Appeals, Conduct and Complaints Officer

at  University of Kent

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT IS LOOKING FOR AN APPEALS, CONDUCT AND COMPLAINTS OFFICER WHO WILL BE ABLE TO CONDUCT FORMAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO APPEALS, ALLEGATIONS OF STUDENT MISCONDUCT, STUDENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE UNIVERSITY. IF THIS IS YOUR SKILL SET, THEN WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR APPLICATION.

The post holder will be responsible for meeting with students, gathering the accounts and evidence from the relevant parties, and preparing formal investigation reports in accordance with relevant policies. The post holder’s specialist knowledge and skills will ensure that investigations are conducted in a sensitive, professional and proportionate manner.
This is an increasingly complex area of work and the post holder must be able to prioritise competing deadlines and requirements to ensure the Student Conduct and Complaints Office is compliant with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements in order to manage the risks associated with this area of work, and that external frameworks of good practice are embedded into the University’s procedures.

As Appeals, Conduct and Complaints Officer you can expect to be involved in:

• Responsible for undertaking investigations into student cases, in particular those under consideration for student appeals, complaints and student misconduct, including serious sexual misconduct and harassment. Where necessary, this process will include evaluating the case, setting out an investigation plan, communicating with and interviewing relevant parties, gathering other evidence, reaching findings of fact and producing investigation reports, as well as presenting the report to an Appeals, Conduct and Complaints Adviser or the Head of Appeals, Conduct and Complaints.
• Escalating cases for input/support where severity/risk indicates that more senior intervention or oversight is required, or where measures are required to protect an individual during an investigation, or as a result of findings.
• Providing expert advice to staff supporting students through the investigatory processes of the formal student procedure. Providing guidance and training for other role holders investigating cases, particularly where these are undertaken within departments or through summary procedures, as determined by the procedures.
• Assisting with the development and provision of training to role holders who handle cases, sit on Panels or support students.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER IN RETURN:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You’ll enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs)
• 43 days’ leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part-time staff)
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Corporate employee-funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent
We are ambitious for our people, our communities and the region we serve – join us in making the world a better place. Visit our website for more on who we are: http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/
Please see the links below to view the full job description and to apply for this post. For further information regarding the application process, please contact peopleserviceshr@kent.ac.uk quoting reference number OTR-212-25.

FURTHER DETAILS:

Job Description Additional Information
Please note that we prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.
Applications must be made via the University’s online application system; CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.
The University of Kent values diversity and promotes equality at all levels.

• A levels or equivalent
• Experience of working in a higher or further education institution or equivalent, in the capacity of having contact with students and an understanding of student misconduct and complaints
• Excellent IT skills, particularly Microsoft Office applications
• Experience of working effectively as part of a team
• Excellent administration skills, with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, ability to prioritise a wide-ranging workload with competing priorities