Purpose of Role
The role provides support and advice to international students and staff members, as well as administrative support for the daily activities of the Visa Advice and Compliance team, which forms part of the wider Global Student Office team. There is a strong focus on administrative support and student guidance in the area of student visa advice and compliance.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Working closely within the team and particularly with counter-part roles, the Global Student Assistant will share responsibility with other team members to provide support collectively to deliver the following:
Provide first level advice and support to students and staff in a number of key areas:
1. International Student Advice (immigration, visas, living in the UK)
2. Visa compliance, helping to ensure the University and its students remain compliant in accordance with UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) rules.
3. Go Global (providing general and specialised student mobility advice and support in partnership with the other Global Student Assistants.
4. Responsible for specific visa compliance activities, for example, Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught student visa attendance monitoring and reporting eligibility for the Graduate Route Visa scheme.
Working closely with the Student Visa Advice and Compliance Manager and other members of the team to ensure the University and its students are compliant with UKVI regulations. For example:
5. Reviewing and processing excel reports on a daily and weekly basis
6. Reporting to UKVI where sponsorship withdrawal is required
7. Reviewing and updating attendance reports weekly
8. Generating Graduate Route visa reports and confirming eligibility to UKVI
9. Maintaining accurate student records and updating as required
10. Reporting degree programme changes to UKVI
11. Monitoring Postgraduate Research student attendance and providing updates to the Student Visa Advice and Compliance Manager
Provide mid-level specialist advice/support and administrative support in one or more of three key priorities: Go Global, International Student Advice and visa compliance. This will include some of the following duties:
12. Collectively manage enquiries received through the student portal ‘myHWU’ and maintain/develop FAQs.
13. Providing high quality administrative support to senior members of the team.
14. Carry out regular data analysis using excel worksheets and reporting to ensure student visa holders and the University are compliant with UKVI regulations.
15. On a rota basis, support the three times weekly international student support face-to-face drop-ins at the Student Service Centre.
16. On a rota basis, support and staff the University’s main Student Helpline (by telephone).
17. Providing an appropriate level of support to students, often dealing with difficult and sensitive situations.
18. Processing Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and other visa support letters.
19. Maintaining accurate records using University systems in relation to, for example, International Students’ attendance and engagement with studies.
20. Representing the University at Higher Education forums and seminars.
21. General administrative duties.
22. Any other tasks related to the work of the Global Student Office, as agreed with the Manager of the service.
Essential & Desirable Criteria
Essential
23. Educated to SCQF Level 6 (Highers) or similar, or equivalent experience.
24. Experience of working within a similar office environment as outlined above
25. Competent in the use of relevant IT packages especially MS Excel
26. Well-developed interpersonal skills
27. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
28. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
29. Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service
Desirable
30. Further or Higher Education qualification, e.g. degree or HND
31. Working in an administrative role in higher education
32. Working with relational databases
33. Experience of process improvement
34. Advanced knowledge of Excel spreadsheets including using pivot table and LOOKUP formulas