Academic Support Administrator - Dubai Campus

 Job Posting Title: Academic Support Administrator 

Grade: Grade 5 

FTE and working pattern: Full-time 

Division Name: Academic Operations 

Reports to: Academic Operations Manager – Dubai Campus 

About our School/Directorate and Team: 

The Global Registry and Academic Support Directorate supports our students and staff across the full student life-cycle from enrolment to graduation. 

The Directorate has responsibility as the definitive record-keeper of all student information, programme and course details, as well as leading services that help students settle and stay at the University. This includes providing professional help and advice through a range of support and wellbeing services. 

The Directorate 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 five Divisions, each managed by a Global Head, and two Heads of Campus Registry and Student Services: 

• Student Life
• Online Students
• Academic Operations
• Academic Quality
• Academic Secretariat, Regulation and Policy
• Head of Registry & Student Services – Dubai Campus
• Head of Registry & Student Services - Malaysia Campus

The Academic Operations Division is made up of four areas: 

• Timetabling & Scheduling: Coordinates with the Schools to develop and deliver a balanced teaching timetable, and manages resource bookings to optimize use of space across campus.
• Exams & Graduation: Coordinates logistics for final exams including the exam timetable, training and allocation of invigilators, and exam registration. Manages and prepares for Dubai graduation ceremonies in coordination with the team in Edinburgh.
• Post-graduate Research Administration: Provides administrative support for processes related to the post-graduate research student journey.
• School Academic Support Administration: Provides centralized, administrative support to Schools for Learning & Teaching activities, including record keeping, logistical arrangements for Academic Reviews and accreditation visits, preparations for exam boards, etc. as well as general administrative tasks such as appointment booking, travel arrangements, minute taking, etc.

Purpose of Role 

The Academic Support Administrator provides administrative support to the Schools for Learning & Teaching activities, including record keeping, logistical arrangements for quality processes (eg, Academic Reviews), preparations for exams, preparations for progression and exam boards, and clerk for key Learning & Teaching related meetings. In addition, the Academic Support Administrator provides prompt and professional service to a wide range of stakeholders, including students, parents, staff and external entities. The post-holder investigates and resolves inquiries, explains University rules, policies and procedures, and per regulations. The post-holder will work as part of the School Academic Support Administration unit under the direction of the Head of Registry and Student Services (Dubai Campus). 

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Provide administrative support for Learning & Teaching activities within the Schools and the Registry and Academic Support Directorate. 
• Provide professional customer service in all interactions. 
• Communicate effectively by phone, email and in-person in a professional and tactful manner; respond promptly and accurately. 
• Provide accurate information and assistance to stakeholders on University rules, policies and procedures as it relates to the Schools and Learning & Teaching Activities. 
• Investigate and resolve inquiries. If outside the scope of the role, connect the stakeholder with the relevant recipient/staff. 
• Maintain accurate and complete School records related to Learning & Teaching activities. 
• Support the examination process, which may include examination paper preparation, photocopying, archiving scripts, sending examination papers to external examiners, liaising with Academic staff, and coordinating exam adjustments for students of determination. 
• Collate and layout coursework, exam scripts and dissertations for External Examiners to view prior to exam boards or for accreditation/review panels. 
• Archive coursework, exam scripts and dissertations, and arrange for coursework, exam scripts and dissertations to be destroyed, as outlined in the University’s data management policies. 
• Provide administrative and logistical arrangements for quality processes such as Academic Reviews and accreditation activities. 
• Clerk Learning & Teaching related meetings, such as progression and exam boards. This includes meeting arrangements, preparing and circulating agendas, necessary documentation and reports, and minute-taking. 
• Enter exam/coursework marks. 
• Upload personal tutor details to Banner. 
• Contribute to the development and drafting of procedural documents in line with School, Campus and University policies. 
• Update programme handbooks. 
• Help with planning, preparing and implementing various Registry and Academic Support events, such as induction, enrolment, course registration and graduation. 
• Review student enrolment and course registration; follow up to ensure students are enrolled and properly registered. 
• Assist academic staff with attendance records and issue attendance warnings to students.
• Provide administrative support for School-level student appeals, complaints and academic misconduct. 
• Guide the Student Service Centre to process course transfers, course change forms and other academic related changes to the student record in Banner. 
• Send announcements to relevant student groups as instructed by academic staff and the Academic Operations Division. 
• Maintain confidentiality of University and student records at all times. 
• Prepare, compile and maintain regular reports and records as well as complete ad hoc requests. 
• Other duties as assigned to support the mandate and goals of the Registry and Academic Support Directorate, and the wider University. 

Education, Qualifications & Experience: 

Essential 

1. Educated to at least degree or equivalent practical experience in the workplace 

2. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above 

3. Competent in the use of relevant IT packages 

4. Well-developed interpersonal skills 

5. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach 

6. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment 

7. Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service 

8. Analytical problem-solving skills 

9. Excellent English language skills including writing, speaking and comprehension 

Desirable 

1. Experience in Higher Education 

2. Experience working with Banner 

Heriot-Watt University Values

With a history dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and professionally relevant, leading-edge research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for business and industry.

We are a vibrant, forward-looking university, well known for the quality of our degrees with employers actively seeking out our graduates.  Heriot-Watt is also Scotland’s international university with an unsurpassed international in-country presence. We deliver degree programmes to circa 30,000 students in 143 countries around the world, have a further overseas campus in Dubai and boast the largest international student cohort in Scotland.

At Heriot-Watt we’ve created an environment that nurtures innovation and leadership - where our researchers, staff and students can realise their potential and develop their ambitions.

We are proud of our collegiate atmosphere and integrated teaching and research approach which has helped to build a community of committed academics and highly motivated students.  Our focus on careers delivers results and we’ve an excellent reputation for graduate employability.

In addition to the Edinburgh campus, we currently have campuses in  the Scottish Borders, Orkney, Dubai and Malaysia.  For all of our campuses we aim to provide stimulating, supportive environments conducive to effective learning and research, where staff and students can excel. At Heriot-Watt, we have an established set of values that help us to nurture innovation and leadership, and show our commitment to continuous improvement and development in all our activities.

Our values describe our deeply held beliefs and our community spirit. They characterise not only how we are as a higher education institution but also frame how we want to be.

Our values are:

• Belong
• Collaborate
• Inspire
• Celebrate

As learning, living and working institution, we use our values as the building blocks of how we go about doing our work and how we each conduct ourselves as members of Heriot-Watt University. They represent what binds us together as a University community and help us to become the best at what we do.

For full details on our University, please view our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/about.htm

‘How to Apply’

Interested applicants must submit applications attaching an updated CV. 

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.

The appointment is conditional upon successful completion of all Labour and Immigration formalities.