GBP 4416 Student Engagement Officer

The University of Exeter's College of Humanities has just under 4,500 students across nearly 100 degree programmes taught on the Streatham (Exeter) and Penryn (Cornwall) campuses. The College has been ranked among the top 100 universities for the study of arts and humanities in the world.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Purpose of Role:

This role will work across the College of Humanities to support and develop student engagement activity, that is, how students take an active role in what their educational experience looks like. This will include coordinating Student-Staff Liaison Committees (SSLCs) and supporting academic reps, promoting and signposting students towards various feedback/change mechanisms and enrichment opportunities throughout the University (e.g. the National Student Survey and Exeter Award), and mentoring Students as Change Agents and Partners projects within the College. The post holder may occasionally be required to support student engagement in other areas of the University.

This is an important and exciting role in helping the University to maintain current standards of student engagement, but also to identify and develop new ideas and practice in this area. As such, this role focuses on partnership-working with students, as well as with academic and professional services staff at a variety of levels in the University and our respective students' unions.

Duties and Responsibilities :

• Coordinate and support SSLCs across the College, working with secretaries and chairs to ensure that all meetings adhere to the same standards and procedures, and acting as secretary to meetings where required
• Meet regularly with and mentor Subject Chairs and the College Officer to support them in chairing student-staff meetings and committees, including SSLCs
• Offer support to all students reps within the College, signposting students to appropriate training and development resources where necessary
• Work with Directors of Education (and other academic staff where appropriate) in each subject to follow up actions from SSLCs and ensure student feedback is actioned fully
• Work closely with relevant contacts with the two students' unions to continually monitor and review the effectiveness of academic representation in the College
• Promote and signpost relevant student and/or staff ideas to be developed through the Students as Change Agents and Partners, and support these projects as necessary.
• Support, and where necessary coordinate, the promotion of student surveys, enrichment opportunities, and recruitment campaigns throughout the year, e.g. the National Student Survey, Teaching Awards, and student elections
• Attend monthly Student Engagement Network meetings to share practice, ideas and updates with colleagues in other areas of the University
• Contribute to presentations and lecture hits to deliver news, calls to action, and to disseminate practice to staff and/or students as appropriate
• Travel to the Penryn Campus as required to support student engagement activity within Cornwall-based departments
• Work collaboratively with the Associate Dean for Education and Education Business Partner for the College, supporting any relevant student engagement projects or activity, such as the Research Internships programme
• Support other activities across the Student Employability & Academic Success portfolio, in particular around student engagement, in other Colleges and areas of the University where required and appropriate
• Carry out any other duties and projects as required by your Line Manager, commensurate with the level of the post.

Training and Development opportunities

Induction training will provide all the necessary information to conduct this post, which will include information about student engagement, and specific training for any software needed such as T4 web content editor, and student records and timetabling systems. You will also work with your line manager while in post to identify training needs for skills relevant to the role e.g. mentoring/coaching skills, event management, etc.

The post is part of a wider team working across the University to support student engagement, involvement with which will provide further support and identify opportunities for training and development.

Other Benefits, Rewards and Recognition

Some flexible working arrangements (flexitime and homeworking) are available for this post, in line with University guidance and negotiation with the post's line manager.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to quickly establish rapport and build professional, trusting relationships with a wide range of students and colleagues, including senior managers.
• Enthusiastic about working with a wide range of students and staff
• Ability to maintain a positive and engaging attitude in a busy and ever-changing environment
• Ability to balance a variety of different tasks and balance conflicting priorities, including deadlines at short notice
• Organised and methodical approach to managing own workload
• Quick learner, with the ability to work independently and under own initiative
• Flexible working style, able to adapt to working in different places and occasionally with travel involved or hours outside of normal working pattern

• Competent user of Microsoft software packages including Word, Excel and Outlook

• Graduate of a UK university within the last 3 years
• Right to work in the UK for the duration of the internship

Desirable:

• Previous experience as a student rep, peer mentor, or society committee member
• Confident speaking and presenting skills in front of large and small audiences
• Attention to detail, with the ability to see the bigger picture
• Understanding or experience of using marketing principles and tailoring messages to different audiences

Key Dates:

Closing Date: 29 July 2018

Interview Date: Early August 2018

Start Date: 1 September 2018

End Date: 31 July 2019

To apply for this role please complete our internship application which can be downloaded here: Please send your completed form to us by clicking APPLY NOW.