Further particulars
This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the
information you will need to provide with the application.
1. Role details
Vacancy reference:
See section 4.3
Job title:
Vital Regional Assistant
Reports to:
Vital Regional Manager
Faculty of Education and Language Studies
(FELS)
Salary:
£20,409 – £22,971, pro-rata, depending on
qualifications and experience
Grade:
Grade 5
Terms and Conditions:
Secretarial and Clerical Staff
Duration of post:
Temporary contract to 31 March 2012
Working hours:
22.2 hours per week
Location:
In one of the University’s Regional Centres in
England (see section 4.3)
Closing date:
18 August 2011 at 12 noon
Job shared considered:
No
Criminal Record Check:
All applicants who are offered employment will
be subject to a criminal record check before the
appointment is confirmed.
Type of application accepted:
Cover lettering, application form
Number of referees required:
Two
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2. Summary of duties
Overall job purpose
To provide administrative and secretarial support to the Vital Regional Manager as
required.
To assist with the promotion of the Vital Programme externally and with the
identification and management of new opportunities for the Programme.
To co-ordinate the non-academic and administrative support activities which facilitate
the delivery of the Vital Programme in one Regional Centre.
Main duties
1.
Deals with correspondence and telephone or electronic enquiries using initiative
and discretion and communicates professionally and confidently with potential and
current business partners.
2.
Collects survey data, completes desk research and compiles data for reports.
3.
Takes overall responsibility for the co-ordinating of regional contact data and for
providing this to the central team. Runs reports and chases colleagues for data if
necessary. Ensures processes are in place to improve and maintain accuracy and
monitor communications with key contacts.
4.
Provides administrative support and services for courses, events, visits and
committees.
5.
Provides administrative support for marketing, partnerships and business
development activity, including updating the regional website pages and
maintaining data repositories.
6.
Monitors financial records relating to the programme in the region.
7.
Arranges regional and national travel for the Regional Manager.
8.
Organises the Regional Manager’s diary.
9.
Arranges meetings, prepares and circulates papers, takes and writes meeting
notes.
10. Maintains the Regional Manager’s electronic and paper-based filing systems,
ensuring the security of confidential information.
11. Monitors stock levels of promotional materials held by the regional programme
office.
12. Contribute to the planning, co-ordination and implementation of courses and
events held in the region.
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13. Any other duties as required.
3. Person specification
Qualifications, experience and expertise
Essential
1.
Good general secondary education at least to A-level or equivalent.
2.
RSA III typing/word processing or equivalent qualification or experience.
3.
Excellent information and communication technology skills including the ability to
use Microsoft applications and experience of using databases, spreadsheets and
templates.
4.
Evidence of successful experience in a secretarial, clerical or administrative role.
5.
Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to use a variety of
communication methods to suit the occasion.
6.
Good planning and organisational skills with the ability to work proactively with
minimum supervision.
7.
Ability to plan and organise own work efficiently and to work pro-actively,
independently, co-operatively and responsively.
8.
Experience of working effectively in a team and being supportive to team
members, using tact, discretion and initiative when necessary.
9.
Ability to work flexibly and in an adaptable way, sometimes under considerable
pressure.
10. Ability to understand financial records.
11. Ability to work effectively and prioritise workload.
A commitment to equal opportunities and practice
Desirable
12. Experience of carrying out desk research and collating data for reports.
13. Experience of using the internet and electronic conferencing.
14. Interest in and understanding of the higher education environment.
15. Experience of managing projects including co-ordinating and planning tasks.
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16. Experience of working in the English state education sector.
17. Awareness of the diversity of teacher support needs and issues relevant to the
English state education sector, and understanding of the needs of adult learners.
4. About the unit/department
4.1 Faculty of Education and Language Studies
The Faculty of Education and Language Studies has approximately 1,270 members of
staff (including 1,000 Associate Lecturers), based in Milton Keynes and in regional and
national offices, who support approximately 24,600 students. The majority of these are
in the UK, but the Faculty also has students in the Republic of Ireland, Continental
Western Europe and elsewhere in the world. The Faculty’s curriculum comprises
programmes at undergraduate, Masters and doctoral levels. It offers undergraduate
courses in Early Years, Working with Young People, Childhood and Youth Studies,
Child Development, Sport and Fitness, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish,
Welsh and English Language. The Faculty offers initial teacher training through a
flexible PGCE programme in six secondary subjects: Mathematics, Science, Design
and Technology, Music, Modern Foreign Languages and Geography.
Academic staff belong to one of the four sub-units which are involved in producing and
presenting courses, and conducting research:




Centre for Childhood, Development and Learning;
Centre for Language and Communication;
Department of Education;
Department of Languages.
In addition, the Faculty has been funded to develop and deliver the ‘Vital’ Programme,
the aim of which is to improve the quality of ICT teaching in English schools (see
section 4.3 below).
Further information about the Faculty can be found at
http://www.open.ac.uk/education-and-languages/
The Faculty research activities are directed from the Centre for Research in Education
and Educational Technology (CREET).
4.2
Vital Programme
This DfE funded initiative aims to improve the quality of ICT teaching in English schools
to bring the subject into the 21st century, building on the knowledge and skills many
students gain from using computers in a wide range of settings and encourage more
pupils to continue studying ICT/computing post-16. It provides high quality, innovative
continuing professional development to primary and secondary ICT teachers across
England. The Programme focuses on developing all teachers’ expertise in using ICT
appropriately across all subjects, as well as enhancing the qualifications of teachers of
IT.
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The Programme has three major strands:

Providing a national infrastructure, including a website, which supports education
professionals in sharing expertise and good practice;

Developing coherent CPD provision in England, including ensuring that clear
information is available at a regional level to practitioners about the CPD that is
available from other providers;

Providing both regionally-based face-to-face CPD and nationally-based online
CPD to meet government priorities and the needs of schools and education
practitioners.
The DfE initially provided £5.65 million to fund the Programme for a period of 18
months, from 1 July 2009 to 31 March 2011. Further funding has been agreed for
phase 2 from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 and negotiations are underway for this to
be extended to 31 March 2013 although this extension cannot be guaranteed.
Some Vital staff are based centrally, in Milton Keynes, whereas the others are based in
six of the OU’s Regional Centres in England (see section 4.3).
4.3
Location of the post
Throughout England, there are five Vital Development Manager posts, each focusing
on a particular area of activity. Applicants for this post must choose the location(s) in
which they would be able to work from the following six Regional Centres and the main
University campus at Walton Hall:
Reference
Location
Address
7286
Birmingham
66 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham B17 9NB
7288
Bristol
4 Portwell Lane, Bristol, BS1 6ND
7289
Cambridge
Cintra House, 12 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PF
7290
London
7287
Manchester
1-11 Hawley Crescent, Camden Town, London
NW1 8NP
351 Altrincham Road, Sharston, Manchester, M22
4UN
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5. How to obtain more information about the role or application process
If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application
please contact, Jon Dyas on 01908 659314 or email j.dyas@open.ac.uk.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact the Staffing
Assistant on 01908 659313 or email FELS-Recruitment@open.ac.uk.
Please refer to section 2 in the ‘Information for applicants’ document for further
information.
6. Where to send completed applications
Provide four copies of your application form, covering letter and, if applicable, CV – that
is, top copy plus three copies.
Please ensure that your application reaches the University by 12 noon on 18 August
Job title:
Staffing Assistant
Unit:
Faculty of Education and Language Studies
Address:
Stuart Hall Building (ground floor)
The Open University
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Or e-mail your application to:
FELS-Recruitment@open.ac.uk
7. Selection process and date of interview
Information about the interview panel and the selection process will be provided if you
are invited to interview.
We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been
shortlisted for interview. If you have not heard by 8 September you should assume that
you have not been shortlisted for interview.
Applications received after 12 noon on the closing date will not be accepted.
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