Administrative Assistant

Job Description

Role Title: Administrative Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 4, £24,215 – £26,707 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week), Open-ended

Reward and Benefits: 28 days annual leave plus 9 building closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Total rewards calculator:

About our Team

The Global Registry and Academic Support Directorate supports our students and staff colleagues across the full student life cycle from enrolment to graduation. The Directorate has responsibility as the definitive record keeper of all student information and programme and course details, and leading services that help students settle and stay at the University with professional help and advice through a range of wellbeing services.

It supports academic and professional services staff across the University in a number of areas, including academic, institutional and student related regulations, policies and global, national and institutional quality matters. It delivers these services through four divisions, each managed by a Global Head, and two Heads of Campus Registry:

• Student Life
• Off Campus Students
• Academic Operations
• Academic Quality
• Head of Registry – Dubai Campus
• Head of Registry – Malaysia Campus

The Off Campus Students Division comprises two teams that support Heriot Watt Online students across a growing portfolio of online programmes, alongside a smaller team dedicated to supporting students studying campus based programmes through the University’s international academic partnerships.

The Division is responsible for supporting every stage of the off campus student journey-from enrolment through to graduation-by providing a unified structure that enhances the experience of students studying online or through approved global partnerships.

Purpose of Role

The Administrative Assistants in the Off Campus Students Team share responsibility for key duties outlined below. A number of these tasks will also be shared with the Senior Administrative Assistant. For some specific tasks (e.g. course registration, exam data preparation, etc.) an individual will be assigned the responsibility of leading the work for an allocated period, after which the task will be reassigned to another in the team to share knowledge and expertise.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the admissions process by undertaking a range of administrative tasks and recruitment activities to help maximise student recruitment. This includes running reports and providing applicants with guidance via email and phone where required.
• Support the enrolment, course registration and payment processes for both new and continuing students by assisting the Senior Administrative Assistants as well as any follow up administrative tasks.
• Provide support for a student’s application for formal enrolment on a programme of study.
• Engage with the Head of Heriot Watt Off Campus Division, the wider Off Campus team, Heriot Watt Online, students and other University staff to create and maintain student records, process course changes, create and maintain class mark lists (CMLs), maintain and archive student files as outlined in the University’s data management policies.
• Support the examination registration, cancellation and data preparation process (currently three exam diets per academic year). Log/distribute exam scripts for marking, working with academic colleagues/tutors to ensure strict deadlines for marking are met.
• Produce certification letters, copies of transcripts and verification responses.
• Archive student files and exam scripts and arrange for disposal as outlined in the University’s data management policies.
• Assist Senior Administrative Assistants in preparing for exam boards and processing of results, such as entering and checking marks, grades, and decisions and assisting at graduation ceremonies.
• Assist Senior Administrative Assistants in preparing for progression boards and award boards where relevant.
• Assist Senior Administrative Assistants in processing any applications for recognition of prior learning or credit transfer requests.
• Assist providing support for all aspects of the processes related to Academic Misconduct, Appeals and Mitigating Circumstance cases.
• Maintain programme and course records and run an annual audit on the data in preparation for student enrolment as required.
• General office duties, under the day to day direction of the Senior Administrative Assistants, such as sorting mail and organising DHL collections, ordering stationery, scanning, filing, photocopying and shredding; and maintain equipment, e.g. photocopies (replenish paper, toner & staples, report breakdowns).

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.

Person Specification

Essential

1. Educated to Scottish Highers/A-Level standard (or equivalent).
2. Recent experience of relevant administration.
3. Experience of providing information and/or advice to customers.
4. Experience of taking a proactive and customer focused approach to administrative support.
5. Good oral and written communication skills.
6. Well developed interpersonal skills with the ability to use both tact and diplomacy.
7. Well developed organisational and time management skills with the ability to work flexibly and accurately in a dynamic and pressured environment.
8. Ability to work both independently and across team/section boundaries to strengthen working relationships.
9. Competent in the use of Microsoft Office, in particular: Outlook, Word, Excel.
10. Possesses a positive and professional attitude to providing support to others even in difficult or challenging circumstances.

Desirable

• NQ/SVQ Level 2 Administration or equivalent award.

1. Experience of student administration in the Higher Education or Further Education sector.
2. Experience of producing summary data reports.
3. Experience of using large database systems (e.g. Student records systems etc.)
4. Ability to interpret information and disseminate in an easily assessable format for audiences with different levels of understanding, including those where English is not their first language.
5. Competent in the use of Microsoft Access and advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including the use of advanced functions such as pivot tables and vertical look up.

About Heriot Watt University

Our commitment to equality and diversity: Heriot Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns such as part time working and job share options.

For more information, please see our website and also our award winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers .