Assistant Student Support Officer (Flexible Deployment)
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here.
Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.
The Role and the Department
Applications are invited for a Flexible Deployment Assistant Student Support Officer (0.8 FTE) working across the University’s 15 Maintained Colleges. The role sits within the Student Support & Wellbeing (Strategy & Delivery) team – part of the Student Experience Directorate (SED). The Directorate brings together student support services and wider student experience provision across the institution, including, for example, the Counselling and Mental Health Service, the Disability Support Service, Sport, and Performing Arts. The Assistant Student Support Officer role, while line managed by the Deputy Head of Student Support & Wellbeing, will be deployed flexibly to Colleges experiencing gaps in their student support teams due to vacancies, staff sickness or other reasons.
The Assistant Student Support Officer, along with other College staff including the Principal, Vice-Principal and Assistant Principal, will be an integral and visible part of the College community. They will be a primary point of contact for the College’s students and will provide them with face-to-face student support services. They will report to the Deputy Head of Student Support & Wellbeing but will usually work under the supervision of the College’s Assistant Principal (the lead officer for student support) during each deployment.
The Assistant Student Support Officer will deal with individual student support cases, resolving them where possible and referring students where appropriate to academic departments, specialist services (such as the Counselling and Mental Health Service) and external support agencies to best address student concerns and issues. They will liaise actively with other parts of the University to provide joined-up support for students and will maintain ownership of student cases even when referring them to other areas. The post-holder will also support proactive wellbeing initiatives within the College.
Induction, guidance, training and support in the role will be provided by the Student Support & Wellbeing team and by the College Assistant Principals.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University\:
• You’ll receive 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference to the local community.
• Our family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• If you are keen on advancing in your role or career, we have a genuine passion for developing our colleagues from qualifications to IT skills, courses and apprenticeships.
• We offer generous pension schemes with varying contribution amounts to help you plan for your future.
Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.