Job description

Department:Accommodation & Hospitality Services

Location:Brighton or Eastbourne

Job title:Residential Advisor

Grade:Special payment arrangements

Responsible to:Student Liaison Manager

Main areas of responsibility:

  1. To support the safety and welfare of students living in halls of residence in conjunction with the Student Liaison Manager and Night Security staff during out of office hours.
  1. To participate in the annual welcome of new students to halls of residence, including both arrival days and student induction talks or meetings. (Arrival days occur in September and student induction talks usually take place during the first two weeks of the academic year).
  1. To take reasonable steps to ensure that the university’s statements and polices relating to the health, safety and security are observed by residents.

Specific duties:

  1. To support the safety and welfare of students living in halls of residence in conjunction with the Student Liaison Manager and Night Security staff during out of office hours.

1.1To work on a call out and rota basis with other residential advisors during term and vacation time, 19.30pm to 07.30am, and including weekends.

1.2To establish and build relations with resident halls students through regular visits to flats, and contact with students on an ad hoc basis while on duty on site.

1.3To attend, and to help the Student Liaison Manager and/or NightSecurity officers to investigate and deal with incidents where required.

1.4To travel to other halls of residence sites when required to attendmajor incidents and when procedures are escalated by senior residences staff.

1.5To refer breaches of halls regulations to the Student Liaison Managerfor further investigation and appropriate action.

1.6To call emergency services when required.

1.7Complete incident, accident and fire incident report forms and ensure copies are referred to the halls manager and other appropriate colleagues within the department and university.

1.8To attend formal student disciplinary hearings when required, providing written and/or verbal evidence to the disciplinary panel.

1.9Acting in a pastoral capacity, to carry out follow up visits to students after incidents, complaints, or where welfare/health issues have occurred, encouraging students to understand the impact of their behaviour/actions, or checking on any ongoing health concerns.

1.10To direct students to support services within the university when specialist help or advice is required, for example, Finance, Student Services.

1.11To respond to complaints from both students and neighbours by collating information about the complaint and referring the matter to the Student Liaison Manager or Night Security officer for further investigation. To advise the complainant about what action is to be taken.

1.12To act as a contact point for students who are under the age of 18 and living in halls of residence, offering weekly meetings to support the student in the transition from home to university life.

  1. To participate in the annual welcome of new students to halls of residence, including both arrival days and student induction talks or meetings. (Arrival days occur during one weekend in September and student induction talks usually take place during the first two weeks of the academic year).

2.1To assist residences staff to issue keys to new students on botharrival days.

2.2To direct new students to their allocated accommodation and to inform students about the site and staff, and assist with enquiries about local amenities, such as shops and transport together with other residences staff, to prepare and give talks to the students about key issues related to their accommodation, including support services available and how to contact staff overnight.

  1. To take reasonable steps to ensure the university’s statements and policies relating to health, safety and security are observed by residents.

3.1While on duty, to support the welfare and well-being of residents by ensuring an appropriate level of discipline and safety. When not on duty, the residential advisor must immediately refer incidents that they become aware of to the Student Liaison Manager or Night Security.

3.2To be aware of the university’s procedures concerning health, safety and security as they apply to halls of residence, and to take note of amendments to these as advised.

3.3To inform residents of the relevant university procedures concerning health, safety and security as appropriate.

3.4To participate in termly fire alarm tests by assisting with the safe evacuations of students and referring any concerns about the evacuation process to the Hall Manager.

3.5In the event of a major incident, such as a fire, to assist the Student Liaison Manager and Night Security to evacuate students and to help other university staff to ensure the temporary relocation of students if required.

3.6To report to the Hall Manager any required maintenance work which is noted whilst carrying out duties as Residential Adviser.

Selection criteria:The criteria below indicate the qualities that are needed to do the job well. Candidates for the post will be selected according to the extent to which they satisfy them, and the evidence of potential for developing the rest further. Most of the criteria must normally be met in order to qualify for selection.

Essential:

  • agree to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check due to the nature of the work, for example, working with under 18’s.
  • commitment to the well-being of students.
  • good communication skills, including listening skills, being able to respond clearly to the information needs of staff, students and/or visitors, as appropriate to the situation.
  • sufficiently free from external obligations to be able to meet the rota requirements and to be able to work amended duty hours, most usually in the event of a major incident or disaster.
  • able to participate in training events, generally outside normal duty hours.
  • helpful, co-operative and sensitive to the feelings and special needs of others.
  • the ability to respond appropriately to emergencies and unforeseen events and to show initiative to take appropriate action without being prompted.
  • reliable, honest and committed to maintaining confidentiality.
  • able to be assertive without being aggressive.
  • physically able to perform the required duties, including responding to emergencies, and to have sufficient mobility to access all parts of the site.

Desirable:

  • an insight into the needs of students.
  • first aid certificate, or willingness to undertake appropriate training.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.