Job Introduction
This International Office post will focus on the administration aspects of complying with BPP's sponsor duties under Student Route of the Points Based System. The responsibilities of the Visa Compliance Team commence once international students have arrived in the country, completed their registration process and are officially enrolled in their academic programme and continue until the Visa end date.
The Visa Compliance Officer will work closely with colleagues and students to maintain up to date records for BPPs registered students on Sponsored Student Status. They will also collaborate with colleagues across the University to help review and implement processes aimed at ensuring BPP University complies fully with our student sponsor duties.
Candidates will be expected to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to successfully support our students and ideally have experience working in a customer service or an administrative role. Experience of the UK Higher Education sector and UK immigration regulations is desirable for the role.
Key Responsibilities:
The key duties outlined below apply in general, but each individual post will have responsibility for a defined process. You will be responsible for the following:
* To review Student Statuses in line with UKVI reporting duties and ensure SMS is up to date.
* To ensure data quality alignment across BPP systems and the SMS and assist with regular reporting on relevant status changes.
* To escalate any areas of concern regarding sponsored students (Student Route) to the UKVI Compliance Manager
* To proactively and sensitively communicate with registered sponsored students to ensure BPP University's student records are updated to reflect any changes in circumstances, such as a change of immigration status and where necessary obtain relevant evidence.
* To signpost students to relevant BPP support services where necessary, such as safeguarding, student support, independent student advice and support these in-centre teams where necessary
* To provide guidance to colleagues on BPP's Sponsorship duties and become a trusted point of contact for questions.
* To liaise and communicate professionally with key external stakeholders as required, in particular the UKVI.
* To stay up to date with relevant policy and training opportunities with UKCISA and Home Office.
* Supporting non-engagement and the re-engagement through in-centre face to face meetings with students
* Offering in-centre student consultations to students by appointment
* Undertake case review in centre with key stakeholders
* Provide in-centre Visa Workshops and Graduate Route Application face-to-face support
* Participate in monthly face to face International Inductions by delivering a "Student Visa Fundamentals" workshop
* To be a role model for BPP's values.
The above constitutes the major activities but is not a comprehensive or exclusive list of the duties required and all members of staff are expected to work as part of the Compliance team.
Essential skills, knowledge and experience:
* Knowledge of the Higher Education Sector and the challenges surrounding this
* Administrative experience
* Confident user of Microsoft Outlook and Office 365
* Very experienced user of Microsoft Excel with the ability to pull and interpret data from a range of sources
* Strong organisational skills with the ability to successfully multi-task
* Update and maintain records systems
* Customer-focused with the ability to communicate at all levels with internal and external stakeholders
Desirable:
* Knowledge of Home Office procedures and the SMS reporting system
* Knowledge of the Immigration Rules and the ability to interpret complex rules and regulations
* A degree or equivalent level qualification
* Database management knowledge
* Knowledge of a recognised Student Records Database is advantageous.
Please note that the successful candidate will be required to undergo certain necessary checks such as DBS.
BPP Education Group are proud to be a Disability Confident employer so if you need any reasonable adjustments for the interview process, please just let us know
BPP Education Group actively promotes equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates. BPP will select candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience. Please note that for those posts that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a DBS check in addition to BPP undertaking any necessary online searches. This is deemed appropriate and necessary from a safeguarding perspective, and in line with BPP's safer recruitment practices