JOB DESCRIPTION
SECRETARIAL AND CLERICAL POSTS
Job Title:
Centre Secretary/PA to Head of Disabled Student
Services
Grade:
G6
Section:
Disabled Student Services
Unit:
Teaching and Learner Support
Department:
Disabled Student Services (DSS)
Reports to:
Assistant Director (Head of Disabled Student Services)
MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB
Provides a personal assistant service to the Assistant Director (Head of DSS).
Provides secretarial support to the Manager, Curriculum Access.
Co-ordinates the provision of secretarial services to DSS, which is comprised
of the Disability Resources Team (DRT), the Disability Advisory Service
(DAS), Curriculum Access (CA) and the Access Centre (AC).
As Centre Secretary, co-ordinates leave of absence, job evaluations and other
HR related procedures within DSS (currently 38 staff) and deals with staffing
queries from office heads.
Liaises with internal and external contacts.
Updates the Centre’s information systems, e.g. the DSS intranet.
Carries out a range of clerical duties relating to the work of the Centre, most
notably the checking of Criminal Records Bureau applications and
maintenance of communication and information systems.
Monitors the Head of DSS and Manager Curriculum Access non-staff
expenditure against budget.
JOB DUTIES
1. Duties as Personal Assistant to Head of DSS
Receives and sorts mail and deals with a significant proportion of the items
through knowledge of the area’s work. Registers mail, adds notes, drafts
responses, etc as appropriate before presentation to Head of DSS.
Handles confidential correspondence and disabled student information and
ensures that all secretaries in DSS deal with such material with the highest
levels of confidentiality.
Types memoranda, letters, emails, reports and minutes as required.
Photocopies, collates and distributes documents as necessary. Drafts and
types correspondence from minimal instructions to produce documents
using the most appropriate package. Prepares PowerPoint presentations.
Maintains a ‘Day File’ and a ‘Bring Forward System’.
Receives and filters incoming telephone calls. Deals with enquiries from
students and outside bodies; this requires the postholder to be familiar with
the departments procedures and to use tact and diplomacy at all times and
maintain discretion and confidentiality.
Checks the integrated customer service system (VOICE) daily re
conplaints and refers as appropriate.
Arranges meetings and appointments, using own initiative and knowledge
of Head of DSS and her managers’ commitments and through exercising
knowledge of current priorities within the department. Arranges
refreshments, etc.
Ensures that the DSS information on Student Services Intranet is regularly
updated and maintained for all areas of the department.
Makes arrangements for the annual DSS Away day, the DSS managers
workshop(s) and monthly managers’ meetings.
Attends and minutes the monthly DSS Managers meeting and acts as a
representative for the team secretaries at appropriate management staff
meetings.
Communicates regularly by telephone, email and memoranda with a wide
range of contacts throughout the University (Office of the Director,
Students, Functional Heads, Deans, Estates, Catering etc.) and external
contacts e.g. SKILL, other HEIs, consultants.
Makes hotel and travel bookings as required.
Assists with arrangements for the annual Disability Seminar as required.
2. Duties as Co-ordinator of the secretarial team in DSS
Responsible for the co-ordination of secretarial support in DSS.
Holds regular meetings with other secretaries in DSS to discuss and
encourage best practice and to ensure cover.
Identifies and provides basic training as required.
Maintains records of annual leave, training and other commitments in
order to ensure that functions are covered whilst staff are absent.
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3. Staffing
(a) Recruitment: Assists in completing post release forms, job enquirers
guide, job descriptions, person specifications and HERA evaluation
forms. Is a member of the interviewing panel for secretarial vacancies
in DSS.
(b) Induction: Welcomes new staff to DSS and briefs them on office
systems and procedures, and on the University more generally.
(c) Maintenance of staff records: This involves completing weekly staff
returns, maintaining leave and sickness records, producing a monthly
report. Maintains records of all appraisals and training needs for staff in
DSS.
(d) General: Advises administrative, secretarial and clerical staff on a wide
range of topics, i.e. maternity leave, termination of employment,
probationary arrangements. Acts as a recognised point of contact
within DSS for health and safety, equal opportunities and data
protection issues.
4. Financial Matters
Assists in the monitoring, reconciliation and forecasting of the BAL and
Curriculum Access non-staff budgets, currently over £95K per annum.
Raises, processes and progresses Print Requisitions, liaising with
administrative staff to ensure proposed expenditure is within budget.
5. User of Information Technology
Takes a leading and pro-active role in the department in the use of
information technology. This requires the post holder to be familiar with
Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, VOICE, POSY and
CIRCE. Gives assistance where appropriate to other members of staff in
DSS in the use of these packages. Devises and communicates good
practice to the secretarial team.
6. Furniture, Accommodation, Equipment and Services
(a) Co-ordinates the furniture, equipment and minor works requirements of
DSS. Organises any office moves.
(b) Ensures the telephones are efficiently linked and adequately covered at
all times.
(c) Maintains the DSS stationery supplies.
(d) Maintains an inventory of equipment in DSS, other than PCs.
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(e) Monitors the department’s compliance with external regulators, e.g.
Data Protection, fire evacuation, etc.
7. Other and Exceptional Duties


Supports Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) applications, checking
evidence on behalf of DSS and supports procedures as required.
Any other duties as required by the Head of DSS.
EDUCATIONAL STANDARD AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
 ‘A’ Level or equivalent
 Proven recent experience and ability in undertaking secretarial duties
 Proven experience and competence of co-ordination of secretarial staff.
 RSA Stage III typing or equivalent
 Proven thorough and recent working knowledge of Microsoft packages,
particularly Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.
 Excellent oral communication skills
 Excellent written skills (must be able draft clear and concise
correspondence)
 Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage a complex workload to a
professional standard and proven ability to multi-task effectively
 Flexibility and the ability to think ahead and take initiatives
 Evidence of ability to assimilate new information quickly
 Proven recent experience of managing budgets
 Evidence of strong interpersonal and negotiating skills
 Proven experience of maintaining communication and information systems
 Experience of maintaining a complex filing system
 A demonstrated commitment to the promotion of equality and diversity
Desirable
 Previous successful experience of team working and team building
 Good numerical skills
 Some knowledge and understanding of the needs of disabled people
 A willingness to learn new skills
 Knowledge of health and safety matters
 Knowledge of Data Protection
 Experience of working with Criminal Record Bureau procedures
STAFF SUPERVISED
1 full time secretary (grade 5)
2 part time (job share) grade 5 secretaries
2 part time grade 4 secretaries
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EQUIPMENT USED
Networked PC
Networked Printers
Superset Telephone/Textphone
Fax Machine
Photocopier
Scanner
Label printer
Calculator
Laminator
ALLOCATION OF TIME
All responsibilities are held ‘in tandem’ and can peak at any time. However a
rough proportion of time spent on each during a year would be as follows:
Personal Assistant to Head of DSS
35%
Secretarial support to Manager, Curriculum Access
15%
Manager of Secretarial Team
5%
Centre Secretary Duties
45%
Job Holder Signature ____________________________
Date ________
Line Manager Signature __________________________
Date ________
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