Student Experience and Wellbeing Officer (Dubai) - Dubai Operations - 97578 - Grade 6

Description

Position Details

Dubai Professional Services, External Relations

University of Birmingham, Dubai campus

Salary: Competitive

Grade 6

Full time

Permanent

Location: Dubai, UAE

Closing date: 19 June 2021

University of Birmingham Dubai

Having established ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in 2018 we are now moving to a new and exciting phase of our development with the opening of our new state-of-the-art campus in September 2021. This post represents an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious World Top 100 University as we continue to grow our long-term strategic mission in Dubai, the UAE and the wider region. Our campus reflects the very best of Birmingham through our presence in Dubai.

Professional Services Ethos

Our ethos as a Professional Services team has been developed in line with the principles of being a Birmingham Professional. In particular, here in Dubai, this means that all Professional Services colleagues seek to collaborate effectively to ensure the needs of the whole campus community and our stakeholders are met. It also means that we work constructively together to provide a flexible range of service and support that adapt to the changing needs of the Campus as we grow. There are specific focal points in the academic cycle when all Professional Services team members will be expected to contribute regardless of their primary role, for example Welcome or Graduation. In addition, the duties listed below are illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of this post which is likely to change over time in response to the needs of the Campus and as you develop your experience and skills. You will have the opportunity to develop and may also need to specialise your duties further, over time, in agreement with your manager.

In order to contribute to the success of the team and the University's vision for the Dubai Campus the Professional Services team will be seeking to continue to recruit and develop colleagues who display:

• a high level of intellectual aptitude;
• strong agility and a portfolio of skills that can adapt to meet changing circumstances;
• an innovative and creative mindset; and
• both an enterprising and entrepreneurial nature to support our growth and pursuit of excellence.

Department Overview

The Services and Support thematic area will focus on providing all students with the University of Birmingham Dubai with a wide range of high-quality services and support. This will also support the University and our academic colleagues in the delivery of our academic mission in respect of both Education and Research including:

• Welcome and induction activities
• Careers, employability and skills support
• Programme administration support and services
• Research administration support
• Visa and immigration services
• Information advice and guidance services
• Learning library services
• Wellbeing services
• Academic Skills support
• Support to the University of Birmingham Dubai Students' Association
• General student administration through to graduation support.

Job summary

The postholder will be responsible for devising, implementing and delivering a range of activity that supports a positive and enriching student experience. The post holder will support student wellbeing services, provide a range of guidance, advice and support, as well as act as an operational lead for student experience activities and events (for example, Welcome, induction, pre-arrival, and Student Association events), under the strategic direction of the Head of Student Wellbeing and Experience, and in collaboration with the Student Association.

The postholder will support the Student Experience & Wellbeing Manager, in the provision of a range of wellbeing and welfare services for the students. They will also be responsible for the development and coordination of student communications, working in close partnership with the UoBD communications leads.

Responsibilities also include working to embed innovative and inclusive practices across the University through networking and contributing to training. The post holder will be required to operate flexibly to meet the demands of the service, working collaboratively with Edgbaston colleagues, and in addition supporting campus-wide student experience activities and events.

Main duties

General

• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.
• Undertake continuous personal and professional development.

Student Experience & Communications

• Identify the requirements and preferences of current students to inform a student experience offering. This is likely to be through feedback, surveys, focus groups, and conversations with students and relevant committees.
• Support the development of ideas and activities, and lead delivery of Welcome, induction and pre-arrival activities for students, with additional support in delivery from the whole campus staff.
• Working closely with the Student Association to devise, promote and deliver an engaging annual programme of activities and events that meet the needs of students. This may include trips, residentials, speakers, careers and networking events, or exam support sessions for example.
• Support development and delivery of Graduation activity, with administrative support from Timetabling/Visa Lead, strategic direction from the Head of Student Wellbeing and Experience, and the Head of Student and Programme Administration, with the additional support of the whole campus staff during critical periods.
• Develop, coordinate, and distribute student communications and act as a key conduit to students, to ensure that everyone is well-informed and knows how they can participate in the campus community.
• Work with academic staff to ensure the student experience is a prime consideration underpinning the teaching approach.

Careers Advice/Coaching

• Providing one-to-one entry level careers information guidance and advice to students and graduates, as necessary, supporting the Employer Engagement and Skills Development Manager.
• Signposting and referring bespoke careers support to the Edgbaston Careers and Employability team.
• Support student with applications, CV checking, and interview support.
• Organise and lead Career Planning workshops in collaboration with Careers Network.
• Provide students with relevant Careers Resources including proactively through an agreed communication strategy.
• Train and develop towards a suitable Careers guidance qualification.

Wellbeing Support

• Support students and refer them to the appropriate support services as required, for example student welfare services, including exchange students from partner institutions and/or other UoB campuses.
• Provide relevant support to students and academics in relation to changes of status, for example Extenuating Circumstances, the Reasonable Adjustment Process, Withdrawals, Leave of Absence, and Programme Transfers.

Additional responsibilities

• To undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time, to further the work of the wellbeing services and the development of the student experience, or the University.
• Undertake continuous personal and professional development.
• Conduct financial and Health & Safety duties in line with statutory and University's policies and procedures.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification(s).
• A Careers guidance qualification or willingness to train towards achieving this within two years.
• Significant experience of working in a professional environment; relevant experience of working in Higher Education is desirable.
• Experience of providing first-line advice and guidance.
• Significant experience of organising a large scale programme of events.
• Experience of supporting students in relation to welfare issues.
• Strong understanding of the student experience, issues, and the student lifecycle.
• Significant knowledge and experience of writing communications for a variety of different audiences.
• Working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office software.
• 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.
• A recognised careers guidance qualification e.g. PG Dip. or QCG or equivalent would be an advantage but is not required.

Dimensions

This role will require you to exercise personal initiative within and beyond the department. You will not manage a team or budgets.

Planning and organising

After consulting others:

• Support and implementation of the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.

Or that would be referred to someone else:

• Decisions affecting the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.
• Decisions requiring additional institutional strategic investment.

Problem solving and decision making

After consulting others:

• Support and implementation of the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.

Or that would be referred to someone else:

• Decisions affecting the Wellbeing and Student Experience support strategy.
• Decisions requiring additional institutional strategic investment.

Internal and external relationships

• Campus Director
• Deputy Campus Director
• Head of Wellbeing and Student Experience (line manager)
• Student Experience team (Dubai)
• Careers Network (Birmingham)
• Student and Programme Administration team (Dubai)
• Colleagues across Dubai campus - Professional Services and Academic
• Colleagues in UK campus - including Academic Services, Colleges and central PS teams
• External partners - including regional government agencies, regulatory bodies, educational and health-related organisations.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.