UTS POSITION DESCRIPTION
UTS:HUMAN RESOURCES
POSITION TITLE
Administrative Officer, Academic Administration
UNIT or FACULTY AND DIVISION
Faculty of Engineering
POSITION PURPOSE
The Administrative Officer is responsible providing administrative advice and support to Faculty of
Engineering and Student Centre staff on a variety of matters relating to the candidature of Faculty
of Engineering undergraduate and postgraduate students, and for providing support to the
Faculty’s academic committees, scholarship assessment process, student assessment
requirements and assistance with timetabling matters.
DIMENSIONS
The Faculty of Engineering has approximately 4,500 (2006 figures) enrolled students enrolled in
undergraduate, postgraduate and research courses in Sydney and off-shore locations.
Total number of staff in the faculty: 205 FTE (academic and support)
Number of Courses:
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Research
Short courses
19
10
2
3
Undergraduate:
Bachelor of Engineering, Diploma in Engineering Practice. (Majors Civil, Civil and Environmental,
Construction, Electrical, Mechanical, ICT, Mechanical and Mechatronics)
Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering Science
Bachelor of Engineering Science in Engineering Innovation
Combined degree courses
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Diploma in Engineering
Practice
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Business
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Business, Diploma in Engineering Practice
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Medical Science
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Biotechnology
Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Diploma in Engineering Practice
Bachelor of Engineering Science, Bachelor of Laws
Postgraduate:
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Specialist coursework awards
Master of Engineering Management
Master of Environmental Engineering Management
Master of Engineering in Groundwater Management
Graduate Diploma in Engineering in Groundwater Management
Graduate Certificate in Environmental Engineering Management
Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management
Coursework awards – general
Master of Engineering (by coursework)
Master of Engineering Studies
Graduate Certificate in Engineering
Research degrees
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Engineering (by thesis)
Groundwater research degrees
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Engineering
RELATIONSHIPS
Supervision
The Administrative Officer, Academic Administration reports directly to the Manager, Academic
Administration.
Collaboration and Communication
The Administration Officer, Academic Administration will be required to:

Liaise with academic staff within in the Faculty of Engineering, namely Programs Heads
and the Directors and Undergraduate & Postgraduate Programs to seek resolutions on
academic matters relating to students’ candidature referred to the Faculty;

Liaise with staff of the UTS Student Centre/s in order to resolve issues referred from the Centre
requiring Faculty input;

Liaise with Faculty academic staff and staff in external universities (within Australia and offshore) when
organizing the delivery of examinations held via distance education mode
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Academic Administration (30%)
The Administrative Officer Academic Administration will:

register referrals (Tier 2 enquiries - relating to ad-hoc complex queries and cases that do
not adhere to established rules and precedents) referred from the UTS Student Centre/s,
and accurately respond to these issues, in particular complex queries and cases, by
interpreting Faculty and UTS course rules and procedures and providing administrative
and policy expert advice to the Centre/s and/or Faculty academics.
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
participate in annual enrolment sessions for new students and provide expert advice to
students at these sessions on a range of matters relating to new enrolments,.
Preparation and Update of UTS and Student-related Publications


prepare and update the UTS Handbook & Calendar (engineering chapter/sections); the
Faculty Undergraduate & Postgraduate Student Guides, and enrolment information for
new students in consultation with the Student Centre/s.
update on the CASS system approvals to course/subjects ratified by the Faculty Board,
and ensure that all information stored on CASS relating to engineering programs is
accurate and up-to-date
Faculty Academic Committee Support (monthly)
The incumbent will provide administrative support to the Faculty’s Teaching & Educational
Development Committee and Results Ratification & Student Assessment Committees by:


organising Agenda, taking Minutes, initiating required follow-up action from meetings, and
maintaining accurate committee memberships and terms of reference, which adhere to
UTS committee protocols;
drafting all documentation and correspondence/papers for inclusion in Committee Agenda
on behalf of the Chair, and any correspondence required after or between meetings.
The incumbent as Committee Secretary will be the first point of contact relating to the
Committees’ business and is expected to be fluent in its business, referring only complex or
purely academic matters to the Committee Chairs.
Administration of Students’ Assessment (3x per year)
The incumbent will be responsible for administering all aspects of students’ assessment,
including:
 Organising the examination timetable (Summer, Autumn & Spring semesters) in
conjunction with SAU and Faculty Subject Coordinators for central and Faculty-based
examinations;
 Coordinating the collection examination results and adhering to results submission
deadlines
 Organising the preparation and submission of examination papers with Subject
Coordinators
 Processing Authority to Vary Results (AVR) requests;
 Managing requests for supplementary and special examinations with the Student Centre
and Subject/Course Coordinators
 Provide advice to academic and SAU staff on all aspects of UTS assessment/examination
rules and protocols
 Managing requests for special considerations, appeals, sanctions, etc.
Organisation of postgraduate distance examinations (3 times a year)
Will be responsible for organising all aspects associated with the conduct of postgraduate distance
examinations for Autumn, Spring and Summer semesters. This will include:


determining the subjects and the numbers of students involved;
organising appropriately qualified supervisors and off-site examination sites based on the
geographical locations of students;
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


ensuring that examination scrips are prepared, distributed and collected within UTS protocols
in conjunction with SAU and academic staff;
ensuring that assessors mark the papers in time to adhere to the results submission deadline,
ensuring the exam supervisors are paid for their services.
Provide advice to staff on the conduct of distance examinations, and UTS examination and
interpretation of assessment policies
Review the postgraduate distance examinations process and recommend and implement process
improvements.
Assistance with Faculty Timetabling (10%)
The Administration Officer will act as the Faculty’s assistant Subject Logistics Management (SLM)
Planner and as such will provide support to the Manager, Academic Programs with this function.
Core responsibilities in this area will include:
 casual bookings,
 assist with the collection of timetable data for all undergraduate & postgraduate units, and
resolving a range of queries raised by academics and SAU when collecting this data.
 provide advice to faculty staff on all matters of timetabling
 assist with all aspects of timetable planning. This requires a detailed knowledge of the
timetable process, particularly faculty-specific requirements and capabilities
ENVIRONMENT AND POSITION CHALLENGES
The Administration Officer will be required to foster and maintain a collegiate relationship and
open and clear communication between the UTS Student Centre/s and the Faculty. S/he will also
be expected to develop a good rapport with the Faculty’s academic coordinators and ensure that
communication between Faculty academics and the Faculty’s Academic Administration Office is
open and clear at all times.
The incumbent will need to have an in-depth understanding of UTS policies, rules and regulations
that govern the administration of the Faculty’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and will
need to have a detailed understanding of engineering course structures.
AUTHORITY TO ACT
The Administrative Officer, Academic Programs works under the general direction of the
Manager, Academic Administration, and is expected to work autonomously and devise
appropriate strategies and procedures to execute the above expectations within university policies
and guidelines.
Safety & Wellbeing responsibilities
All staff must:


Take reasonable care of, and cooperate with actions taken to protect, the health and safety of
both themselves and others
report all accidents, incidents and hazards to their supervisor as soon as is practicable
Supervisors and managers of staff and facilities must do whatever is reasonably practical to
ensure that both the workplace and the work itself are safe, in consultation with staff affected.
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ORGANISATION CHART
A/Dean (Teaching & Learning)
Faculty Manager
UTS Student
Centre/s
Manager, Academic
Administration
Admin Officer
Director of UG
Programs
Admin
Assistant
Program Heads
Director of PG
Programs
Committee Chairs
SELECTION CRITERIA
Completion of a degree or a combination of relevant experience and/or education/training
Excellent organisation and time management skills, including the ability to schedule workload and
meet deadlines
Proven experience in interpreting complex policies and guidelines
Experience in servicing committees
Good oral and written communication skills
Ability to establish and maintain positive rapport with staff within and external to the Faculty
High level data base skills, preferably including student administration systems (or similar) or the
capacity to acquire these within a minimal timeframe.
Proficiency in the use of MS Office, namely Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Ability to work under general direction
APPROVALS
Incumbent
Supervisor
(if currently occupied)
Name:
Manager
(minimum level Dean/Director)
David Knight
Archie Johnston
Title:
Signature:
Date:
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