. """Job Description GRADUATE ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Summary Job title Head of Graduate Student Recruitment (Maternity Cover) Division Academic Administration Division Department Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Location University Offices, Wellington Square Grade and salary Grade 9: £52,815 - £61,198 per annum Hours Full time Vacancy ID 170336 Contract type Reporting to Fixed-term 12-month maternity cover Post can also be considered as a secondment opportunity. Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment The role This senior post provides the opportunity to lead on an area of growing strategic importance to Oxford. The Head of Graduate Student Recruitment will be responsible for shaping and influencing policy, strategy and process, and developing and delivering activity in line with strategy, in the area of graduate student recruitment, including graduate access which is an emerging and fast-evolving new area of work for the University. The post-holder will lead the Graduate Student Recruitment team within the Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office (GAR), and will report directly to the Director of GAR. The post-holder will lead a team of eight, and will directly line-manage: - the Graduate Access and Widening Participation Manager (Grade 8) who line-manages the Graduate Access and Widening Participation Project Coordinator (Grade 7) the Digital Projects Manager (Grade 8) who line-manages two Graduate Student Recruitment Officers (Grade 6) the Marketing and Communications Manager (Social Media)(Grade 7) who line-manages the Graduate Student Recruitment Co-ordinator (Grade 5) the Marketing and Communications Manager (films)(Grade 7). The Graduate Student Recruitment team has a leading and innovative role in the promotion of graduate study at Oxford to audiences across the globe, developing and delivering student recruitment strategies, communications and marketing, as well as developing and expanding graduate access strategies, policies and initiatives to target disadvantage and underrepresentation in access to graduate study. Oxford has taken a sector-leading and pioneering role in graduate access and widening participation, identifying external and internal barriers to success, and the post-holder will take a leading role in ensuring the development and delivery of strategy, seeking buy-in and agreeing targets and objectives with the wider collegiate University, and measuring success against agreed goals across the whole portfolio of activity for the team. Graduate application numbers have risen significantly in the last few years to reach 37,000 annually for about 5,500 places. Additionally, the University has announced strategic plans to expand graduate student numbers by c.850 by 2024. The challenge for Oxford is to ensure we are able to attract the most academically-able candidates qualified for our courses, for whom we are in competition with other leading universities worldwide, including attracting talented individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds who may be deterred from applying to Oxford, and supporting them through the entire application and student lifecycle. The post-holder will work with a large number of partners within and outside the University, consulting on, and securing support and buy-in for graduate access, communications and recruitment activity. Internally, the postholder will develop strategy and programmes with divisional offices, academic departments, colleges and central teams (EDU, Student Fees and Funding, etc.), working closely with the wider Graduate Admissions and Recruitment team to ensure changes are embedded in the graduate admissions process. Externally, particularly regarding graduate access which has started to attract strong interest and scrutiny from the OfS, Research England and other research councils, and from the media, the post-holder will represent Oxford, and its position as a leader in the sector, at relevant networks and conferences (eg NEON, Russell Group, OfS/Research England). The post-holder will be responsible for the graduate student recruitment budget, for the UNIQ+ budget (£600k per year) as well as other grants received for access programmes (eg Wellcome Trust grant for the Biomedical Vacation Scholarships). The post-holder will work closely with fundraising teams at divisional and central levels on donor proposals and reports to secure funds to support activity. The post holder will also work with the Academic Administration Division (AAD) Communications team, a central group that support internal and student communications, and represent GAR at communication administrators’ meetings. In this area, the post-holder will assess whether team members may support communications and marketing work for AAD more broadly, taking account of workloads within the office. The post-holder will be required to organise and/or attend events from time to time in Oxford, the rest of the UK and occasionally overseas, which may include some evening or weekend work. Overtime may also be required during the evenings and weekends at periods of high workload. Flexibility is essential as the post-holder will need to adapt to internal and external developments in a fast-moving area of work, which will shape the role accordingly. The post-holder will also play a critical advisory role, providing expertise and knowledge to Oxford’s academic divisions, departments, faculties, and colleges, ensuring an evidence-based approach to strategy, and helping to design high-impact, efficient and coordinated activity. This could be a secondment opportunity for staff within the University. If you are interested, please indicate this in your application and seek permission from your line-manager. Maternity (or other family) leave cover post This post is to cover the absence of the substantive postholder, who is taking a period of maternity leave. The post is available until April 2025 or the actual return of the substantive postholder, or the resignation of the substantive postholder and employment of a new postholder, whichever is the earliest. Responsibilities • Leading, managing and developing an innovative, creative and effective team, including agreeing team objectives, reviewing performance (on an ongoing basis and through annual Personal development review (PDR) and identifying learning and development needs. The post-holder will oversee the allocation of time 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 2 across the different priorities, taking account of the wider priorities of the Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office, especially the activities needed to deliver the core admissions operation at peak times. The post holder will also liaise with AAD Communications colleagues to identify development project opportunities for team members across AAD. • Being responsible for the recruitment and access budgets, putting together cost proposals for activity and resources, forecasting activity and keeping track of expenditure. This will include responsibility for the UNIQ+ graduate access internship budget (£500k per year) for which the office is accountable to the Crankstart Foundation. This will also include the Wellcome Trust budget for the Biomedical Vacation Scholarships (£170k). As activity grows and fundraising proposals are successful (several proposals are underway), this responsibility is very likely to expand to include other budgets. • Developing and seeking agreement for graduate recruitment, communications and access strategies, working with the Graduate Access Sub-Committee and the Graduate Recruitment and Access Strategy Working Group and which the post-holder will service, as well as the Graduate Admissions Committee chaired by the PVC for Education. The post-holder will take a leading role in recommending strategy, change to policy and operational activity underpinned by research and data analysis, and will develop an evaluation framework, sourcing expertise as required, to measure impact and success. • Leading on the expansion and delivery of the UNIQ+ graduate access internship programme (currently 100 fully funded internships per year and growing), advising and supporting the UNIQ+ Management Group, coordinating activity with academic departments, divisional offices, colleges, and funders as appropriate, and evaluating the success and impact of the programme, providing data reports and presenting outcomes. • Managing the successful development and delivery of other graduate access initiatives and projects. In particular, the post-holder will take a critical role in working with their team to shape and deliver the pilot on selection procedures, supporting the Working Group responsible for this activity. The post-holder will also keep abreast of progress for the Office for Students/Research England-funded project, successfully awarded to Oxford as a joint proposal with the University of Cambridge. The post-holder and their team will also support the Academic Futures scholarship programme, particularly in all matters related to the recruitment, application and admissions stages, but also in supporting a widening participation programme through the scholars’ lifecycle. As graduate access is fast-growing, this is not an exhaustive list of initiatives, and the postholder will take an active role in shaping and recommending strategy and activity. • Leading through the team digital campaigns and the production of recruitment materials (e.g. films, animations, social media and advertising campaigns, printed materials, etc.) of the highest standards to appropriately represent the collegiate University, the courses offered at Oxford and the funding opportunities available. There will be a focus on developing innovative and attractive content for the Graduate Admissions website. This will include developing and implementing a clear and consistent policy in terms of house style and “brand reinforcement” on all public recruitment communications (video, digital, social media, print) to ensure accessibility, clarity of communication, consistency of style and message, and impact, in line with the over-arching University strategies in these areas. • Overseeing the development and maintenance of the large Graduate Admissions website which is fully managed by the Digital Manager, and any other web resources for which the team is responsible (eg the flagship Clarendon Scholarship Fund website, online Graduate Admissions and Funding staff handbook, etc.), in terms of design/navigation and accuracy. The key focus for the coming few months will be the migration of the current Graduate Admissions website (c. 2,500 pages), which is the second most visited section of the University’s website with over 2M visitors/year, to a new platform. The post-holder will also be responsible for managing Oxford course data held on third-party websites where appropriate (eg UCAS, FindAMasters/PhD, etc.). • Providing advice and expert knowledge to working groups, committees, divisions, departments, and colleges in the area of graduate student recruitment and communications, and in the emerging and fast-growing area of graduate access. The post-holder will play a critical role in advocating for graduate access and widening participation, and seeking support and buy-in from the collegiate University on agreed strategy, policy, and activity. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 3 • Representing Oxford externally at relevant sector networks and conference, particularly related to graduate access, and ensuring Oxford’s position as a leader in this area is publicised. For instance, the post-holder will attend relevant NEON and Russell Group networks, and will take a leading role on the NEON sub-group to establish a set of socio-economic criteria for graduate access, working closely with the University of Leeds. The post-holder will also work with the Public Affairs Directorate and AAD Communications to raise the profile of Oxford’s graduate courses and funding opportunities outside the University (for instance through press releases, answering media enquiries, and attendance at relevant meetings). • Organising through the team public-facing recruitment activities, such as open days within the University and recruitment fairs organised by third parties, as well as exploring digital event opportunities. The post-holder will deliver presentations to a wide range of external and internal audiences at all levels, from applicants to alumni, including senior academic and administrative staff. The post-holder will organise, with his/her team, targeted graduate student recruitment, communications and graduate access forums and/or events to bring together colleagues from across the colleges and University to advise and disseminate best practice and share experience on a range of issues relating to graduate student recruitment, communications and access initiatives. • Being responsible through the team for undertaking research into international qualifications to provide guidance to departments and applicants on how they compare with UK qualifications. • Deputising for the Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment when absent or upon request, handling escalated matters regarding graduate recruitment, communications and access, and dealing with formal appeals and complaints related to UNIQ+ and other graduate access programmes. • Undertaking other duties or responsibilities commensurate with the level of this post within GAR or the Academic Administration Division (AAD) to support projects and operational requirements Selection criteria Essential selection criteria 1. 2. Strong educational background including a first degree (or equivalent). Experience of managing and motivating staff, setting team and individual objectives, and monitoring of team and individual performance, together with allocating and planning staff resources and activity 3. Creative and innovative approach to strategic thinking and problem solving, with experience of designing strategies and delivering implementation plans, including getting buy-in from multiple stakeholders 4. Detailed knowledge of access and widening participation in HE in the UK, and understanding of the issues that affect student recruitment, especially for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds. 5. Demonstrable experience of marketing and communications, using a variety of channels (eg online, print, social media) with understanding of the issues that arise in working in a large and complex organisation. 6. Experience of leading successfully large-scale and complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, delivering to targets and deadlines 7. Experience of delivering change in complex and devolved organisations 8. Excellent and highly developed communication and presentation skills, capable of influencing and inspiring trust in a range of stakeholders, and familiar with writing effective committee papers and reports and presenting robust evidence-based arguments for change. 9. Excellent analytical skills with the ability to work with qualitative and quantitative data to support strategy and to make informed high-impact decisions 10. Ability to work independently, as well as working as part of a team and across teams, with highly developed interpersonal, listening and negotiating skills, working with staff at all levels of seniority. 11. A thorough working knowledge of the usual software packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) Desirable selection criteria 1. 2. Professional experience of working in Higher Education, particularly in the areas of graduate recruitment, communications, outreach or access. Experience of organising large-scale events 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 4 3. Knowledge or experience of international qualifications Pre-employment screening Standard checks If you are offered the post, the offer will be subject to standard pre-employment checks. You will be asked to provide: proof of your right-to-work in the UK; proof of your identity; and (if we haven’t done so already) we will contact the referees you have nominated. If you have previously worked for the University we will also verify key information such as your dates of employment and reason for leaving your previous role with the department/unit where you worked. You will also be asked to complete a health declaration so that you can tell us about any health conditions or disabilities for which you may need us to make appropriate adjustments. Please read the candidate notes on the University’s pre-employment screening procedures at: https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/pre-employment-checks About the University of Oxford Welcome to the University of Oxford. We aim to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Oxford’s researchers engage with academic, commercial and cultural partners across the world to stimulate high-quality research and enable innovation through a broad range of social, policy and economic impacts. We believe our strengths lie both in empowering individuals and teams to address fundamental questions of global significance, while providing all our staff with a welcoming and inclusive workplace that enables everyone to develop and do their best work. Recognising that diversity is our strength, vital for innovation and creativity, we aspire to build a truly diverse community which values and respects every individual’s unique contribution. While we have long traditions of scholarship, we are also forward-looking, creative and cutting-edge. Oxford is one of Europe's most entrepreneurial universities and we rank first in the UK for university spin-outs, and in recent years we have spun out 15-20 new companies every year. We are also recognised as leaders in support for social enterprise. Join us and you will find a unique, democratic and international community, a great range of staff benefits and access to a vibrant array of cultural activities in the beautiful city of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation. Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office The post is located in the Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office, which is based at the University Offices, Wellington Square. The Office is part of the Academic Administration Division (AAD), one of the largest units within the University Administration and Services. Oxford has over 13,000 graduate students, representing more than 50% of the full-time student population. Almost two thirds of our graduate students are from outside the UK, and are drawn from some 140 countries worldwide, demonstrating the highly international character and global reach of Oxford. The effectiveness of our admissions procedures and the attractiveness of the funding packages which we are able to offer applicants are of key importance in the recruitment of the highest calibre graduate students at national and international level. Success in this area is crucial to maintaining the pre-eminent global position of the University and its colleges, in a fiercely competitive international arena. A particular benefit for all graduate students at Oxford is that they are a member not only of their department or faculty (which provides their academic teaching and supervision), but of one of Oxford’s 38 colleges and 6 permanent private halls. The colleges provide a multidisciplinary intellectual life, along with facilities such as accommodation, meals, sporting and other social activities, and undergraduate and graduate bursaries and scholarships. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 5 The Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office responds to the challenges of the strategic priorities within the University’s 2018 Strategic Plan (https://www.ox.ac.uk/strategicplan), namely further improving Oxford’s graduate admissions processes. The Graduate Admissions and Recruitment Office comprises a committed and lively team of 25 colleagues whose busy, enjoyable and wide-ranging work covers the following main areas: - developing and co-ordinating Oxford’s processes for recruiting and admitting all our graduate students, supporting the work of the University’s departments, faculties and colleges; advancing a communications and marketing strategy to enable the recruitment of the highest calibre graduate students to Oxford; facilitating the receipt and processing of over 30,000 applications for graduate study per year, including handling applicants’ enquiries; For more information please visit https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate. Academic Administration Division The Academic Administration Division (AAD) is the University’s group of services focused on students and learning. We provide support and information that students need to thrive in their academic and personal lives, and encourage the professional and educational development of our staff. We operate in close collaboration with colleagues in central, divisional, departmental, and college administration, as well as with academic staff and students. The AAD’s work supports the student career from pre-admission through to graduation and beyond, and promotes the development of coherent systems and services across Oxford to underpin this. We focus on: - Student recruitment: Attracting the best undergraduate and postgraduate students through outreach and admissions, and advising students through the admissions process. - Student services: Offering high-quality services to students once they arrive at Oxford, including counselling and disability services, sports, language courses, a careers service, and fees and funding. - Student administration: Managing the University’s student data, registration, examinations, and degree ceremonies, advising on visas and immigration; and developing our student systems. - Educational policy: Helping to develop and implement educational policies, upholding legislation, and providing quality assurance. We also support academic and professional staff and the wider Oxford community through our language, sport, and professional and educational development services. The AAD comprises: the Careers Service, Education Policy Support, Graduate Admissions and Recruitment, the Language Centre, the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Student Fees and Funding, Student Registry, Student Systems, Student Welfare and Support Services, Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach, and University Sport. They are supported by two professional support functions: AAD Administration and AAD Communications. For more information, see: https://academic.admin.ox.ac.uk/about/aad How to apply Applications are made through our online recruitment portal. Information about how to apply is available on our Jobs website https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/how-to-apply. Your application will be judged solely on the basis of how you demonstrate that you meet the selection criteria stated in the job description. As part of your application you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 6 You will be asked to upload a CV and a supporting statement. The supporting statement must explain how you meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of your skills and experience. This may include experience gained in employment, education, or during career breaks (such as time out to care for dependants) Please upload all documents as PDF files with your name and the document type in the filename. All applications must be received by midday UK time on the closing date stated in the online advertisement. Information for priority candidates A priority candidate is a University employee who is seeking redeployment because they have been advised that they are at risk of redundancy, or on grounds of ill-health/disability. Priority candidates are issued with a redeployment letter by their employing department(s). If you are a priority candidate, please ensure that you attach your redeployment letter to your application (or email it to the contact address on the advert if the application form used for the vacancy does not allow attachments). If you need help Application FAQs, including technical troubleshooting advice is available at: https://staff.web.ox.ac.uk/recruitment-support-faqs Non-technical questions about this job should be addressed to the recruiting department directly via aadadminsupport@admin.ox.ac.uk. To return to the online application at any stage, please go to: www.recruit.ox.ac.uk. Please note that you will receive an automated email from our online recruitment portal to confirm receipt of your application. Please check your spam/junk mail if you do not receive this email. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 7 Important information for candidates Data Privacy Please note that any personal data submitted to the University as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation. For further information, please see the University’s Privacy Notice for Job Applicants at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/job-applicant-privacypolicy. The University’s Policy on Data Protection is available at: https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/dataprotection-policy. The University’s policy on retirement The University operates an Employer Justified Retirement Age (EJRA) for very senior research posts at grade RSIV/D35 and clinical equivalents E62 and E82 of 30 September before the 70th birthday. The justification for this is explained at: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/the-ejra. For existing employees on these grades, any employment beyond the retirement age is subject to approval through the procedures: https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/the-ejra. There is no normal or fixed age at which staff in posts at other grades have to retire. Staff at these grades may elect to retire in accordance with the rules of the applicable pension scheme, as may be amended from time to time. Equality of opportunity Entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 8 Benefits of working at the University Employee benefits University employees enjoy 38 days’ paid holiday, generous pension schemes, travel discounts, and a variety of professional development opportunities. Our range of other employee benefits and discounts also includes free entry to the Botanic Gardens and University colleges, and discounts at University museums. See https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/staff-benefits University Club and sports facilities Membership of the University Club is free for all University staff. The University Club offers social, sporting, and hospitality facilities. Staff can also use the University Sports Centre on Iffley Road at discounted rates, including a fitness centre, powerlifting room, and swimming pool. See www.club.ox.ac.uk and https://www.sport.ox.ac.uk/. Information for staff new to Oxford If you are relocating to Oxfordshire from overseas or elsewhere in the UK, the University's Welcome Service website includes practical information about settling in the area, including advice on relocation, accommodation, and local schools. See https://welcome.ox.ac.uk/ There is also a visa loan scheme to cover the costs of UK visa applications for staff and their dependants. See https://staffimmigration.admin.ox.ac.uk/visa-loan-scheme Family-friendly benefits With one of the most generous family leave schemes in the Higher Education sector, and a range of flexible working options, Oxford aims to be a family-friendly employer. We also subscribe to the Work+Family Space, a service that provides practical advice and support for employees who have caring responsibilities. The service offers a free telephone advice line, and the ability to book emergency back-up care for children, adult dependents and elderly relatives. See https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/my-family-care Childcare The University has excellent childcare services, including five University nurseries as well as University-supported places at many other private nurseries. For full details, including how to apply and the costs, see https://childcare.admin.ox.ac.uk/ Disabled staff We are committed to supporting members of staff with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further details, including information about how to make contact, in confidence, with the University’s Staff Disability Advisor, see https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/disability-support Staff networks The University has a number of staff networks including the Oxford Research Staff Society, BME staff network, LGBT+ staff network and a disabled staff network. You can find more information at https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/networks The University of Oxford Newcomers' Club The University of Oxford Newcomers' Club is an organisation run by volunteers that aims to assist the partners of new staff settle into Oxford, and provides them with an opportunity to meet people and make connections in the local area. See www.newcomers.ox.ac.uk. Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS) A society run by and for Oxford University research staff. It offers researchers a range of social and professional networking opportunities. Membership is free, and all researchers employed by Oxford University are welcome to join. Subscribe at researchstaff-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk to join the mailing list to find out about upcoming events and other information for researchers, or contact the committee on committee@oxrss.ox.ac.uk. For more information, see www.ox.ac.uk/oxrss, Twitter @ResStaffOxford, and Facebook www.facebook.com/oxrss. 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD 9 """^^ . "application/pdf" . "application/xhtml+xml" . . "NTriples description of 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD.pdf" . . . . "Title"@en . "Past vacancies at the University of Oxford" . "text/html" . "text/n3" . "text/turtle" . . "170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD.pdf" . . "RDF/XML description of 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD.pdf" . "Turtle description of 170336 Head of Graduate Student Recruitment - JD.pdf" . . . . "in dataset" . . 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