About the University

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

The Registry support all aspects of the student journey, right from initial enquiry and application, all the way through to final award and student completion. We strive to provide an outstanding service to all our users and to be thought leaders in our fields of expertise, developing research informed practise. Registry teams work collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver a high-performance culture that promotes wellbeing, diversity and opportunity for all, supporting excellent student experience.

About the Admissions Team

The Admissions team provides a vital service to support the University in meeting its target for UK and International recruitment across all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and courses.

The Admissions team is part of The Registry. The Registry strives to provide an outstanding service to all our users and to be thought leaders in our fields of expertise, developing research informed practise. Registry teams work collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver a high-performance culture that promotes wellbeing, diversity and opportunity for all, supporting excellent student experience.

The University is committed to providing an inclusive student experience, which offers all students the opportunity to achieve to their full potential.

About the role

The Admissions team plays a vital role in supporting the University’s UK and international student recruitment objectives across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. This customer-focused position is responsible for managing a high volume of applicant enquiries across email, telephone, face-to-face and social media channels, providing accurate, timely and professional advice throughout the admissions journey.

You will support applicants with enquiries relating to admissions processes, application progress, interviews and offers, while ensuring records and documentation are managed accurately across a range of systems. Working to key performance targets, particularly during peak periods such as Confirmation and Clearing, you will contribute to delivering an outstanding applicant experience. The role also involves supporting recruitment events, maintaining compliance with GDPR and University policies, and using initiative to resolve queries and provide effective solutions in a fast-paced environment.

This is a fixed term contract for 12 months.

About You

You will be customer service focused with the ability to deal with all enquiries relating to admissions and the progress of applications across a range of programmes and modes of study including undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes. This will require the delivery of accurate advice and guidance to applicants, their families and other stakeholders ensuring that the service provided is delivered in a professional, efficient, sensitive, and courteous manner whether they are in person, by telephone or by email.

Principal accountabilities

Dealing with all enquiries relating to admissions and the progress of applications across a range of programmes and modes of study including undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes.

Providing accurate advice and guidance to applicants, their families and other stakeholders ensuring that the service provided is delivered in a professional, efficient, sensitive, and courteous manner whether they are in person, by telephone or by email.

Working across a range of Social Media platforms to handle applicant enquiries.

Communicating accurate advice relating to the progress of applications, interviews and other stages of the admissions and selection processes, demonstrating a working understanding of admissions processes.

Responding to enquiries in relation to admissions procedures to decide on correct course of action referring to the Admissions Advisors for resolution where necessary.

Assisting with the collection and uploading of applicant documentation for professional suitability checks and assigning tasks to the relevant Admissions Advisor for processing.

Responsibility for processing direct applicant offer decisions, ensuring that applicants are kept informed of the next steps once they have made their decisions.

Supporting application processing at key points in the cycle, particularly during Confirmation and Clearing and any other key timelines.

Participating in Recruitment, Admissions and Registry events such as Open days, Confirmation, Clearing, Enrolment and Graduation.

Participating in any other duties as directed by manager and leaders within the admissions team.

Using initiative to resolve problems and queries relevant to responsibilities.

Acting in a responsible, professional manner and comply with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and data security legislation/policy. In doing so, ensure data is extracted, shared, handled, and stored appropriately and removed responsibly in accordance with the University’s retention policy.

Attending all training and development opportunities as required to ensure a continuous high performing culture and customer experience.

Assisting with the training and induction of new staff to help ensure a deep understanding of relevant procedures, systems, process, and accountability. This includes full participation in mentoring new team members in day-to-day activities.

Adopting the University’s Core Values and Underpinning Behaviours.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

Level 3 qualifications such as A-Levels, BTEC Extended Diploma or equivalent qualification

GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4/C or equivalent or comparable knowledge and transferable skills gained through professional experience

Experience

Experience of working in a team and meeting performance targets

Experience of working in a customer service environment

Experience of dealing with a wide range of customers by telephone, email and face-to-face

Experience of solving problems, effectively and efficiently

Experience of using initiative in the performance of your duties and working without close supervision

Experience of using Microsoft Tools (MS Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and contact databases

Experience of working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve common goals

Experience of building and maintaining strong working relationships at all levels across an organisation

Skills, knowledge & abilities

Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff in the immediate workplace, across the Department and beyond

Ability to communicate effectively with customers in writing, on the telephone, in person and across a range of social media platforms

High level of accuracy and attention to detail

Strong customer services skills

Strong organisational and time management skills

Good judgement of situations and people and the ability to respond appropriately and professionally

Ability to adapt and be flexible

Good analytical skills

Business requirements

Willingness to work outside of normal hours at times as relevant to achieving service delivery, targets and deadlines, including, when required, evenings and weekends

Ability to work outside of normal working hours (including some evenings and weekends), to support the business during key University events, such as Graduation, Clearing and Open Days

Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner as relevant to support staff, attend events, meetings, and/or undertaking any duties, as required, relevant to the level of the post

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

HND or equivalent

IT qualifications (or equivalent experience) eg web development, Share-point, MS 365, MS Teams

Customer service qualifications

Experience

Experience of working in an admissions/recruitment team

Experience of working in the Higher Education sector

Experience working with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system

Experience in handling customer enquiries using social media platforms

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)

Local Government Pension Scheme

Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme

Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers

Discounted onsite gym

Cycle to Work scheme

A flexible working environment

A commitment to personal and professional development