Benchmark Role Profile for Department Administrator (APML3)
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM
Job Title:
Department Administrator
School/Department:
Salary:
Job Family and Level:
Administrative, Professional and Managerial Level 3
Contract Status:
Hours of Work:
Location:
Reporting to:
The Purpose of the Role:
The purpose of the role is to manage, supervise and implement the administration of the large
Department across the range of its activities, providing support and strategic advice to the Head
of Department and academic members of staff.
Main Responsibilities:
1.
2.
Assessment:
 Managing coursework procedures, including co-ordinating coursework
deadlines, implementing procedures for submission and receipt, application
of late submission/excess wordage penalties, and return of feedback.
 Managing the organisation of examinations, investigations, and exam
boards, liaising with External Examiners.
 Responsible for producing examination spreadsheets, module mark sheets,
examination papers.
 Representing the Department at University assessment boards.
 Co-ordinating extenuating circumstances documentation.
 Drafting exam boards reports and producing pass-lists.
Student records:
 Review and recommend improvements to Student records procedures.
 Manage all aspects of undergraduate registration, responsible for design
and update of Week 1 activities.
 Manage and be responsible for co-ordinating student module entry
procedures, ensuring that all students are registered on correct modules.
Dealing pro-actively with any problems as they arise. Supervising entry of
data onto SATURN.
% time
per year
25%
25%
Benchmark Role Profile for Department Administrator (APML3)
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
 Manage Department’s Undergraduate and student records.
 Develop and maintain systems to produce accurate information and advise
the Head of Department and School Manager on planning and strategic
issues.
Documentation and policies:
 Up-date and redraft Undergraduate handbooks.
 Maintain catalogue of modules on SATURN, liaising with academic staff
 Responsible for co-ordinating module submission documents and
programme specifications.
 Ensuring the Department adheres to the University policies and procedures
with regard to quality issues.
 Advising academic staff on School and University policies and procedures to
ensure the Department meets University and School regulations.
 Draft reports, important correspondence and recommendations for a variety
of external and University audiences.
Advice and supervision:
 Liaison point between students and academic staff.
 Independently resolve undergraduate and postgraduate queries.
 Respond to complaints and resolve problems involving other
schools/departments or external contacts, decide when to refer.
 Oversee the roles of other office staff regarding their allocated areas of
responsibility, as directed by the Head of Department.
Finance:
 Draft recommendations for improved financial management.
 Manage departmental and research accounts to ensure accuracy and to
investigate and resolve any incorrect charges. Provide HoD and Principal
Investigators status of accounts.
 Supervise the processing of expense claims, purchase orders, receiving
goods, collection of funds, bank deposits, sales, and cash handling,
verifying accuracy and timely delivery for accurate financial reporting.
 Manage, budget and organise overseas study trip for Undergraduate
students.
Curriculum support:
 Co-ordinate and organise field trips and fieldwork for students overseeing
transportation, scheduling, collecting and depositing contributions and
maintaining attendance records for student files on field trips and field
work. Responsibility for Risk Assessment.
 Work with the School Administrator to co-ordinate Course Review and
quality audit activities.
 Develop and maintain a system to record and track coursework submission.
 Organise and co-ordinate Department Open Days/UCAS procedures.
Other duties:
 Service all of the Department’s Committees, following up action points.
 Co-ordinate repairs, minor works and office moves to ensure a safe and
well-maintained environment for staff, students and visitors.
 Make arrangements for new permanent/temporary staff and visiting
lecturers to ensure a smooth integration into the Department.
 Co-ordinate undergraduate admissions processes, including Department
Open Days, production of undergraduate recruitment and admissions
materials, in liaison with Undergraduate Admissions Officer.
 Co-ordinate and organise international student and staff exchanges,
including Erasmus-Socrates and Universitas 21.
Any other duties appropriate to the grade and role
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Benchmark Role Profile for Department Administrator (APML3)
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
Qualifications/Education
HNC/HND, or equivalent plus
English and maths at GCSE or
equivalent OR substantial work
experience in further or higher
education.
Knowledge/Skills/Training
RSA III typing/work processing or
equivalent qualification
High level of IT skills, including MS
Word, Excel and Access and ability
to integrate different packages.
Desirable
Educated to degree level,
or equivalent
Knowledge of SATURN
Skills in drafting complex
documentation
Experience
Other
Excellent verbal and written
communication skills.
Considerable experience in
relevant field.
Previous relevant work
experience in a Higher
Education environment.
Excellent organisational and timemanagement skills.
Ability to work accurately under
pressure and to meet deadlines.
Flexible approach
Appreciation of other cultures and
languages.
Decision Making
i) Taken independently by the role holder;
 Plan and organise own workload and delegate work.
 Deal independently with enquiries from students and staff and people external to the
University.
 Resolve issues/problems not of routine nature.
 Draft reports, important correspondence and recommendations.
 Organisation of registration arrangements.
ii) Taken in collaboration with others;
 Up-dating central information on SATURN (e.g. module submission documents, programme
specifications).
 Up-dating staff, undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks.
 Department Open Days.
iii) Referred to the appropriate line manager by the role holder;
 Serious complaints from student and others.
 Personnel issues relating to other staff.
Benchmark Role Profile for Department Administrator (APML3)
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
Additional Information
This is a vital role, involving managerial, strategic input and supervisory activities: co-ordinating
and organising the administration of the Department, and ensuring its smooth running, thereby
enabling the Department to meet its objectives of high-quality research and teaching. The role
requires the role-holder to work independently and pro-actively to provide a wide range of advice
and support to the Head of Department, academic staff and students. The role-holder is expected
to liaise with central support services, academic staff and the School in order to fulfil University
regulations. They have an important input into the framing of School practices and policies with a
view to constantly updating them, improving them and making them more efficient.
The University of Nottingham strongly endorses Athena SWAN principles,
with commitment from all levels of the organisation in furthering women’s
careers. It is our mission to ensure equal opportunity, best working
practices and fair policies for all.