College Membership and Accommodation Administrator in North East

We welcome applications from candidates with disabilities, neurodiversity and long-term health conditions, and we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the recruitment and interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, adjustments will be made to support people within their role. If you are unable to complete your application via our recruitment system or would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to support you in the application process, please get in touch with us on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

The College Membership and Accommodation Office’s purpose is to ensure that all Durham University students are allocated openly and fairly to a College for membership and to provide information and support to students seeking University managed accommodation. The Office provides information on student housing to the Division and links with offices across the Division and wider University to ensure the Division contributes effectively to the University's strategic aims.

You will work closely with and be responsible to the College Membership and Accommodation Manager. You will need to be highly organised, proactive and able to work independently. You will have a high level of administrative competence and will have experience of working in a pressurised environment, preferably within Higher Education.

You will manage the daily running of college allocations with regard to all aspects of the admissions and college membership process and be responsible for dealing directly with student accommodation queries. The role requires a high level of responsibility and initiative, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.

You will be working with staff across the University and often with confidential issues and documents requiring the highest levels of discretion and professionalism. The role involves working with current and prospective students and their parents as well as Purpose Built Student Accommodation providers. You will use the Banner student record system extensively, and knowledge or a willingness to become familiar with the University financial and procurement systems is required.

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

• You’ll receive 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference to the local community.
• Our family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• If you are keen on advancing in your role or career, we have a genuine passion for developing our colleagues from qualifications to IT skills, courses and apprenticeships.
• We offer generous pension schemes with varying contribution amounts to help you plan for your future.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and values. We aim to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. EDI is a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of our Staff Code of Conduct. We actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a supportive and inclusive community.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply / Qualifications:

• Five GCSEs at least Grade C or level 4 (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working in a busy office environment delivering front line administrative services or having relevant qualifications for the role.
• Experience of managing time to meet deadlines and working under pressure without compromising on quality.
• Experience of working in a team.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge:

• Good spoken and written communication skills.
• Good digital skills including experience in using digital devices and apps including the internet, email, digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, digital booking systems.
• Ability to use Microsoft Access and create queries from data and extract information.
• Committed to continuing professional development.
• Ability to solve problems and resolve straightforward issues yourself and as part of a team.
• Ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of colleagues and customers.
• Post-16 qualifications or equivalent experience.
• Experience of Banner and Banner Reporting system and/or another CRM system.
• Knowledge and experience of Durham University’s collegiate structure and the work and impact of its Colleges.
• Experience in minute taking, servicing committees and other meetings.
• Experience of University financial and procurement systems.

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Typical Role Requirements:

• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
• Provide an excellent, responsive and proactive accommodation and allocation service for stakeholders.
• Apply professional and regulatory procedures and processes and use of systems including the Banner Student Records system.
• Use your experience and problem-solving skills to resolve routine issues with things relevant to your role such as payment queries and provide information and updates to help your team find solutions.
• Collect, organise, record, store and archive data and information accurately and safely and provide reports as required.
• Promote positive wellbeing arrangements which benefit you and your team.
• When carrying out your role, use and apply relevant professional and regulatory standards to process, check and reconcile anomalies within data and information sets when managing data.
• Use standard office-based digital systems, tools and equipment to carry out data recording, communications and networking.
• Process and update key business documentation.
• Arrange venue, catering, travel and/or equipment for events, meetings and activities for other team members.

Specific Role requirements:

• Flexibility regarding working hours will be required as certain meetings and committees can fall outside of normal office hours. In addition, the role requires a small amount of evening and weekend work, mainly to support University open days and student induction activities.
• The office works Hybrid which normally requires at least 3 days on site working and 2 days home working.