Change your career, change lives
The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).
About the Role
You will play a key role assisting with workload and resource management of a busy operational Professional Programmes Team based in the Professional Services department of the Faculty of Wellbeing Education and Language Studies. You will support essential activities related to professional and work-based learning education programmes, including Nursing and Social Work. This includes recruitment of students, quality assurance, external regulatory approval events and contract related activity.
Key Responsibilities
- Day-to-day line management and coordination of a large team of Programme Assistants.
- Coordination of activities completed by Programme Assistants to ensure delivery of key administrative processes and objectives on time and to the required standard.
- Ensure compliance with agreed policies and procedures by following and contributing to robust quality assurance processes.
- Support the ongoing planning and preparation for upcoming activity e.g. delivering induction and training, contributing to planning data etc.
- Support the continuous improvement of processes through active participation in process reviews and by ensuring procedures, process maps, team training and inductions are kept up to date.
- Contribute to maintaining a cohesive team, by working closely with the academic leads, key partners, and other stakeholders.
- Communicate with internal and external colleagues and customers in a professional and timely manner.
- Organise and participate in meetings, training and events including setting agendas, organising platforms/locations, managing associate budget, leading discussions, and taking and disseminating actions etc.
- Support the management of activities, including associated finance.
- Coordinate the arrangements and logistics of external and multi-stakeholder meetings. Arrange and manage visitor arrangements, including room bookings, meet and greet, visitor parking, hospitality, and meeting room bookings where appropriate.
- Implement the University’s policies and procedures to support and promote Equality and Diversity.
- Maintain confidentiality of information in line with data protection requirements and University policy.
- Comply with Health and Safety requirements, including having an awareness of personal responsibilities to maintain a safe working environment and to undertake a supporting role in the faculty as a fire warden, first aider and/or DSE assessor where required.
- Contribute to the University’s agenda of ethics, social justice, and responsibility.
About You
- Demonstrable experience of line management and coordinating team workload and activities to deliver objectives to agree standards and timelines.
- An ability to focus on quality and maintain attention to detail in a busy operational setting dealing with high workload volumes.
- Proven ability to identify risks and issues, find and implement solutions and/or escalate risk promptly and professionally as appropriate.
- Proficient IT skills, including:
- An ability to use Microsoft Office packages to a good standard (Teams, Excel and Outlook).
- A track record picking up new systems and IT packages quickly and proficiently (OU examples may include SuccessFactors, VOICE, CIRCE, and CIRCE MI).
- Excellent written and communication skills and an ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at different levels.
- A strong demonstrable background in delivering excellent customer service.
- Demonstrated commitment to continuous business improvement.
- Experience of managing sensitive and confidential data with understanding of GDPR issues.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams.
- Ability to work on site on a weekly basis.
Support with your application
If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.
What's in it for you?
At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).
Flexible working
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.
Working Location: It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that mandatory attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be every Tuesday along with additional on-site days as required (e.g. training or in-person support). Extra days on site may also be required at short notice, so applicants must live within a commutable distance. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable.
Next steps in the Recruitment process
Interview dates are still to be confirmed.
Early closing date notification
While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.
If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.
How to apply
To apply for this role, please submit the following documents:
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A Supporting Statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the essential criteria for this role as detailed above.
- CV
You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.
