JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title
Senior Tuition Support Operations
Assistant
Unit/Faculty
Student Services
Sub Unit/Faculty
ACTS
Grade: G5
Responsible to: (reporting relationship)
Tuition Support Operations Manager
Responsible for: (staff/equipment/budget)
G4 Assistants, as required
Purpose Statement
The role holder is required to work within a team based in Milton Keynes providing Tuition
Support Services in support of Associate Lecturer Services Teams (ALS) based across
locations.
As required, the role holder will be working collaboratively with ALS Assistants, Senior ALS
Assistants, ALS Managers, and faculty colleagues across the OU, dealing with Tutor-Student
Allocation, and supporting processes and procedures associated with a range of AL Services
and Associate Lecturer Staff development activities.
Brief outline of job purpose (include scope, objectives)
1.
Organising and delivering processes for the recruitment, selection, appointment,
ongoing employment and payment of Associate Lecturers in accordance with University
policy.
2.
In conjunction with AL Services Colleagues, organising and delivering Tutor-Student
allocation processes, including tutorial timetabling.
3.
Providing information to AL Services, Associate Lecturer Support and Professional
Development, and academic staff and to Associate Lecturers on issues relating to
Associate Lecturer employment.
4.
Where applicable, supervising Assistants, including day to day workload management.
Main duties
1.
Associate Lecturer Staff Development

Liaising with Associate Lecturer Support and Professional Development (ALSPD)
team as named contact for the location to support the delivery of cross-faculty
Associate Lecturer staff development and support for the location and surrounding
area.

Supporting ALSPD events including: sending invitations to Associate Lecturers and
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presenters, liaison to ensure venues and catering are booked, producing
attendance and workshop lists; attending the event to manage organisation on the
day (where appropriate) and recording attendance on CIRCE, processing of
payments for staff development, including fees, expenses and invoices; and
evaluation of events.
2.
3.
4.

Co-ordinating and monitoring Associate Lecturer induction and probation
processes.

Maintanence of sites such as TutorHome and VLE for AL Staff Development.
Investigation and fact-finding

Providing management information for a range of purposes.

Supporting managers in fact finding for Associate Lecturer and student complaints
and AL Service provision in support of Associate Lecturers, students and faculty
staff.
As required, organising and delivering processes and procedures in relation to the
employment of Associate Lecturers in conjunction with AL Services including:

Processes for the recruitment, selection, appointment of Associate Lecturers,
including the issue of contracts and termination of appointments.

Processes for the payment of Associate Lecturer fees and expenses.

Exceptional payments and manual salary adjustments.

Leave processes for Associate Lecturers including maternity and paternity leave
and associated payments.

Processing day contracts, checking Associate Lecturer workloads, issuing
contracts, monitoring expenditure against budget allocations and maintaining
systems to provide this information to faculties and other budget holders.

Raising Associate Lecturer mentoring contracts.

Updating and retention of personal data and records relating to Associate Lecturers
as appropriate and in accordance with University policy.

Ensuring information provided to Associate Lecturers either online or by email is
timely and appropriate.

Monitoring and evaluating processes in order to ensure agreed service standards
are maintained.

Proactively seeking to improve service standards across the ACTS team.
As required, and in conjuction with AL Services, supporting Tutor Student Allocation
(TSA) process

Supporting AL Services Managers and/or Co-ordinators in operational processes
and systems to finalise tutor groups ready to notify students and Associate
Lecturers of respective allocations.
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5.
6.
7.

Co-ordinating adjustment to planned student groups as student numbers change,
communicating with faculty staff as required.

Co-ordinating adjustments to student groups when students register after TSA.
As required, and in conjuction with AL Services, supporting Tutorial planning and
timetabling

Overseeing the operation of tutorial accommodation and venue requirements.

Liaison with other locations and Regional Services or equivalent to ensure tutorial
venues are booked as appropriate.

Ensuring that feedback from Associate Lecturers on venues is fed back to Regional
Services (or equivalent).

Ensuring that tutorials are booked and recorded appropriately and that timetables
are managed effectively, so that changes are communicated clearly and timely to
venues, Associate Lecturers and students.
As required, and in conjuction with AL Services, supporting Associate Lecturer
employment information provision

Providing information to faculty staff on standard Associate Lecturer employment
matters.

Providing information to Associate Lecturers on standard queries about their
employment.
Management of staff

Supervising and allocating work to Assistants as required.

Ensuring that staff for which they are responsible work as an integrated part of the
wider ACTS team to deliver a seamless and consistent service across the UK.

Liaising with faculty staff to ensure that the appropriate level of service is provided
to them in conjuntion with AL Services.
General Duties
1.
Proactively seeking to improve service standards across the team.
2.
Actively engage in own staff development and training.
3.
Contribute to the training and induction of new members of staff.
4.
Dealing with a wide range of enquiries, both internal and external and referring and
recording them as appropriate.
5.
Providing information in response to enquiries from other units within the University.
6.
Maintaining an up to date knowledge of policy and procedures relating to AL Services
and ALSPD activities.
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7.
Providing cover for other team members in their absence including colleagues in other
locations.
8.
Undertaking other duties as required by managers.
9.
Building relationships with colleagues in other locations and units to facilitate effective
everyday communication.
10.
Contributing to projects as required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
Essential
Desirable
Education, qualifications and training
1.
A good standard of general education to GCSE Grade C level or
above (or equivalent) including Maths and English


Knowledge, work and other relevant experience
1.
Experience of working as part of a team and proactively helping
others.

2.
Experience of working in a customer service environment.

3.
Knowledge of and commitment to equality and diversity policy and
practice.




Skills and capabilities
1.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to
work with people at all levels, both internal and external.

2.
A demonstrable commitment to continuing personal and
professional development.

3.
Good numeracy skills with the ability to work quickly and
accurately.

4.
Ability to deal with complex information and procedures.


5.
Ability/willingness to supervise staff.


6.
Excellent planning and organisational skills.


7.
Confident ICT skills including a high level of competence in
Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and the ability to use
communication technologies for working at a distance.


Ability to use and interrogate complex databases.

8.




Personal Qualities
1.
Ability to use initiative to deal with non-standard issues.


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2.
Ability to work flexibly and effectively as part of a distributed team.


3.
A ‘can do’ approach to work.


4.
A proactive and positive approach to change.


5.
Willingness to take ownership of and resolve problems.


6.
The use of tact and diplomacy in dealing with difficult situations.


7.
Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.




Special working conditions e.g. shift working
1.
Willingness to occasionally work unsocial hours and to travel to
other locations
Additional requirements


N.B. The role holder may be required to undertake any other duties reasonably required as
within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the role, subject to the proviso that normally
any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the Job Description in specific
terms.
All staff are expected:

To comply with the University’s Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the
performance of their duties

To take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of themself and that of any other person
who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

To co-operate with the Open University in ensuring as far as is necessary, that Statutory
Requirements, Codes of Practice, University Policies and Departmental Health and Safety
arrangements are complied with.

To demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.
This is not intended as an exhaustive list of duties or a restrictive definition of the role but rather should read
as a guide to the main priorities and typical areas of activity of the role-holder. These activities are subject to
amendment over time as priorities and requirements evolve and as such it may be amended at any time by
the line manager following discussion with the role holder
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