This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with the application.

Transcription

1 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: Job title: Fees Manager Reports to: Head of Student Fees Salary: 38, , Terms and conditions: Academic Related Staff Grade: G8 Duration of post: Permanent Working hours: 37 hours per week Location: Milton Keynes Closing date: Noon on 7 November 2014 Type of application form accepted: Full applications form, cv and covering letter Number of referees required: 3 Unit recruitment contact: marketing-recruitment@open.ac.uk Page 1 of 6

2 2. Summary of duties Brief Outline The role holder is: 1. Responsible for the Fees and Debt Recovery team operations, ensuring that service levels and KPIs are met, workloads are prioritised and resources allocated appropriately to meet the needs of the operation. 2. Responsible for the line management, coaching, training and development of three Grade 5 Team Leaders and three to eight Debt Recovery Officers. Responds to complex queries, appeals and complaints from applicants, staff and students. 3. Responsible for recruitment and selection of operational staff in their remit and ensures they receive appropriate induction, training, coaching and support in conjunction with the training manager and trainers. 4. Responsible for the operation and adherence to the OU s Fees & Debt Recovery policies and procedures, ensuring that all weekly student funding reconciliation is maintained, managed and to agreed targets. Responsible for the day-to-day operational relationship with the Student Loans Company and any internal or external debt recovery service. 5. Responsible for monitoring, maintaining and improving call and work quality service levels and proactively reviews processes and procedures in the office and contributes to the continuous improvement programme. Specific Responsibilities 1. Responsible for the Fees and Debt Recovery team operations, ensuring that service levels and KPI s are met, workloads are prioritised and resources allocated appropriately to meet the needs of the operation manages day to day activities within the office ensuring that targets and deadlines are met and agreed standards of service are maintained; ensures that all staff are aware of the service standards set and have appropriate mechanisms and skills to support their effective implementation; actively manages staff productivity levels to ensure resources levels are appropriate and meet the demands of the business; uses personal initiative and judgment to prioritise team workload, anticipates future workload and manages human resources accordingly. 2. Responsible for the line management, coaching, training and development of 3-4 Grade 5 Team Leaders. Responds to complex queries, appeals and complaints from applicants, staff and students supports Team Leaders in planning and scheduling of team workloads; supports, trains and coaches the Team Leaders to achieve their personal goals and those of the department; ensures that every member of staff receives a standardised monthly 1-2-1; Page 2 of 6

3 organises regular team meetings and Infoshare sessions with the Team Leaders and other staff as appropriate; acts as a role model for staff, demonstrating commitment and excellence in customer service and inspires others towards the achievement of business goals; manages sickness absence of staff, implementing OU and unit policy for recording sickness, referrals to HR and Occupational health where appropriate and implementing the Capability frameworks where required to ensure sickness levels are improved; manage the compliance with agreed quality standards including matrix and Investors in people (IiP) standards in order to ensure re-accreditation is achieved and the OU s internal frameworks for Valued Ways of Working and the Leadership Competency frameworks. 3. Responsible for recruitment and selection of operational staff in their remit and ensures they receive appropriate induction, training, coaching and support in conjunction with the training manager and trainers drafts and updates job descriptions, person specifications, advertisements and shortlists and interviews candidates for all Grade 7 and below; ensures that appropriate training and induction is provided by liaising with the Training Manager and that the Skills Matrix is updated monthly. 4. Responsible for the operation and adherence to the OU s Fees & Debt Recovery policies and procedures, ensuring that all weekly student funding reconciliation is maintained, managed and to agreed targets. Responsible for the day-to-day operational relationship with the Student Loans Company and any internal or external debt recovery service conducts regular reviews of team procedures to ensure they are current, reflect actual procedures being completed and are efficient; ensures the OU has a strong, proactive and positive operational relationships with various stakeholders at the Student Loans Company (SLC); tracks and identifies any shortfalls or over payments of student funding from the SLC or other funders on a weekly basis. Takes corrective action to reconcile situation and formulates changes to process and/or policy to prevent future reconciliation issues. 5. Responsible for monitoring, maintaining and improving call and work quality service levels monitors, reviews and drives improvement across call quality monitoring results in each team; monitors, reviews and drives improvement across work quality monitoring results in each team; ensures the Control Catalogue is completed monthly and any control failures are investigated and an action plan created to negate further breaches. Other responsibilities Perform additional duties as requested by the Head of Student Fees. Page 3 of 6

4 Offers of appointment to the University are subject to acceptance of the condition that the University reserves the right to make changes to the post holder s duties and to require them to work in other areas of the University and to be subject to any special conditions applying in those areas in furtherance of the University's objectives. Further information on this point is included in the offer of appointment to the successful candidate. 3. Person specification Note: Essential elements are those, without which, a candidate would not be able to do the job. Applicants who have not clearly demonstrated in their application that they possess the essential elements will normally be rejected at the short listing stage. Desirable elements are those which it would be useful for the post holder to possess. Qualifications and Experience Working together collaboratively Respecting the individual Taking personal responsibility Solving problems Essential First degree or similar substantial experience working in an office environment using high levels of literacy and numeracy. Experience in the use of Microsoft Office packages and in the use of new technology applications. Staff management experience to include training and developing staff. Proven ability to lead, motivate and manage a team effectively. Ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and in writing. Experience of producing nonstandard correspondence, complex written procedures and reports. Experience of working effectively in a team. Ability to work co-operatively across department boundaries. Able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to build networks and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities and diversity in a personal and managerial capacity. Ability to exercise initiative. Ability to decide upon and initiate action. Recent experience of operational decision making. Demonstrable analytical and investigative skills. Desirable A Management qualification or other evidence of continuing professional development. ECDL or equivalent qualification Experience of interrogating databases and providing accurate management Information Experience of managing staff in the higher education or finance sector. Delivering High level of customer focus and ability to Experience of resolving Page 4 of 6

5 excellent service Fostering high performance deal effectively with a wide range of internal and external customers. Experience of extracting management information and recommending appropriate courses of action. Experience of managing the performance of individuals and a team. Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines and achieve targets. customer complaints Experience of working with capacity plans and forecasting resources. Promoting learning and development Embracing change Appreciation of different learning styles and ability to adapt management style to foster a learning and development culture. Open to change and experience of working in a changing environment Willingness to engage with new systems and the ability to absorb new concepts. Experience of coaching and/or mentoring of staff. Experience of supporting staff through significant organisational change. 4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working The Role holder will be expected to work such hours as are required to discharge the post. 5. About the unit/department STUDENT FEES The government and The Open University fund a range of financial support services to help students with the costs of studying. Around 35,000 students receive financial support each year. There are three types of financial support administered by the team: help with paying module fees; help with paying study expenses (such as a computer, childcare costs and books); help for students who get into financial difficulty during their module. In addition, a key function within the SF is the collection and reconciliation of student funding from the Student Loans Company, as well as the successful debt recovery of student debts. The primary purpose of the Student Fees is to provide information on these schemes of financial support and to assess and process applications. The primary purpose of Student Fees is to provide information on these schemes of financial support and to assess and process applications. 6. 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 Gavin Deeble (Head of Student Fees) on or gavin.deeble@open.ac.uk. If you Page 5 of 6

6 require further information on the recruitment process please contact 7. The application process and where to send completed applications It is in your interest to show, in your application, how your experience and personal qualities address the person specification and the role of Fees Manager. You are asked to include a covering letter of not more than 1000 words to show how you think your qualities and experience match those required for this post. Your application form and covering letter will form a part of the selection process and will help us assess your ability to meet the criterion for effective communication in writing. This document is an important part of your application and if you fail to do this you will not be considered for short listing. Please ensure that your application reaches the University by Noon on 7 November your application to: marketing-recruitment@open.ac.uk Or post it to: Name/Job title: Department/Unit: Address: Staffing Administrator Marketing & SRFS The Open University Hammerwood Gate Kents Hill Milton Keynes MK7 6BY 8. Selection process and date of interview The interviews will take place week commencing 17 November The selection process for this post will be a two part process and will include a formal competency based interview, a Powerpoint presentation on a work related topic and assessment of your application form and letter. A second interview will then take place for candidates who are successful in the first stage. We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will also be sent to shortlisted candidates. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. Page 6 of 6