Support Worker (

Job Number:

24001606)

School of Education

Grade 3: – £22,659 – £23,478 per annum

Fixed Term – Full Time

Contract Duration: Initially 8 months

Contracted Hours per Week: 35

Closing Date

: 12-Sep-2024, 10:59:00 PM

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable. 

The University 

At Durham University, we are proud of our people, because they are at the heart of our globally outstanding institution, which is a key part of our local community. We inspire our people to do extraordinary things and we invite you to join our fantastic team. 

Across the University, we have a huge variety of roles and responsibilities, which together make us one large and successful community. 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. 

At the University we promote and actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion. It is crucial that everyone can be themselves and can flourish in an environment where everyone respects each other and is treated fairly. We want our people and wider community to feel happy, secure and proud to be a part of Durham. We are looking for the same values in you. 

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. For more information on our EDI strategy and values, click here

The Role and Department 

The role of Support Worker is to provide flexible and adaptable support to a visually impaired member of staff based within the School of Education. The post will be line-managed by the Senior Operations Administrator and will fall within the School’s Professional Support Staff (PSS) structures, however, day to day supervision and oversight of duties will be provided directly by the member of staff. An effective working relationship and exceptional communication between the support worker and member of staff are critical to the success of the support arrangements.

Responsibilities, by the nature of the role, will vary, but will include providing support for getting around (e.g. guidance to meetings and teaching activities), assistance with setting up IT equipment prior to lectures or presentations, production of teaching materials and documentation such as reports, committee paperwork and research papers, and conversion of electronic documentation and printed materials into accessible files. 

The successful candidate will have outstanding communication and customer service skills, be able to build effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues and teams, and possess excellent organisation and time management abilities.

About the School of Education

We are one of the very best UK Education departments, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Our research was ranked second overall in the latest Research Excellence Framework.

Our highly valued Professional Support Staff have a vital role within our vibrant staff community and form a friendly team of individuals working across a diverse range of roles to support the School in its mission to deliver world leading education that plays an important role in enabling individuals, communities and societies to flourish. The School also offers hybrid working with staff being required to work in the office on agreed days but able to work from home part of the week.

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description. 

Working at Durham 

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: 

• 27 Days annual leave per year (in additional to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year), a total of 39 days including time off 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.
• Discounts via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.
• On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities.
• Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which 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.
• Generous pension schemes.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

How to Apply 

We prefer to receive applications online. When you apply you need to submit a CV and/or a statement that tells us your experience, along with a grid detailing how you meet each of the the criteria above along with examples. 

We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. 

Who to contact for more information 

If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role or if you are struggling to complete the application process, Charlotte Bates, Senior Operations Administrator, would be happy to speak to you (charlotte.bates@durham.ac.uk). 

Typical Role Requirements

Here are the kind of activities that you’ll be asked to undertake and ways in which you’ll be expected to operate.

Service Delivery

• Support for getting around (e.g. guidance to meetings and teaching activities within the department, across campus and at external locations)
• Assistance with IT and teaching equipment: setting up IT equipment prior to lectures or presentations
• Production of teaching materials and documents: e.g. reports, committee paperwork, research papers
• Providing support with Microsoft systems such as Outlook calendar, Sharepoint, and with University systems such as Learn Ultra.
• Use of standard office-based devices and applications such as word, excel and power point
• Preparation for teaching, admin or research activities: conversion of electronic documentation and printed materials into accessible files (use of OCR software etc.) and proof reading converted documents
• General day to day support: maintenance and organisation of member of staff’s office, mobility around the School and campus, reading of mail
• Maintaining process guides and instructions to enable others to cover the role, and ensuring that documentation and an action log are kept centrally available for this purpose
• Collecting, organising and record data and information accurately for use by others
• Working within and alongside various Professional Support Staff teams as necessary in order to support the work of the member of staff; this may additionally include providing administrative support within the School’s PSS team when the member of staff is not at work.
• Provide an excellent and timely service to our students, your colleagues and anyone else you come across as part of your role.
• Follow established procedures when carrying out your role and vary or refer to more senior colleagues when necessary.
• Provide support for meetings, working groups and committees by preparing related documents.

Teamwork/Liaison

• Help to move, set-up and maintain any facilities, equipment or tools e.g. braille machine.
• Help your colleagues when required with other key activities undertaken within your service for example providing administrative support within the School’s Professional Support Staff team when the member of staff is not at work.
• Help and cooperate with the rest of your team on operational matters to help achieve shared objectives.

Communication/Personal

• Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
• Follow established procedures to respond to queries and bring any complex issues to the attention of more experience team members.
• Respond to queries by providing routine information for example email enquiries, and signposting to additional guidance.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. 

This post is funded externally by Access to Work and is initially fixed term until April 2025. The post may be extended beyond this date subject to the renewal of funding, which is currently renewed on a three yearly cycle. 

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

What you need to demonstrate when you apply

To be considered for this role, here are the skills/experience we’re looking for:

Qualifications/Experience

1. Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or equivalent experience. 

2. Experience of working in a team delivering customer focussed administrative services or having relevant qualifications for the role.

3. Experience of managing time to meet deadlines.

4. Experience of providing a customer focussed service to ensure the delivery of high quality services. 

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

5. Outstanding spoken and written communication skills.

6. Good digital skills including experience in using digital devices and apps including the internet, email, digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, digital booking systems.

7. Committed to training/continuing professional development.

8. Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve straightforward issues.

9. Ability to provide advice and guidance to a range of colleagues and customers.

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