Graduate School Officer
Purpose
The role of a Graduate School Officer exists to provide student representation at a School level and
Graduate level, offer strategic input within academic schools and to the Graduate School, and to play a
key co-ordinating and support role within the course representative network.
Duties
Graduate School Officers have a number of different activities to fulfil their role. These are detailed
below:
Meetings
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Attend initial induction/training meeting with the Union and Graduate & Academic staff
Attend bi-weekly School Officer meetings with the Union
Attend Student Staff Consultative Committees (SSCC) where appropriate
Attend School Divisional Committee Meetings (where appropriate)
Attend School Learning and Teaching Committees and Research Committees (where
appropriate)
Attend Education Zone meetings (where possible)
Areas of Work
 Work with the Graduate School on learning, teaching and student engagement in your
Academic School and across University level
 Work with the designated staff within your division(s) on learning, teaching and student
engagement
 Aid in the recruitment of course representatives and contribute to Course Representative
training, where appropriate
 Coordinate regular meetings with Course Representatives to gather opinion and provide
support or their roles
 Actively promote Union activities in Learning & Teaching (such as RATE Awards) within
Academic School
 Promote mechanisms to improve Learning and Teaching (such as the Postgraduate Taught
Experience Survey or Postgraduate Research Experience Survey)
 Contribute to organisation of Academic and Graduate School events, e.g. Research
Conference and Learning and Teaching Conference.
Commitment & Remuneration
The role of a Graduate School Officer is an important one and can take up to 40 hours a semester to
fulfil (i.e. c2.5 hours per week). The Graduate School acknowledges that this is a substantial
commitment from students and will pay an honorarium of £150 per semester (in arrears) in order to
support their work and reward their achievements.
Visa Restrictions
It is important to note that some applicants for the role will hold a visa and that certain visas have
restrictions on the number of hours you can work each week. As the role of a Graduate School Officer is
an appointed position with remuneration, the hours worked within this role will contribute to the hours
your visa permits you to work and it is the individual’s responsibility to ensure you do not exceed your
maximum working allowance.
Line manager
Students’ Union Vice President Education
Post duration
Academic year 2015/16
Person Specification
Criteria
Able to communicate with varied audiences on varied topics
Demonstrate good time keeping and organisational skills
Able to process information and present clear arguments
Show commitment to the role and to gaining a better understanding of current
issues in higher education
Have awareness of issues currently affecting Postgraduates in higher education
Good time management and organisational skills
The ability to use basic Microsoft Office Software (email, word)
Able to coordinate groups of individuals
Able to collate information and provide both verbal and written updates
Essential
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Desirable
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