Administrative Service

• Ensure accuracy and establish sufficient quality control/data checking methodologies.
• Support the development of plans within your designated service area and, at times, within the University, e.g. as a member of University working groups or committees across your designated service area as and when required either as Secretary or as your area’s representative.
• Prepare and deliver (either as an individual or through your team) management and institutional reporting within set deadlines analysing and interpreting complex data sets where required.
• Troubleshooting and problem solving for any general issues that arise, escalating as necessary to the relevant section or colleague.
• Act as a key contact and link between the designated area, College and University, ensuring that the appropriate academic and professional services staff are kept fully informed regarding changes and updates in practice and policy.
• Proactively engage with/contribute to process improvement and the development of service delivery capability.

Staff Management and Recruitment

• Individually or through intermediary managers, provide leadership to and manage a team(s) responsible for delivering administrative services to support the educational strategy of your designated service area.
• Recruit and line manage staff, providing continuous support, development, mentoring and training for a specified team.
• Promote equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Plan and make recommendations on team structures and recruitment strategies that ensure sufficient resources are available to deliver service. This includes maintaining documentation of processes, planning efficient workload allocations and ensuring essential work is covered in the event of absences.
• Manage staff performance and address areas of concern confidentially and sensitively.
• Build relationships and manage expectations of the team.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent level qualifications) - where no equivalent qualification is held, relevant work experience evidencing progression and development together with evidence of the transferable skills and ability to work at this level will normally be required.
• Educated to at least A Level standard or equivalent.
• Significant practical experience in a similar senior administrative role within a customer service-based environment.
• Experienced in a role where you are expected to provide staff support, development, and motivation.
• Significantly experienced in communicating and collaborating with all levels of staff and able to demonstrate a proven ability to set and maintain standards for your designated service, communicating your own expectations and possibly the expectations of senior colleagues.
• Able to influence change and decision making by evaluating work and analysing the benefits, costs and risks of alternative scenarios.
• Personally well organised, with high levels of team organisation skills, including the ability to ensure deadlines are met by prioritising the work of yourself and your team.
• Ability to work flexibly responding to changing business needs and changes to external legislation, for example Home Office rules and guidance.
• Ability to deal with confidential and sensitive data in accordance with appropriate legislation.

In addition to the above, you should be able to demonstrate and/or evidence the following:

• Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to communicate effectively with staff, students, and external stakeholders at a variety of different levels and from different professional backgrounds.
• Exemplary attention to detail and the ability to work confidentially, using judgement and making appropriate decisions within the constraints of the role.
• The ability to act with tact and diplomacy when dealing with confidential matters concerning staff, colleagues, and students.
• Proven IT literacy with demonstrable proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of programmes.
• Experience of setting up and maintaining complex working systems.
• The ability to work to tight deadlines in a collaborative team environment.
• The ability to cope with change in a fast moving, dynamic environment and becoming comfortable with often changing University processes and regulations, making them accessible to the members of your team.
• The ability to develop and manage service delivery capability to high standards.
• A high degree of resourcefulness e.g. the ability to transfer existing knowledge to new situations to formulate a solution to a problem.
• Experience of working in higher education and familiarity with University procedures, policies, structures and systems is desirable but not essential.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Informal enquiries to Tom Rochester, email: t.e.rochester@bham.ac.uk [t.e.rochester@bham.ac.uk]

View our staff values and behaviours [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/our-strategy/our-values]

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone [https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/equality-diversity-inclusion].