Global Student Advisor - Student Life Edinburgh, Scotland
Job description
Role: Global Student Advisor
Grade and Salary: Grade 6, £28.929 to £33,348 per annum
FTE and working pattern: 1.0 FTE, Monday to Friday - 35 hours per week.
Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
About Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.
Nearly 30,000 students' study with Heriot-Watt across business, engineering, design and the social, physical, biological and sports sciences. Our student body is roughly split evenly between the UK, our two campuses in Dubai and Malaysia, and online, with the latter being distributed across almost all the countries of the world. We also have many partnerships with other institutions world-wide who award Heriot-Watt degrees.
About our School/Directorate and 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 and Policies and global, national and institutional quality matters.
It delivers these services through four Divisions, each managed by a Global Head:
- Student Life
- Online Student Services
- Academic Operations
- Academic Quality
This post is a key role in the Global Student Office, which is based in the Student Service Centre at the Edinburgh Campus and provides a high level of student-facing support services in the following areas:
- Go Global (student mobility across Heriot-Watt international campuses)
- International Student Advice (including visa and immigration support services)
- Student visa compliance
- Student Hardship and Childcare Funds
- Student Exchange Programmes
- USA Student Loans
The post of Global Student Adviser is a specialist role within the team and sits withing the small Visa Advice and Compliance Team (currently four staff), reporting to the Student Visa Compliance Manager who in turn reports to the Global Student Office Manager.
Purpose of Role:
The role provides specialist support and advice to students, staff, including contributing to the delivery of the University's flagship mobility programme ‘Go Global'. Although allowing for specific specialisms (in this case International Student Advice), the role will support the section's remit as outlined above.
Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Working closely within the team and particularly with members of the Visa Advice and Compliance Team, the Global Student Adviser will share responsibility with other team members collectively to deliver the following:
- Provide specialist advice and support to students and staff in a number of key areas:
- International Student Advice (immigration, visas, living in the UK). This will be the role holder's primary responsibility.
- Go Global (providing specialist student mobility advice)
- Student Visa compliance
- Work in conjunction with the Student Visa Compliance Manager to ensure effective and efficient services to provide International (Overseas and EU) Students with timely and high-quality advice, guidance and information on all matters relating to international student affairs including: visa compliance advice, specialist visa/immigration support, visa extensions, living in the UK etc.
- Provide one-to-one appointments sessions (in person and online) to international students requiring support and advice.
- Contribute to the development and expansion of the Go Global Programme.
- Ensure regulatory compliance with UKVI regulations and maintain an excellent working knowledge of visa/immigration rules as they relate to students.
- Work with colleagues at overseas campuses to ensure a consistency of service to students globally and to ensure the highest possible service is available.
- Support and act as a mentor to Global Student Assistants, the wider Team and Student Service Centre staff in relation to international student support and visa compliance. The role will line manage 1-2 Global Student Assistants as the team expands.
- Devise and implement induction events specifically for international students both in-person and online. This will include regular online presentations into incoming Go Global students from the University's overseas campuses.
- Deputise for the Student Visa Compliance Manager as required.
Education, Qualifications & Experience:
These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made:
Essential
- Educated to at least SCQF level 6-7 (Higher/Advanced Higher) or similar or equivalent practical experience in the workplace.
- Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above.
- Competent in the use of relevant IT packages
- Proven relevant experience of providing specialist customer service support, ideally to students, which will have been acquired over several years. Experience of providing support in any of the key areas in the role will be an advantage.
- Experience of working closely with external partners/organisations on mutually beneficial projects.
- Experience of working on projects where there is a requirement to comply with strict regulations (internal or external).
- Analytical problem-solving skills.
- Well-developed interpersonal skills
- Demonstrable excellent customer service
- Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly, and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment.
- Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
Desirable
- Educated to degree level.
- Experience of external regulatory compliance
- Experience of Higher Education
- Knowledge/experience of Student Admin Databases
- Experience of providing student/staff support in any of the key areas in the role will be an advantage.
Competencies, Tasks and Responsibilities
Initiative and Problem Solving
- Act as first point of contact for queries from customers by phone, email, system-generated and in person.
- Identify and support process improvement.
- React to problems using judgement and experience to solve non-routine problems referring to line manager when required.
- Carry out compliance checks.
- Set and monitor standards in own area of work.
- Through continuous development, use knowledge and experience to operate at a level which is non-routine.
Clear and Consistent Communications
- Always maintain confidentiality, often when dealing with student enquiries of a sensitive or personal nature.
- Ability to communicate effectively both in presentations and in writing, using appropriate tone and use of language, and with a range of audiences.
- Draft non-standard communication with sensitive/complex/confidential matters for review and use by more senior members of the team and colleagues across the University and externally.
- Explain regulations to colleagues.
- Manage diaries and emails where appropriate.
- Disseminate news and information to relevant customers and colleagues.
- Ensure accurate completion of documentation, records, and reports.
- Communicate and liaise with the wider university body as well as users of university services.
Planning and Organising
- Provide appropriate support for meetings, and large-scale events.
- Plan annual programme of routine events.
- Arrange the filing, archive, and data destruction in line with the University Data Protection & Retention Policy
- Carry out a range of support tasks to time and quality standards.
Service Excellence
- Create a positive image of the University by being responsive, prompt, and courteous when responding to requests or enquiries from customers.
- Proactively seek to understand and react to the needs and requirements of the customer.
- Adapt and change service to meet the requirements of the customer.
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of regulations and procedures, and the implications of non-compliance on others.
- Assist in the setting of standards for the service team.
- Produce reports for management as requested.
- Liaise with internal and external teams, committees, bodies etc. to ensure an effective service.
- Process information, for example applications, contracts, records, payments in accordance with agreed service levels
- Carry out general office duties, e.g., reception/meeting and greeting; sort and organise mail; order stationery; maintain office equipment such as printer, photocopier etc.
- Keep working area clean and tidy in line with appropriate H&S requirements.
Teamwork
- Contribute to and provide support and encouragement across the team.
- Build cooperation and set example by always demonstrating a flexible approach.
- Cover for other colleagues within the immediate team.
- Participate in working groups and committees within the team, School/Directorate and across the University as required.
- Train team/colleagues in operational activities within area of expertise
Decision Making
- Provide advice and guidance, respond to queries, and refer more complex queries to more senior members of the team as appropriate.
- Assist line manager regarding allocation and delegation of duties to staff.
- Understand the appropriate tools to use when undertaking day to day tasks.
Management Responsibilities
- There are no line management responsibilities within this position, but you may be asked to take on management of supervisor duties on occasion as part of your personal development.
- Under the direction of a senior staff member if required, monitor the budgets of the work area, making sure it operates effectively within budget constraints and maintaining appropriate stocks and financial records e.g., expenditure, payments to students etc.
- Manage specialised equipment or facilities.
Citizenship
- Always demonstrate the University Values through performance and behaviour.
- Participate in ad-hoc duties to support the team/University and for personal development.
- Support newer or inexperienced colleagues within and outside the University by offering support, help and advice.
- Positively promote the University internally and externally through positive behaviour and supporting University-wide activities
This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Monday 22 May 2023.
Please submit your CV via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.
At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
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.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University
