desirable
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Desirable
Attitude & disposition /

• Must be service focused and able to engage positively with a range of colleagues and client groups. Clear understanding of individual and collective responsibility for work of post and the School generally

/ Essential
Other circumstances /

• Willingness to be flexible on hours of work in key periods of activity
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends in support of recruitment events and School activities

/ Essential
Essential
Freedom to Act & Decision Making (depth of control, supervision received, use of judgement & initiative, analytical ability)
Main Duties and Responsibilities of the Role
This role will include, but is not limited to the following key areas:
1)Recruitment and Admissions
a)Manage information and enquiry service for taught postgraduate courses, ensuring that all appropriate staff are adequately briefed and enquiries are dealt with professionally, effectively and efficiently
b)Oversee and support marketing activities for taught postgraduate courses in conjunction with the Outreach, Recruitment and Publicity Officer
c)Manage the application process for taught postgraduate courses
d)Draft and maintain course information and promotional material in conjunction with the Outreach, Recruitment and Publicity Officer
e)Work with the Outreach, Recruitment and Publicity Officer to plan and deliver open days and other promotional events
f)Actively promote the range of courses offered by the School through attendance at careers fairs and other recruitment events
g)Draft reports on progress of admissions; propose and implement responses to emerging issues
h)Work with the Student Support Officer to organise induction programmes and briefings
i)Coordinate student registration activities for School and College purposes
2)Programme Management
a)Oversee creation and administration of the student record
b)Liaise with course directors, module leaders to ensure that course materials are adequate, accessible and quality assured
c)Be responsible for administrative processes and monitor and record effectively postgraduate student information within the School
d)Oversee creation and administration of the student record, monitor and record all student information (SITS)
e)Manage student progression in consultation with appropriate academic and administrative colleagues
3) Assessment
a)Manage the assessment process in consultation with the Directors of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Examination Board
b)Act as a manger of and secretary to the Subject Examination Board
c)Ensure the flow of information between the School and the Academic Registry takes place
d)Liaise with the Teaching Services Support Officer to ensure that all elements of assessment are submitted and processed
e)Liaise with the Teaching Services Support Officer to ensure that data is processed, analysed and prepared for examination boards
f)Oversee external examining, accreditation and related quality assurance matters
g)Commission, prepare and analyse progression monitoring information and take action as necessary
h)Prepare the passlists and awards lists for submission to the Academic Registry and ensure that all Subject Examination Board paperwork is submitted to the relevant Degree Examination Board
4)Communications
a)Liaise with the Teaching Services Support Officer to ensure that student communications media (e.g. Moodle, QMPlus) are functioning effectively and issues are identified and dealt with
b)Assure flow of information between School and students
5)Student Support and Welfare
a)Manage student support and welfare, liaising with the Director of Graduate Studies, Senior Tutors, Student Support Officer, personal tutors and College services as appropriate
b)Oversee and assure pastoral support for taught postgraduate students in conjunction with the Student Support Officer
c)In conjunction with the Student Support Officer oversee attendance monitoring and ensure any concerns about student engagement and performance are addressed
d)In conjunction with the Director for Graduate Studies administer the MSc student advisor system (or its successor)
6)Planning and Policy
a)Support the planning process for postgraduate students in conjunction with the Director of Graduate studies and Teaching Services Manager
b)Work under the guidance of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Teaching Services Manager to contribute to the development of long term strategy and design
c)Proactively monitor relevant developments internally and externally and ensure that these are fed into the planning process
d)Generate management information on request
e)Contribute ideas and development to internal strategies (such as recruitment action plans)
f)Produce summary reports as required for School Management, Senior Tutors, QA and audit purposes
g)Support the School Manager and senior staff in the production of documentation for accreditation by bodies such as the BCS and IET and provide administrative support leading up to, during and following such accreditation events.
7)Handbooks, student hand-outs and module & programme information
a)In conjunction with the Senior Tutor and Director of Graduate Studies prepare and update the student and project handbooks
b)Review information provided for handbooks, checking with other College Departments to update information, gathering feedback throughout the year to improve their quality
c)Be responsible for the production of student hand-outs, course notes and information sheets, liaising with academic staff where relevant
d)Ensure that module and programme information relating to postgraduate courses are kept up to date
e)Maintain web pages relating to postgraduate module and programme information
8)Student Projects
a)Notify students of potential project titles and areas. Collect and collate project preferences and work with module organisers and the Director of Graduate Studies on allocating projects
b)Responsible for all postgraduate student files and database information on students for School analysis, ensuring accuracy is maintained
c)Responsible for following up students who have not met deadlines for coursework, reports etc.
9)General
a)To be aware of legislation under equality regulations and ensure it is adhered to
b)Shadow the Undergraduate Administrator where necessary and ensure that the UG Administrator is kept briefed to be able to cover for the Postgraduate Administrator
c)Proactively brief the Teaching Services Manager and Director of Graduate studies on emerging issues
d)Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Teaching Services Manager, School Manager and the Head of School
PP
Working Environment

• Maintain on going reviews of current procedures and revise and innovate as necessary to maintain the highest standards
• Provide expert advice to academics, administrative staff and postgraduate students on matters pertaining to the School’s postgraduate programmes
• Organise and prioritise workload to ensure deadlines are met, using skill and judgement in identifying academic and administrative staff priorities
• Maintain a high level of professional knowledge in national issues concerning taught postgraduate provision
• Ensure that systems are in place to enable effective and efficient administrative management
• Deal independently and proactively with day to day office management using skill and judgement
• Produce a range of management information in a readily useable form
• To plan and take responsibility for specific developments and projects as directed by the Teaching Services Manager
• Regularly review School policies and procedures in line with College guidelines and legislative requirements
• Organise and maintain a system of access for students in order to provide them with the first line support for dealing with problems
• Collect and summarise feedback from stakeholders, both internal and external and respond accordingly

Freedom to Act & Decision Making

• Exercise independent decision making on the day to day workload
• Ensure College policies and procedures for teaching are well publicised and adhered to
• The post holder must act with initiative and have a high degree of autonomy in organising and prioritising workload
• Act as the School representative on issues relating to the implementation of College procedures, policies and protocols in respect of postgraduate teaching
• To work proactively and with minimum supervision on a day to day basis

Communication & Networking

• Acts as a representative of the School on appropriate College working parties and task groups
• Initiate contact with relevant departments to promote courses as well as special events and activities
• To maintain a solid working relationship with key officers in the College, University and external stakeholders to facilitate effective and efficient running of PGT programmes

• Provide information and resolve queries from other departments and external agencies as and when required
• Respond to requests for information from senior management within the deadlines given

• To develop a constructive and facilitative working relationship with academic, administrative staff and students
• To maintain regular contact with students and to be a first point of contact for students’ academic and pastoral issues
• Advise staff of the School on matters concerning implementation of new statutory and College regulations

• To liaise and negotiate with senior management on matters as necessary

Finance/Resource Management

• Contribute to resource planning and management for PGT courses
• Administer expenditure under the guidance of the Teaching Services Manager

People Management

• The post holder does not have formal line management or supervision responsibilities but must liaise with, advise and guide academic and support staff, students and external stakeholders to ensure that the responsibilities are understood and discharged.

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 responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
Organisation Chart
See below