Job Title: Academic Caseworker

Job description

Job title: Academic Caseworker

Responsible to: Advice Services Manager

Direct reports: None

Strategic relationships: Senior managers from UEL Union, academic and non-academic staff from the University of East London, elected officers, programme reps, staff and senior managers of NUS, ACSU.

Hours of work: 35 hours per week, plus additional hours as necessary, although this is not expected to be excessive

Purpose of the post: The post-holder will provide impartial advice and advocate for individual students on academic issues affecting UEL students. The post-holder will be responsible for developing the academic advice service at both campuses, provide statistics and other useful information on the issues affecting UEL students and develop and deliver training sessions on the academic regulations/housing. The post holder will be expected to maintain high standards of customer care and adhere to UEL Union’s policies and procedures for the provision of advice.

Authority and direction is delegated from UEL Union’s Trustees, via the Chief Executive and the Advice Services Manager

Duties and responsibilities

1.0 Academic advice / Housing advice

·  To provide a confidential, impartial, non-judgemental, general, sometimes complex advice on a range of academic issues including appeals, extenuation, complaints, assessment offences, hearings and any other matters affecting the academic life of students at UEL.

·  To provide confidential, impartial, non-judgemental, general advice on Housing such as contract checking, deposits, inventories, guarantors, repairs, council tax, gas safety, moving out, TV licensing etc.

·  To provide representation and advocacy at internal and external hearings especially in regard to disciplinary/academic appeals.

·  To maintain accurate and comprehensive casework notes and keep accurate statistics of client numbers and work completed.

·  To maintain strict client confidentiality at all times and to abide by the UEL Union’s confidentiality policy.

·  To maintain case files and to adhere to deadlines and closing dates as appropriate. To review and monitor own case files on a regular basis.

·  To identify areas of social policy.

·  To make referrals to departments within UEL such as Health & Wellbeing, Student Money Advice & Rights Team (SMART), International Student Advice (ISA) and external agencies such as Shelter and Citizens Advice Bureau as and when necessary and in line with UEL Union’s working practices.

·  To monitor the academic/housing advice email service to students on a regular basis and to respond in a timely manner.

·  To liaise with UEL’s student services department on matters affecting students with disability needs to ensure development of good practice in areas affecting such students.

·  To work specifically on projects and matter of policy with university schools and services and other external agencies as and when required.

·  To ensure that appropriate systems of work such as standard letters and forms are created and maintained.

2.0 Occasional Duties

·  To maintain the system for collecting statistics of client contacts, nature of enquiry, outcome of enquiry and equal opportunities data.

·  In conjunction with the Advice Services Manager, co-ordinate an annual client and stakeholder satisfaction survey and equal opportunities monitoring survey and ensure that the results are published. On a periodic basis to collate statistics into a report format.

·  To produce written information including leaflets and handouts for publication on UEL Union’s website and for general use within the University.

·  To attend appropriate meetings as and when required by the Union, particularly with relevant staff from the university schools and services.

·  To provide briefings for student officers as requested by the Advice Services Manager, and to research and write such reports as may be necessary.

3.0 Knowledge

·  To develop knowledge of academic issues related to Higher Education and university systems and procedures and to provide advice on such matters.

·  To undertake training in furtherance of the above.

4.0 Quality assurance

·  To collate research and work with other Union staff and officers to produce documents in support of quality assurance at the University.

·  To collate research in support of Union submissions for institutional audits, developmental engagements, integrated quality and enhancement reviews and other reviews as required.

·  To conduct research concerning academic regulations, offenses and feedback from time to time.

·  To promote the National Student Survey and Student Satisfaction to student representatives and the study body generally.

5.0 Student satisfaction and communication

·  To support and develop communications between the Union and students on academic matters by producing leaflets, online support and other information materials.

·  To monitor student satisfaction of clients and stakeholders of the academic advice service.

·  To work with elected officers and other Union staff in developing communications between the Union and student on academic matters.

6.0 Ethical and environmental standards

·  To promote the highest standards of ethical and environmental behaviour, ensuring that the Union is endeavouring to reduce its impact upon the planet.

7.0 Customer care

·  To ensure that customers’ expectations are exceeded whenever possible.

·  To ensure that systems are employed to ensure that the highest operational standards of health and safety are met.

·  To treat students, staff and visitors in a friendly and polite manner and do everything reasonably possible to exceed stakeholders’ expectations.

·  To deal with student feedback, whether positive or negative, in a courteous, efficient and timely manner.

8.0 Health and safety

·  To ensure that UEL Union’s Health and Safety Policy is adhered to at all times.

·  To ensure that Health and Safety legislation is adhered to at all times.

·  To ensure the health and safety of students, staff and visitors at all activities arranged or supported.

·  To act as a first-aider, once qualified.

·  To act as a fire warden in line with UEL Union’s Health and Safety Policy.

9.0 Other duties

·  To attend appropriate meetings as and when required by the Union.

·  To abide by UEL Union’s Constitution, policies and procedures at all times.

·  To contribute to the positive image of the Union with students, the University and the local community.

·  To undertake other tasks and responsibilities compatible with the level and nature of the post as required by the Advice Services Manager from time to time.

·  To carry out the above duties at the Docklands and Stratford campuses and other sites as necessary.

Training and professional development

UEL Union considers regular and ongoing training as essential to job satisfaction and career development. It is expected that the post-holder will be offered the opportunity to participate in training that is relevant to his/her duties and the post-holder will be expected to undertake such training as may be reasonably practicable.

Notes

The nature of the post will, at times, require additional commitment over and above normal office hours. Time off in Lieu is offered to offset these hours.

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment.

December 2014.