Job Description 

JOB PURPOSE:

The Academic Communities and Representation Coordinator will be responsible for establishing and managing a number of opportunities for and supporting the development of academic student groups and student reps. The role will empower students and support them to come together and make positive connections and foster a sense of community at the University of Greenwich. This role is key in creating strong relationships between students, GSU and University staff for the Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences at the Greenwich, Avery Hill and Medway sites.

Duties and Key Responsibilities

This postholder will be part of the Membership Services Team and will be expected to contribute to departments wider objectives and planning. The post holder will:

Support the delivery of the Student Voice and Representation Action Plan and the GSU Plan

• Work with the Education, Health and Human Sciences Faculty to develop an engaging programme of activity throughout the year to ensure students have the opportunity to connect with peers at an academic level
• Capturing and applying data into regular insights and report to inform and develop new projects and ideas, to improve student experience and inform our service provision
• Contribute to the annual APP Student Submission and the University’s APP Steering Group
• Work in partnership with students and University colleagues to improve areas with lower performing NSS scores and student feedback within the Education, Health and Human Sciences Faculty

Support the growth and development of Academic Societies and Student Reps

• Design, and deliver opportunities for training and development of Academic Reps and Communities across physical and digital mediums where appropriate
• Directly support academic societies to grow in number and membership by providing advice, resources, support, and specialist knowledge
• Provide support for student group events, activities and trips, including ensuring relevant practices and procedures are followed, building communications plans and managing budgets

Be an engaged and an active member of the Student Voice & Representation team

• Contributing regularly and working collaboratively with peers and student representatives
• Ensure that campaigns and policy work is student-led and representative of student interests by monitoring matters raised by Programme Representatives, Full-Time and Part-Time Officers and other elected student leaders to identify common trends
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of the SLTA’s (Student Led Teaching Awards) as well as supporting GSU Elections, Welcome, the Officer Induction Programme and wider GSU projects and events.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Preparing information, statistics and trends about key services relating to Representation, Academic Communities and APP, ensuring data is collected, analysed and reported on
• Ensure evaluation mechanisms are embedded and that findings are shared and used to implement learnings

Budget and Financial Management

• Being responsible for delivering activity within the allocated budget and ensuring these are effectively managed
• Ensure suitable financial procedures are in place when dealing with student finances
• Process invoices or equivalent, relating to the aforementioned budgets, where care, accuracy and security are important.

Stakeholder management

• Collaborate with GSU colleagues, particularly the Engagement and Operations and Advice Teams to ensure we have a consistent approach to how we work with and support students
• Build and maintain strong working relationships elected students, relevant UoG staff and our partners at Kent Union and Christ Church Students Union to ensure we shape services students want and need, taking into consideration the varying campus priorities
• Support students from all demographics, and particularly those from under-represented groups in order to understand barriers to participation and issues affecting them, as well as solutions

General Responsibilities

• Represent and be an ambassador for GSU. 
• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop, or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position. 
• Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development. 
• Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices. 
• Support and promote liberation, diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace. 
• Treat with confidentiality any personal, private, or sensitive information about individual organisations and or clients or staff and Project data. 
• Actively seek better ways to assist GSU in its effort to become a more sustainable workplace. 
• Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post. 

Personal Specification

Experience

• Relevant experience working or volunteering in the youth, education, student union or other membership organisation
• Experience of working as part of a multi-functional team
• Experience of project management
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders and partnership working

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work within a high performing team
• Ability to troubleshoot difficult situations, and deal with them calmly, efficiently and effectively
• Ability to produce confident, clear written reports
• Awareness of basic IT packages
• Excellent time management and organisational skills with the ability to reach deadlines, within agreed budgets and to a consistently high standard
• Ability to write and deliver clear project plans and be able to effectively communicate these
• Ability to stay focused and efficient in the face on changing priorities
• Track record of successfully developing and implementing projects

Knowledge

• Awareness of current issues within the higher education sector and barriers to participation
• Understanding of University structures and extracurricular volunteering.

Education/Training

• No one specific qualification is required, but evidence of recent continuing professional development in a professional area relevant to the post is required.

Personal Attributes and other requirements

• Able to travel extensively within the Borough and Region.
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends as role requires.
• May need to stay overnight for training and conferences. Advance notice given for flexibility.
• Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work
• Commitment to the values and ethos of the organisation

Reports to: Academic Communities and Representation Manager

Responsible for: Occasional student staff, interns or ambassadors on an ad-hoc basis

Department/Service:

This role sits within the Student Voice & Representation function, within the Membership Services department. This covers key areas such as; Advocacy & Policy and Engagement & Opportunities. We provide a high-quality service for students, that they can shape, steer and be at the heart of.