International Compliance Advisor

at  University of Derby

JOB DETAILS

Department
The Registry
Responsible to
Assistant Registrar – Registry Systems and Data
Location
Kedleston Road, Derby Campus
Salary
£25,698 to £26,875 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £30,907 per annum)
Closing date
Sunday 29 September 2024
Contract type
Permanent
Post type
Full-time
Adaptive working type
Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location. Currently, this role offers the opportunity to work remotely, normally 1 day/s a week in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.
Reference
0398-24
About the University
We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.
The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.
We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.
About the College/Department
The Registry strives to provide an outstanding service to all our users and to be thought leaders in our fields of expertise, developing research informed practise. Registry teams work collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver a high-performance culture that promotes wellbeing, diversity and opportunity for all, supporting excellent student experience.
Located within The Registry – International Student Compliance (ISC) is the centralised function for the governance, assurance and compliance pertaining to the immigration sponsorship for an international student, in accordance with the UKVI regulations.
About the role
Working in a fast past customer service team, you will deliver a valuable service to students, and a high standard of supporting administrative functions. You will provide support through the provision of information, advice and guidance services as part of the International Student Hub, with specialism in immigration compliance. You will support University staff with complex queries that relate to non-UK students and will be responsible for the University’s engagement monitoring of international students, making direct interventions with students where required.
About You
You will have excellent attention to detail with the ability to follow processes and procedures. In this role you will require the ability to demonstrate good judgement within all situations be they in person, written or over the telephone, and have the ability to respond appropriately, professionally and within the relevant regulations.
You will be able to demonstrate excellent customer service and will be a good communicator, with good interpersonal skills including the ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy. Experience of managing priorities, planning own workload, whilst taking a sense of ownership as relevant to the role is essential.

Principal accountabilities

• To provide specialist support, information and advice to international students, on arrival and during their studies at the University, including referral to other internal or external support, information and advice services where appropriate and escalating queries to the International Compliance Officer and Senior International Compliance Officer when necessary.
• Manage and maintain accurate student record transactions and data to enable concise reporting for institutional decision-making, strategy development, internal audits and external returns e.g. UKVI, HESA and university league tables. Be proactive and transparent in completing any required investigative and remedial work to maintain accuracy.
• Manage casework, in compliance with legal requirements and in line with the University’s own procedures for case management and reporting, in accordance with Service Level Agreements.
• Assist with attendance monitoring processes for non-UK students in order to maximise retention whilst ensuring compliance with UKVI directives. Supporting with any interventions identified.
• Assist with any compliance visits and/or audits for external bodies under the remit of the post.
• Ensure that customer service provided to university staff and students is delivered as expected and to a high standard. Assist in establishing service level agreements with internal customers and service providers. Assist with the production, maintenance and analysis of relevant statistical information as require, in line with university procedures.
• Support the University’s enrolment function for international students with regards to the completion of right to study checks.
• To participate in international events as and when required. To assist with Open Days and special events either in an office-based role or as part of the activity itself.
• To support with the assessment of applications who have been identified as being ready for a CAS to be issued. Ensuring that all supporting evidence submitted is rigorously assessed and deemed compliant prior to a CAS being issued. This includes ensuring that CASs are released within the required timeframe to support and enhance conversion.
• Using available audits and monitoring processes to ensure quality assurance of own work and effective prioritisation to avoid creating bottlenecks and delays. Use initiative to resolve problems and queries relevant to responsibilities.
• Assist with collating information for responses to Freedom of Information, Subject Access Requests and informal/formal admissions complaints as expected.
• Promote and exemplify the values behaviours and attributes associated with the role, Registry and the University.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

• Level 3 qualifications such as A-Levels, BTEC Extended Diploma or equivalent qualification, with GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4/C or equivalent or comparable knowledge and transferable skills gained through professional experience

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working in a team within a busy administrative environment
• Experience of using data to manage workload

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Understanding complex requirements, planning work and managing priorities
• Contributing to the creation of innovative solutions to problems, addressing the root cause and thus making a positive impact.
• Working collaboratively across boundaries to achieve common goals
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships at all levels across an organisation
• Good interpersonal skills including the ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy in dealing with a wide range of contacts both internal and external to the University
• Strong customer and service focus
• Good IT Skills including a working knowledge of Microsoft Office or equivalent
• Good organisational skills
• Excellent writing skills and telephone manner
• Good judgement of situations and people and the ability to respond appropriately, professionally and commendably
• Ability to understand and apply regulations/rules e.g. GDPR
• Demonstrate digital competency across a range of technologies
• Good analytical skills and ability to convey messages
• Ability to work through service pressures methodically and calmly
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable with the ability to work across teams, building and developing effective relationships to ensure the best result for the service
• Able to see the bigger picture and consider a problem through widely asking searching questions - looks at things from all aspects to produce innovative solutions
• Able to take responsibility and proactively resolve matters taking on a sense of ownership as relevant to the level of the role

BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS

• Able to recognise the need and be willing to work outside of normal hours at times as relevant to achieving service delivery, targets and deadlines
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and work between University and external sites in a cost effective and timely manner as relevant to support staff, attend events, meetings or for presence

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Levels or equivalent experience
• OISC Level 1 or above

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working in the Higher Education sector
• Demonstrable experience of working within a visa compliance role within a UK University
• Demonstrable experience of CAS to Tier 4 applicants/students
• Demonstrable experience of completing the annual highly trusted sponsor application for the UKVI
• Demonstrable experience of federal loans
• A good understanding of the organisation and the ethos of an Higher Education institution and the implications for the work of a student support service.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Discounted access to Devonshire Spa
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits
Key contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Andreea Coman, International Compliance Manager via a.coman3@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.
Don’t miss your chance – join the team and make a difference today

• To provide specialist support, information and advice to international students, on arrival and during their studies at the University, including referral to other internal or external support, information and advice services where appropriate and escalating queries to the International Compliance Officer and Senior International Compliance Officer when necessary.
• Manage and maintain accurate student record transactions and data to enable concise reporting for institutional decision-making, strategy development, internal audits and external returns e.g. UKVI, HESA and university league tables. Be proactive and transparent in completing any required investigative and remedial work to maintain accuracy.
• Manage casework, in compliance with legal requirements and in line with the University’s own procedures for case management and reporting, in accordance with Service Level Agreements.
• Assist with attendance monitoring processes for non-UK students in order to maximise retention whilst ensuring compliance with UKVI directives. Supporting with any interventions identified.
• Assist with any compliance visits and/or audits for external bodies under the remit of the post.
• Ensure that customer service provided to university staff and students is delivered as expected and to a high standard. Assist in establishing service level agreements with internal customers and service providers. Assist with the production, maintenance and analysis of relevant statistical information as require, in line with university procedures.
• Support the University’s enrolment function for international students with regards to the completion of right to study checks.
• To participate in international events as and when required. To assist with Open Days and special events either in an office-based role or as part of the activity itself.
• To support with the assessment of applications who have been identified as being ready for a CAS to be issued. Ensuring that all supporting evidence submitted is rigorously assessed and deemed compliant prior to a CAS being issued. This includes ensuring that CASs are released within the required timeframe to support and enhance conversion.
• Using available audits and monitoring processes to ensure quality assurance of own work and effective prioritisation to avoid creating bottlenecks and delays. Use initiative to resolve problems and queries relevant to responsibilities.
• Assist with collating information for responses to Freedom of Information, Subject Access Requests and informal/formal admissions complaints as expected.
• Promote and exemplify the values behaviours and attributes associated with the role, Registry and the University