Job description 

Job Purpose:

The Greenwich & Avery Hill Advice Service Manager plays a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students across the Greenwich and Avery Hill Campuses as well as managing the Advice service.

This position is responsible for promoting and continually improving the Advice Service, including developing proactive interventions to enhance student success and evaluating the impact of these services through regular recording and reporting.

The manager will collaborate with other departments to ensure a holistic approach to student support.

Reports to:

Head of Advice and Wellbeing

Responsible for:

2 x Student Adviser’s across Greenwich & Avery Hill Campuses.

Department/Service

The GSU Advice Service provides free, confidential and impartial advice to all University of Greenwich Students.

The aim is to empower and provide students with quality advice so that they can make an informed decision. The service is independent of the university.

Advice is provided mainly in the areas of Academic and Housing matters.

Advice is provided 1-1 online, in-person, and via the telephone as well as in group settings when required, i.e. workshops.

Duties and Key Responsibilities

Advisory Team Management:

• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment for all staff.
• Provide regular supervision and support when required for Advisers dealing with challenging cases.
• Provide guidance and professional development opportunities for staff managed.
• Manage Greenwich and Avery Hill Advice Service within agreed budgets.

Operational:

• In conjunction with colleagues contribute to any professional awards for the service, i.e. quality mark, etc.
• Track and monitor issues affecting students.
• Reasonable cover for the Advice Service Manager (Medway) during periods of absence (can be done remotely).
• Occasional report writing or deputising for Head of Advice and Wellbeing relating to Advice.
• To provide advice to students accessing the service.
• Attend relevant meetings/hearings with Students in relation to Advice cases.
• To create and maintain case records ensuring confidentiality as per the services procedures.
• To attend and contribute to appropriate meetings internally or externally.

Service Promotion:

• Develop and execute strategies for promoting the Greenwich & Avery Hill Advice Service to both new and current students.
• Collaborate with the marketing and communications team to create marketing materials and campaigns when required.
• Engage in outreach efforts to raise awareness of the Greenwich & Avery Hill Advice Service.

Budget and Financial Management

• Together with the Head of Advice and Wellbeing, contribute to the budgetary planning of the Advice budget.
• Have an understanding for delivering activity within the allocated budget and ensuring these are effectively managed.
• Process invoices or equivalent, relating to the aforementioned budgets, where care, accuracy and security are important.

Impact Evaluation:

• Establish and maintain data-driven systems for evaluating the impact/quality of the Greenwich & Avery Hill Advice Service in conjunction with colleagues.
• Collect and analyse data to assess the effectiveness of interventions and make evidence-based improvements.
• Prepare regular reports on the outcomes and impact of the advice services.

Collaboration:

• To develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• Work closely with other university departments, such as Student Centre, Finance Team, Wellbeing Team, Faculties, etc to better support students.
• To attend meetings and forums as appropriate.

2 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 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

Essential Experience

• Working or worked in advice or a related field.
• Case management system experience.
• Relevant managerial experience.
• Working and building relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners or strategic networking.
• Plan, deliver, manage and evaluate programmes and events.
• Develop and maintain effective systems for collecting, collating and reporting information.

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Data analysis and reporting skills.
• Communication and interpersonal skills to a broad range of people, stakeholders, students, external organisations, etc.
• Leadership and team management skills.
• IT skills.
• Ability to analyse and assess statistics to drive service improvement.
• Work to deadlines and prioritise work.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills with the ability to reach deadlines, within agreed budgets and to a consistently high standard.
• Ability to engage and motivate others.

Knowledge

• Best practices in student advising and support.
• Regulatory requirements and best practice in the advice field.
• Detailed principles of confidentiality, GDPR and handling sensitive data.
• Health and Safety along with safeguarding.

Education / Training

• Advice or related field qualification preferred.
• Professional development in relevant area to the post.

Personal Attributes And Other Requirements

• Able to travel across our campuses, Greenwich, Medway, Canterbury and Avery Hill. There is a dedicated bus service staff can use for Greenwich/Medway/Avery Hill.
• 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.
• Commitment to the values and ethos of GSU.

CONDITIONS:

Career Staff Role

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £38,154 - £42,943*

*New starters will be placed on the bottom spine point of their grade. If you would like more information on our Pay Policy, please let us know.

Hours of work: 35 per week

Annual Leave: 25 days holiday plus bank holidays in addition, ‘privilege leave’ over the Christmas and New Year period is also additionally given.

Interviews: W/C 20th January