Assistant Manager

Salary: £33,966 to £36,024 with progression to £44,263 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 19 April 2024

The role

We are seeking to recruit a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to work in our Undergraduate Admissions Team at Newcastle University to manage admissions to the MBBS Programme based in the School of Medicine This will be a full time open ended post. 

The role involves working with the Head of Undergraduate Admissions, and the Education Manager (MBBS) to manage a team responsible for undergraduate admissions to the MBBS degree programme. The role involves liaison with internal and external stakeholders at all stages of the applicant journey, such as UCAS and the UCAT consortium and University recruitment, international office, and accommodation service to support conversion and the achievement of recruitment targets.

You will be results orientated with excellent attention to detail and time management skills.  You will have excellent communication and stakeholder engagement ability with experience of working collaboratively.  You will have administration or operations management experience from a large/complex organisation.  Knowledge of Higher Education in an admissions or university context is desirable.

Please note that leave may be restricted during periods of peak workload for student recruitment and admissions (for example the period in August and application and interview dates)

For informal enquiries please contact Dawn Bell, Head of Undergraduate Admissions – dawn.bell@newcastle.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities

• To work closely with all admissions colleagues based in the School of Medicine and the Central Undergraduate Admissions team to ensure that policy and practice are followed in the administration of MBBS admissions
• Manage support staff to ensure the efficient and effective administration of the admissions processes and systems for MBBS applicants.  Ensuring that prospective applicants receive up to date and accurate information, and applicants dealt with in accordance with the agreed University and MBBS admissions criteria and University, External Regulator strategies, policy and practices including the UCAS Application and Recruitment Policy. Ensure the continued provision of a quality service and regularly review all established processes and policies in line with these requirements
• Support and assist the MBBS Lead for Recruitment and Admissions to consider and make recommendations to the Board of Medical Studies in relation to local and national admissions policy, ensuring that Newcastle University remains fully informed of medical admission initiatives in liaison with the Head of Undergraduate Admissions
• Manage the advice and guidance provided to selectors and applicants on a wide range of issues relating to the application process, ensuring that no applicant is disadvantaged and that the integrity of the University is not brought into question as a result of errors of judgement or lack of knowledge
• Ensure the annual review of selector training fully complies with the standards set out by both the University and external regulator
• Act as the main point of contact between the University and the UCAT consortium: ensuring accurate transfer of data; accurate return of data; providing input into any proposed developments or changes to the process
• Be fully informed of the management of student records, monitoring and reporting requirements placed upon the University by the UK Borders Agency and to ensure that a robust and effective system is in place for monitoring the status of University sponsored students by the MBBS programme at Newcastle University
• Be responsible for managing and assessing fees queries and status for applicants and students. Providing advice and guidance to applicants and staff where appropriate
• Manage and develop the ongoing use of IT for the effective management of all applicant and student information and recruitment, ensuring all staff are fully trained to the appropriate standard, and conversant with the appropriate software packages to avoid errors
• Oversee the progression and registration of all students on the MBBS programmes (Newcastle and NUMed) to ensure they are appropriately progressed and registered in accordance with University protocol.  Ensuring Newcastle University students (over 1000 each year) undertaking clinical attachments are registered prior to taking up their placements, and so have appropriate Trust indemnity against litigation
• Liaison with the Faculty’s Head of Student Recruitment and Marketing and in relation to Widening Participation (WP) initiatives locally and nationally; monitoring WP targets and working with the Lead for Recruitment and Admissions to ensure these are met
• Taking an active role in the management of the Medical Student Office alongside the EducationManager, MBBS Administrators and Team Leaders To engage in staff recruitment and selection, staff induction, the Conversation and Priorities process and other staff management procedures in line with University policy. To input to budget planning, office structure and workload management
• Contribute to the business of designated undergraduate committees including the Admissions Policy Committee, and the MBBS Recruitment and Admissions Executive
• In line with the legal requirements of the Freedom of Information and Data Access Requests, provide relevant and appropriate data regarding the MBBS programmes
• Prepare and present relevant management information and report on applicant/student recruitment and planning numbers to the University and external agencies e.g. GMC; UCAT; HEFCE

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

•    High level of literacy and numeracy
•   Attention to detail and accuracy with large data sets
• Excellent IT skills, including the ability to use databases and spreadsheets to manage and report on data. Ability to design complex queries and produce detailed reports
•    Proven organisational, time management, decision making, and prioritisation skills

Desirable

• Data protection, Equal Opportunities and UK Borders Agency issues in relation to applicant and student information as well as the NHS
• Awareness of issues relating to Higher Education e.g. Quality Assurance, Widening Participation, Students with disabilities in medicine 

Attributes and Behaviour

• Proven ability to use initiative.
• Significant experience of working as part of a team in a customer oriented environment
• Proven staff management experience, and ability to deal effectively with conflicting priorities
• Ability to work flexible hours when required

Desirable

• Experience of managing change 

Qualifications

•   Graduate (or equivalent) with relevant experience or substantial relevant experience demonstrating progression through a number of roles

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26929