Wellbeing Officer - School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

The University of Birmingham is recruiting a Wellbeing Officer to work in the College of Arts and Law. The post-holder will be allocated to one of CAL's five Schools.
The Student Wellbeing Officer is a member of the College's Professional Services Team and provides proactive and professional welfare support to students within the School. The main responsibilities for the role will include:

• Providing welfare advice and guidance to students following referral by a member of academic staff or by student self-referral;
• Making referrals as appropriate to specialist services in the University;
• Acting as the Reasonable Adjustment Coordinator for the School;
• Contributing to and supporting induction of new and returning students and the University Transition Review for students;
• Acting as Student Attendance Officer for the School.

Working as part of a wider team of Professional Services and Academic staff, the post holder will provide comprehensive support to students with in the School. The post holder will be expected to contribute to other areas (as and when required) in support of the School's and College's strategic priorities.

At the University of Birmingham we celebrate our diversity and provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the University community and are committed to promoting equality, diversity and fairness irrespective of age, disability, gender, pregnancy or marital status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status.

Main Duties

Every student in the School has a personal tutor who is a member of academic staff. Personal Tutors establish working relationships with students that enable students to disclose personal problems that may affect their work or experience general study difficulties. These difficulties are often dealt with effectively by Personal Tutors. However, some difficulties may require detailed understanding of a range of welfare and study-related problems and services, or require more time than academic staff are able to commit.

Personal Tutors will refer such students through to the Welfare Officer, duties and expectations will include:

Primary Contact for Student Support (45%)

• To be accessible and available to students, holding regular and timetabled office hours.
• Providing helpful, accurate and expert advice to students as the Schools' primary contact for matters relating to student support (e.g. welfare, pastoral). We anticipate that the Wellbeing Officer will be able to resolve some problems him/herself; others will need to be referred to University welfare services and/or University and College study-skill services.
• The Student Wellbeing Officer will act as a key contact and link between the Schools and other College and University support services and ensure that the appropriate academic and professional services staff are kept fully informed regarding changes and updates in practice and policy.
• Build effective networks and relationships with external and internal contacts who contribute to the delivery of events within the School.
• To maintain relevant records and provide statistics detailing Welfare activity as required by the College/School Senior Management and Senior Tutor

Reasonable Adjustments (15%)

• Acting as primary contact for implementing reasonable adjustments, ensuring that the appropriate academic and professional service staff are made aware of all reasonable adjustments to the assessment process.
• As part of this, the post holder will need to work with administrative colleagues to maintain an accurate and dynamic confidential record of Student Support Agreements and liaise with Student Support/Disability Services for expert advice and guidance as and when necessary. This will also involve working with the School Teaching Support Managers
• The postholder will be required to maintain a confidential system for recording and monitoring reasonable adjustments.

Attendance Officer (10%)

• Acting where required as the designated Student Attendance Officer, reviewing the pattern of attendance and absence for students in Schools as set out by the School's Student Attendance and Reasonable Diligence documentation and as required by the College.
• This may involve overseeing the processes for monitoring student attendance on BIRMS, writing to students with high levels of unauthorised absences, monitoring responses and meeting students as required and ensuring that follow-up action is taken.
• Preparing reports on matters associated with the student attendance, as required by School or College committees. This will include making recommendations for change and review.

Extenuating Circumstances Officer (10%)

• Acting where required as the designated Extenuating Circumstances Officer, by working to University Codes of Practice and School policies.

College-specific (20%)

• Working closely with academic colleagues and Professional Services staff, the postholder will support the induction of first year students and re-induction of continuing students for all Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students.
• Write guidance information for inclusion in student handbooks
• Deliver talks and presentations to students on the welfare support available to students; working closely with Student Services to ensure that appropriate and advice is given to support students during their studies.
• Preparing reports on matters associated with the role, as required by School or College committees. This will include making recommendations for change or review.
• Ensure responsibilities are carried out in accordance with Policies, Codes of Practice and Regulations as defined by the School, College and University and to be pro-active in offering advice based on these regulations and procedures to students and staff where required and appropriate.
• The specific areas of responsibility and/or tasks may change from time to time in accordance with the requirements of the College or School and its priorities at the time.
• From time to time, the postholder may participate in reviews of certain aspects of teaching administration e.g. looking at current practices in Schools and coming up with solutions for good practice across the College. This will be done in consultation with the College/School Senior Management Team.
• The postholder may also be required to work in other parts of the College.
• The postholder will also participate in various Working Groups and provide secretarial support to Committee meetings as appropriate.
• Pro-actively assist the Operations manager in the on-going development of the College's Professional Services, its values, standards, service levels, and professional ethos.
• To work with the College/School Senior Management Team to ensure that students support services are reviewed and improved when necessary.
• Any other duties as allocated by College/School Senior Management Team.

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience Required

Shortlisted candidates will be expected to evidence the following in their application:

• An excellent understanding of undergraduate and postgraduate education and the student lifecycle.
• Experience of managing sensitive situations with discretion and acting with integrity
• Considerable experience of working with and providing support to students who have welfare issues in a Higher Education environment.
• Experience of advising and supporting stakeholders in complex and varied welfare issues such as mental health, bereavement, serious illness, financial difficulties.
• Experience of working with welfare related University processes and systems.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience of working with confidential data and information.
• Experience of managing sensitive situations with discretion and acting with integrity.
• Experience of using Microsoft Office applications and other IT software.
• Experience of working accurately and paying close attention to details.
• Experience of successful team working.
• Ability to manage own workload autonomously whilst also working as an effective member of a team.
• Flexibility to manage working hours according to business need.
• A working knowledge of data protection policy
• A Graduate level qualification or equivalent work experience in a Student Welfare role.
• GCSE grades A-C in English Language and Maths