Senior Administrative Assistant – Student Records & Awards

Role: Senior Administrative Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £26,038 – £30,505 per annum

FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday – Friday

Holiday Entitlement: 28 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role

The post is an administrative and student support role within the Student Records and Awards team. 

The specific role of the postholder is to provide a helpful, professional and co-ordinated approach in support of, and advice to, students, and academic and administrative staff across the University and at other campuses working as part of the Student Records and Awards (SRA) team and to assist, as directed, with all major Registry and Academic Support activities including Enrolment (on- and off-campus) and Graduations (at all campus locations), including the monthly conferment for in absentia awards, intermediate and exit awards.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Supervise the work of the SRA Administrative Assistants and co-ordinate various administrative.
2. Provide support to the Student Records Officer for bi-annual Enrolment events, working with colleagues within the Student Service Centre (SSC) and the Global Student Office (GSO), ensuring that all UKVI requirements are met.
3. Assist with Graduation arrangements, for all campuses, including assisting students with the online application process, preparing and issuing certificates, co-ordination of prizes/medals, assisting with the arrangements for allocation of guest tickets, preparation and proofing of graduation programmes, assisting with staff briefing notes and the allocation of roles for support staff and maintenance of the Graduation Master Lists and associated files.
4. Support the Graduation and Awards Officer in drafting Graduation Platform Party announcements including the Vice-Chancellor/Chancellor, Deans’ and Watt Club representatives’ to be read out at each graduation ceremony in the UK and Malaysia.
5. Maintenance of the data to support the Enhanced Transcript, including data required for graduation programmes.
6. Aid with the bi-annual process for the award of the Deputy Principal’s Award.
7. Processing the release of final online results and awards for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students and the notification of awards to postgraduate research students. • Process financial transactions including graduation ticket refunds and raising purchase orders for DHL invoices, stationery etc.
8. Resolve standard and complex enquiries via the University’s enquiry management systems, including support for the SRA webmail, Student Helpline and AskMyHW (UniDesk) enquiries.
9. Liaison with the University’s external Graduation Gowning Supplier, to co-ordinate arrangements for supplying academic gowns for each graduation ceremony.
10. Maintenance of Banner/Student Administration System (SAS) and ENet (external supplier’s system) required for graduation bookings and arrangements e.g.: platform party registration and gown orders, student attendance, gown and ticket orders).
11. Provision of guidance and support to other professional service colleagues across the whole University on enrolment and graduation.
12. Assisting the Student Records Officer with the processing and audit of ‘User Access to SAS’ requests.
13. Providing support for updates to SAS and conduct appropriate structured data integrity checks to ensure the quality of data in SAS, and other central records (eg: SAAS/SLC, Appeals, Suspension of Studies, PGR extension of studies) is maintained.
14. Maintenance and development of accurate and up-to-date information for undergraduate and postgraduate students within the Student Administration System (SAS).
15. Providing support for the annual maintenance of programme information within the Student Finance CMS.
16. To provide cover for the tasks carried out by other members of the SRA team and to undertake other tasks related to RAS activities as requested by the Student Records and Awards Manager or the Head of Student Life/Deputy Registrar.

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential

1. Educated to SCQF Level 6 or similar or equivalent experience
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. Analytical and problem-solving skills. 8. Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service

Desirable

1. Further or Higher Education qualifications (e.g. HND or degree)
2. Working in an administrative role in higher education
3. Knowledge of HWU systems (e.g. Banner Student Records System, UniDesk)

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Sunday 16 February 2025.

Please submit your CV and supporting covering letter via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment portal.

Interviews for this role are anticipated to take place on Tuesday 25 February 2025.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.

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/ .

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.

About the Team

The Registry and Academic Support Directorate (RAS) supports our students and staff colleagues across the full student lifecycle, 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 several 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:

1. Student Life
2. Off Campus Students
3. Academic Operations
4. Academic Quality

There is also a link to the Policy and Governance Division within Government and Legal Services in relation to student misconduct, complaints and appeals. The Student Life Division consists of the following services:

1. Student Administration
2. Wellbeing
3. Careers and Graduate Futures
4. Student Advisory Service

The Student Administration Service provides the management and delivery of key University services and processes across three teams

1. Student Records and Awards
2. Student Service Centre
3. Global Student Office

The Student Administration Service manages a single point of access for students on each campus, to deliver a consistent student experience including face-to-face and virtual services. It acts as the definitive record-keeper of the student record and manages and delivers standard/consistent processes and advice in relation to enrolment, maintenance of the student record, all student transactions (transfers, finance, scholarships, suspension of studies, etc.), student mobility, including international student visas, placement/exchange students and campus transfers, all student aspects of graduation and awards.

About Heriot-Watt University

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.

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