Salary: Grade 5 (£23,715 - £27,131)
Contract: Full time (35 hours per week)
Location: Galashiels, Scottish Borders
Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages.
With a history dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and practical, leading-edge research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for business and industry. We connect with industry at every level and develop programmes to match their needs : so employers get work-ready industry-fit graduates.
Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.
We have an established set of values that help us to nurture innovation and leadership, and show our commitment to continuous improvement and development in all our activities.
For full details on our University please view our Careers at Heriot-Watt http://www.hw.ac.uk/about/careers-at-heriot-watt.htm
Detailed Description
The School of Textiles and Design (SoTD) is a centre of excellence in design, bringing together talented students from across the globe to study collaboratively in Fashion, Design and Textiles. The School is located in Galashiels, in the heart of the Scottish Borders.
The main aim of the School's professional services team is to support the School's staff and students with a range of activities relating to learning and teaching, research and external engagement.
The role of the Administrative Assistant is to work as part of the School professional services team to purchase goods and services, to administer travel, conference and accommodation bookings for School staff and students and to provide assistance to students with financial queries. The role will also involve assisting with general administrative duties required within the School, including provision of support for events that take place during the year.
The post is full-time and based on the Galashiels campus and the work will be varied, requiring the role-holder to provide a fair, friendly and timely service to staff, students, partners and visitors.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Travel, conferences and events administration, to include;
- Book travel, accommodation and conferences for School of Textiles and Design staff and students on School business, optimising value for money
- Book accommodation and travel for external examiners, accreditation panel members etc.
- Book catering for meetings, events, external exam boards, accreditation visits etc.
- Supporting staff and liaising with Assurance on matters of insurance relating to travel
- Ensure that HWU risk policies are adhered to when booking travel or procurement
2. Administer the procurement process in the School of Textiles and Design (for both HWU and Heriot-Watt Trading) and Scottish Borders Campus by;
- Taking action on all purchase requisitions for the School and Campus including raising requisitions on the ERP system, ensuring accurate coding of purchases, supporting staff in the creation of new supplier records
- Assisting staff and students with the sourcing of items, ensuring best value for money
- issuing orders or arranging purchase card transactions
- matching invoices to receipted purchase orders
- receipting goods and reconcile to Oracle
- processing workflow completions within agreed timescales
- reconciling purchasing cards within agreed timescales
- responding to and resolving supplier and Accounts Payable queries relating to supplier accounts.
- resolving mismatches between orders, deliveries and invoices in conjunction with School colleagues, Accounts Payable colleagues and suppliers.
- completing monthly Foreign Goods Returns on behalf of the School, to support accurate VAT returns to be made by Treasury and Tax colleagues, in line with defined deadlines.
- completing one off Treasury payment requests on behalf of the School to cover prizes and other ad hoc payments
- raising purchase orders for student stipends as advised by School staff.
3. Sales Invoicing and Accounts Receivables
- Initiating customer set-up within the ERP system to support the raising of ad hoc sales invoices.
- Liaise with School staff to ensure that all School-initiated student abatements are raised within the Banner system.
- Processing Heriot-Watt Trading consultancy invoices as advised by School staff, and issue invoices to customers.
- Processing consumable fee invoices within the Banner system, as advised by School staff, and issue invoices to students.
- Assist with general student finance queries, which will involve identifying the reason for charges appearing on student accounts and helping to resolve these, in conjunction with other teams as appropriate.
4. Additional Payroll
Submit monthly additional hours payment for approval by the Executive Dean, and subsequently forward to the Payroll department, in line with Payroll-defined deadlines.
5. General administration and support across the School
The role holder will be expected to work as an integral member of the School professional services team and be able to cover for absences within the team.
- Assist with School events, including degree shows, Welcome Week, industry events and graduation.
- Requisition stationery stocks and order business cards for staff
- Arrange DHL pickups and finalise bills
- Arrange confidential waste pickups
- Assist the implementation of improved working practices and administrative systems
Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.
Essential Criteria
1. Educated to SCQF Level 6 or similar (see link for details) or equivalent experience
2. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above
3. Competent in the use of relevant IT packages
4. Well-developed interpersonal skills
5. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
6. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
7. Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service
Desirable Criteria
1.Experience of working within an FE/HE institution
2.Experience of working with a large accounting/ledger software system
3.Experience of working with different types of budgets
4.Experience of working in a busy finance office
5.Understanding of accounting/financial regulations, and ability to communicate financial regulations and to others.
Competencies, Tasks and Responsibilities
The tasks and responsibilities listed under the following Competency Headings form part of all administrative roles in the University at this level and it is expected that the role-holder will perform them to at least an effective standard at all times.
Team Work
1. Contribute to and provide general support across the team
2. Cover for other colleagues within the immediate team
3. Participate in working groups and committees within the team, School/Directorate as required
4. Train team/colleagues in operational activities
Service Excellence
1. Create a positive image of the University by being responsive, prompt and courteous when responding to requests or enquiries from customers
2. Produce standard and ad hoc reports as requested
3. Enter and maintain records and data into the appropriate university system (e.g. student, HR etc.)
4. Liaise with internal and external teams, committees, bodies etc. to ensure an effective service
5. Process documents, for example applications, offers, contracts, orders, records, payments and other information in accordance with agreed service levels and information security procedures
6. Carry out general office duties, e.g. reception/meeting and greeting; sort and organise mail; order stationery; maintain office equipment such as printer, photocopier etc.
7. Keep working area clean and tidy in line with appropriate H&S requirements
8. Example of additional job specific task Set up and process payments [using Oracle Financials]
Clear and Consistent Communications
1. Maintain confidentiality at all times by following university policies and guidance in managing confidential information and personal data
2. Write standard communications using templates, understanding what parts of the template to use as appropriate
3. Record and produce accurate minutes when required.
4. Draft non-standard communication for review and use by more senior members of the team
5. Explaining standard procedures, regulations, operating instructions or course information.
6. Disseminate news and information to relevant customers and colleagues
Planning and Organising
1. Arrange meetings/workshops for internal or external customers, including room and equipment, hospitality and invites to attendees as appropriate
2. Carry out routine instructions from standard procedures
3. Contribute to drafting of standard procedures within your team
4. File, archive and destroy data in line with the University Data Protection & Retention Policy
5. Provide appropriate admin support for meetings and events;
6. Support School/Directorate and team processes and procedures by meeting schedules and timetables
Initiative and Problem Solving
1. Act as first point of contact for queries from customers by phone, email, system-generated and in person
2. Identify and support process improvement
3. React to problems using judgement and past experience to solve routine issues
4. Use experience to suggest solution to new problems to line manager
Decision Making
1. Make day to day decisions in prioritising own workload
2. Provide advice and guidance, respond to queries and refer more complex queries to more senior members of the team as appropriate
3. Understand the appropriate tools to use when undertaking day to day tasks
Management Responsibilities
1. There are no management responsibilities within this position but you may be asked to take on management or supervisory duties on occasion as part of your personal development
Citizenship
1. Demonstrate the University Values at all times through performance and behaviour
2. Participate in ad-hoc duties to support the team/University and for personal development
3. Support newer or inexperienced colleagues within and outside the University by offering support, help and advice
4. Positively promote the University internally and externally through positive behaviour and supporting University-wide activities
This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.
THE GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THIS JOB DESCRIPTION MAY APPLY TO ALL GRADE 5 SENIOR ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT OR SIMILAR POSITIONS ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted until midnight on the 23rd of March 2023.
Applications can be submitted via our recruitment system and include a full CV.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.