Job Purpose: Graduation is a significant step in the student journey. The post holder will play a key role in supporting the successful delivery of University’s annual graduation ceremony on campus. They will ensure ceremonies are delivered to a professional and exacting standard for around 3,500 graduating students and their guests annually. The role also includes oversight and production of certificates and transcripts, ensuring these processes are efficient and compliant with University policies.
The role involves coordinating operational and logistical support for graduation, including high-level communications, engaging with internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. Additionally, the post holder will support continuous improvement initiatives in the Awards and Ceremonies function and serve as a key resource for process enhancements.
The postholder will practice an inclusive approach and support building an inclusive university community where people can be themselves.
Main Duties & Responsibilities of the Role:
Graduation Ceremonies
Oversee the planning and organisation of graduation ceremonies, ensuring alignment with institutional standards and objectives.
Coordinate the recruitment, training and role allocation of support staff for graduation events.
Liaise with external suppliers (e.g., gown hire, photographers, florists, caters) to secure contracts and services that meet quality and value expectations and maintain an accurate record of expenditure.
Provide high-level support for logistical arrangements, including function lists, room bookings, and graduation ticketing/seat allocation for staff, students and guests.
Act as a key point of contact for internal stakeholders, ensuring seamless coordination across teams.
Ensure compliance with policies, including risk assessments, equality impact assessments and GDPR requirements.
Organise staff and student prizes and awards, including honorary and posthumous awards.
Graduation Communications
Develop and oversee the delivery of accurate and timely communications to staff, students, and guests.
Provide input for the creation of the graduation programme and related materials, ensuring adherence to University branding.
Update and maintain the University’s graduation web pages and guide teams on the effective use of social media to promote events.
Certification and Awards Oversight
Ensure processes for certificate and transcript production are effective and compliant with University policies.
Assist with the printing and checking of certificates and final results transcripts and related tasks.
Act as a liaison for more complex certification and verification queries, escalating issues as needed.
Process Improvement
Lead evaluations of graduation and certification processes with key stakeholders to recommend strategic improvements.
Support the development of new systems and techniques to enhance the Awards and Ceremonies function.
Administrative Coordination
Prepare reports and analyse data to inform decision-making related to awards and ceremonies.
Answering routine enquiries by phone and email courteously and professionally, investigating more complex issues/enquiries to provide a briefing to the relevant manager.
Collaborate with other Registry roles to streamline operations and avoid duplication of efforts.
Attend relevant meetings, as appropriate, and take notes as required.
Provide specialist advice and guidance to students and colleagues on awards and ceremonies.
Additionally, the post holder will be expected to support the wider activities of the Academic Registry and University, including:
To be actively engaged with internal working groups and to proactively implement agreed process changes within the University.
Assisting with Registry-wide events, such as Enrolment/Registration etc, undertaking specific tasks as required.
Adopting and demonstrating behaviours aligned to the University's values.
To keep abreast of sector development and best practice and undertake CPD as relevant to the role.
There may be a requirement for these duties to be carried out across different sites within the University.
Comply with relevant legislative and other requirements (e.g., the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR; Health and Safety; UKVI; and Equality and Diversity) in all working practices.
Such other duties temporarily or on a continuing basis, as may reasonably be required.
Hours are:
9am - 5.30pm Monday to Thursday
9am - 5pm Friday
Pay is £15.37 to £17.15 per hour depending on experience.
If you feel that you have previous experience for this role and are available for the whole period of the contract, please attach CV or call (phone number removed) for a further discussion
Salary description
£15.37 - £17.15 per hour