Residence Services Lead – Student Housing (Welsh) in Bangor

Applications are invited for a permanent full-time post, working as part of the Accommodation Services Team in the Student & Academic Services department. The successful candidate will be educated to 2 AS Levels or 1 A level or NVQ level 4 in a relevant subject area. You will be an individual who has proven people management experience, is truly customer-focused and who embraces change. You will lead and develop your team to react positively and effectively. You will have experience of building collaborative relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders. You will have experience of operational financial processes within a service environment, preferably within a residential setting with customer service at its core. The ability to communicate in Welsh is essential for this post.

This role will be located on campus at Bangor. Through our Dynamic Working framework, there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely to support work-life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview. Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis.

The Accommodation Services department provides students with the best experience in their living accommodation, by keeping them safe and supported and by promoting their participation and ownership of an equal and responsible communal society. The department currently supports approximately 2,500 students living in 38 buildings across two purpose-built villages. We are an award-winning, fast-paced and student-focused department, delivering the best in student experience. The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic and positive team and will be expected to contribute proactively to the ethos of the department.

The standard working week will be on an as and when required basis, working 5 days out of 7 in any one week to support business needs, although the standard working days will be Monday – Friday 8.45am- 5.00pm.

Purpose of the Job

We are seeking an experienced manager to be responsible for the leadership and day-to-day management of the Accommodation Team within Accommodation Services; ensuring that the highest possible standards of customer service and care are maintained across the full accommodation cycle (applications, allocations, arrivals, room moves and departures).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the work of the Accommodation Services Assistants and the Accommodation Services Administrator (Systems), ensuring effective delivery of all reception duties and year-round application processing.
• Lead on the induction, training, and ongoing development of team members, ensuring consistent standards of performance.
• Set clear objectives, delegate tasks appropriately, and motivate staff to deliver a high-quality service.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, facilitate monthly team meetings, and carry out Performance Development Reviews.
• Communicate detailed and complex information to staff and determine effective methods for conveying guidance and procedural updates.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of the University’s Banner student records system as it relates to Halls of Residence.
• Carry out routine configuration tasks in the Kinetics system to support daily operations, ensuring annual updates support efficient online applications, allocations and service delivery.
• Ensure Kinetics contains accurate and up-to-date information to support the allocation of varied student cohorts and accommodation pathways, carrying out routine updates as required.
• Understand, use and communicate specialist system information, including KxStudent and Kinetics Web configuration.
• Use established analytical methods to produce operational reports.
• Follow established procedures and protocols to ensure compliance with University Financial Regulations and Quality Assurance standards.
• Carry out the operational tasks required for the annual and in-year accommodation allocation processes.
• Coordinate daily workflow to ensure the accommodation cycle runs smoothly.
• Manage the operational aspects of student arrivals, departures, room changes and movements throughout the year.
• Ensure staff follow established procedures consistently across all stages of the accommodation cycle.
• Support the Accommodation Services Manager to develop and refine systems and processes that improve student allocations and service delivery.
• Provide day-to-day support to students, including one-to-one meetings where required and responding to welfare-related concerns with sensitivity and discretion.
• Use initiative to resolve complex accommodation and welfare issues, referring matters appropriately where required.
• Support the Accommodation Services Manager in delivering the annual returners campaign by preparing content updates, coordinating communications, and ensuring clear and accurate information is provided to students.
• Work with the Corporate Communications team to update CRM email content and schedules that support the accommodation cycle.
• Ensure accommodation web pages are regularly reviewed and kept accurate, up to date and aligned with Kinetics Web.
• Collaborate with Corporate Communications to prepare Open Day briefing notes and update presentations as necessary.
• Contribute to the development and updating of the Halls Information Booklet and Open Day handbook; attend Open Days and Applicant Days to provide information and support.
• Administer and maintain the bi-annual student accommodation surveys, updating content as required, monitoring responses, and preparing operational updates to share with students.
• Coordinate communication and liaison with University departments on all matters relating to student residences.
• Coordinate the annual room contents insurance process, ensuring information is accurate, liaising with providers as required, and supporting the review of value for money as directed.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

The post holder will be expected to participate in performance review and developmental activities. The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Policy and the Welsh Language Standards. The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments. The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post.

Due to the nature of the work, it is necessary to work occasional evenings and weekends at certain times of the year, in particular for the University offer holder and open days and at the beginning and end of the Accommodation contract periods. It is also not always possible to take holidays between mid-August and mid-October.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications and Training

• 2 AS Levels or 1 A level or NVQ level 4 (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area.

Desirable

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent.
• Training or certification in student services, housing management, or customer service.

Essential Experience

• Experience in a customer-facing environment, ideally within higher education, housing, or a service-led setting.
• Experience managing a team.
• Experience using administrative or record-management systems, including the ability to quickly learn specialist platforms such as Kinetics/Kx and Banner (or equivalent).
• Experience providing advice, support, or guidance to service users, including resolving complex queries within established procedures.
• Experience producing routine reports or analysing operational data.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working in university accommodation or student support services.
• Experience supporting application or allocation processes.
• Experience with occupancy contracts or under-18 licence documentation.
• Experience liaising with external providers (e.g., contents insurance).

Essential Knowledge and Understanding

• Understanding of confidentiality, data protection, and student welfare considerations.
• Knowledge of delivering customer services in a busy, high-demand environment.
• Aware of financial procedures and administrative compliance.

Desirable Knowledge and Understanding

• Understanding of student accommodation processes within a Higher Education context.
• Aware of relevant legislation, including health and safety and safeguarding.

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to coordinate multiple tasks and meet deadlines with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey detailed information clearly and respond sensitively to students and staff.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative, solve problems within procedures, and use IT confidently (databases, spreadsheets, online systems), along with the ability to lead, motivate, and support team members.

Desirable Skills and Abilities

• Ability to contribute to service improvements within existing processes.
• Ability to prepare and deliver clear briefing notes/presentations for Open Days/Applicant Days.
• Ability to update web and CRM content to support the accommodation cycle.

Other Essential

• Commitment to providing excellent customer service.
• A proactive, flexible, and professional approach to work.
• A positive, can-do attitude with a willingness to find solutions.
• Sensitivity, tact, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Willingness to participate in the evening and weekend on-call rota.
• Willingness and ability to work flexible hours when required, including some evenings and weekends.
• The ability to speak Welsh fluently and to complete tasks such as writing e-mail messages to a range of audiences is essential for this post.

General

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK before you can start working for us. When you apply for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful. If you do not have the right to work freely in any position in the UK already, any offer of employment we will make to you will be subject to you obtaining a right to work visa.