Student Hub Assistant
1 day ago
Stirling
The Post Student Hub Assistants form part of the Student Hub team within Student, Academic and Corporate Services. The post will be based in the Student Services Hub, with duties split between the ‘front of house’ and ‘back of house’ areas. Student Hub Assistants are required to develop and maintain an excellent knowledge of the student-facing services provided by Student, Academic & Corporate Services. They are expected to adopt the most appropriate response to the individual needs of each enquirer, wherever possible addressing the issue on the spot, or – if not possible - arranging for the enquirer to receive effective support from a senior Student Adviser or the relevant professional services within the University. This will require the post-holder to develop a detailed knowledge and understanding of all student services and relevant software systems, policies and all the processes associated with the full student lifecycle. Staff will be part of a rota operating 5 days over any 7 days, although standard working days will be Monday to Friday. It is a requirement of this role that working hours are flexible to meet the demands of the business and staff may be required to work out with “normal working hours” including, for example, early morning and evening work as required to undertake duties such as being part of a pool of staff operating within the Student Services Hub, for a student Open Day or during the exam diet etc. Some travel elsewhere in the UK e.g. to other campuses or conferences may occasionally be required. Description of Duties • To be the first point of contact for all student-facing services that fall under the jurisdiction of Student, Academic & Corporate Services, • To respond to face to face, telephone, live chat and email enquiries, and provide advice and information on a wide range of University services and information resources, with the aim of addressing a high proportion of enquiries at the point of contact, • To refer students to an on-duty Hub Supervisor or an appropriate specialist adviser or staff member for additional support if their needs cannot immediately be met on the front line, • To log, distribute and follow up on enquiries using the University’s enquiry management, case management and monitoring systems, • To book appointments for students to see specialist staff (for instance Money Advisers, Mental Health Advisers), ensuring that protocols for each type of appointment are followed, • To provide information on and, where appropriate, refer students to services provided by other departments in the institution and beyond e.g. Accommodation Services, Faculties, Airthrey Medical Practice, • To carry out high volume transactions such as certifying letters, council tax forms, bank letters, distributing financial aid cheques, issuing student ID cards, • To receive payments for student fees, charges and other expenses as appropriate, • To manage and regularly update the provision and display of information in the resource areas and to be pro-active in encouraging students to use the self-service information and resources available, • To liaise regularly with all student services to ensure that knowledge of services is up to date and to keep abreast of issues such as particular service campaigns, changing policies, important dates and other information relevant to students, • To contribute to and implement plans for service improvements, ensuring continual development of service provision and effective delivery to students. This includes providing regular reports, including quantitative and qualitative information, to colleagues and senior managers regarding particular themes emerging and matters of current concern for students, • To contribute to the development of resources for students, including web resources and Frequently Asked Questions, • To operate within the parameters of all University policies, including those on equality and diversity, health and safety, and IT use, • To attend relevant training and developmental activities to continually develop the knowledge and skills required in the post, • To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post and to support the effective operation of the Student Services Hub Working relationships Key partnerships include • Current and prospective students, • Student supporters e.g. families, • Staff involved in working with or supporting students, • Visitors to the University campus, • Student Hub Operations and Escalation Manager, • Student Advisers and Assistant Advisers, • Staff from all areas within Student, Academic & Corporate Services, • Colleagues in other service areas, including Information Service, Accommodation Services, Communications, Marketing and Recruitment, and Faculties Essential Criteria Qualifications • Educated to at least HNC level Customer Service: • A commitment to providing high quality, student focused services, • Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, • Previous experience in a customer service/customer facing role Communication Skills: • The ability to communicate effectively and to respond with understanding, diplomacy and sensitivity to student needs, • Ability to explain information and procedures clearly and articulately, using plain English through email, telephone and face to face enquiries, • An understanding of and respect for diversity, including the ability to engage with students from a wide range of cultures and with a range of support needs and disabilities, • Effective listening and questioning skills, • Ability to decipher information quickly and provide the appropriate response or refer in an appropriate manner to specialist colleagues, • Confidence in dealing with people who are upset or distressed, including skill in asking appropriate questions to elicit relevant information Accuracy and attention to detail: • Ability to work at a high level of attention to detail and accuracy, • Ability to manage a high volume of enquiries (face to face, phone and email/online), • Demonstrable experience of delivering work to a high standard IT skills: • Well-developed IT skills: experience of using standard desktop applications and capable of further developing IT skills to use specialised software applications as required Working as part of a team: • Excellent team working skills – ability to develop and maintain co-operative relationships, demonstrating a team spirit in working to continually enhance services Self-management: • Ability to work calmly under pressure in a busy environment whilst delivering high quality work standards, • Excellent organisational and time management skills, • Self-motivated, enthusiastic and able to work independently, • Confident and calm manner Desirable Criteria • Qualifications or previous training in customer experience, • Qualifications or previous training in effective listening, • Qualifications or previous training in mental health first aid or similar, • Previous experience in a help desk/advisory role, preferably in a Higher Education environment, • Previous experience of using customer service IT systems such as enquiry management and client/case management systems Additional Information Full time Open ended The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 11 March 2026. The University will pay a supplement per annum pro rata with effect from 01 November 2025, to align with the Real Living Wage (RLW) which equates to £25,178 p.a. This RLW supplement will be reviewed annually to take account of future increases and RLW rates. There is an expectation that work will be undertaken in the UK. This role is not eligible for sponsorship. Applicants require to have existing right to work in the UK. The University of Stirling recognises that a diverse workforce benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers and welcome applications from those who would contribute to further diversification of our staff and ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is woven into the substance of the role. We strongly encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds including gender, identity, race, age, class, and ethnicity. For a full description of duties and essential/desirable criteria please click the apply button, which will take you directly to the University Website.