Student Support Assistant

Aberystwyth University; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious educational institution in the United Kingdom seeks a Student Support Assistant to provide vital assistance to students regarding financial and visa support. You will liaise with students and colleagues to ensure the delivery of expert advice, administer the Student Hardship fund, and compile essential data for reporting. A strong ability to communicate clearly and a commitment to inclusivity are essential. This role offers a collaborative environment to enhance student support in accordance with the university's strategic goals.

Benefits

Flexible working policy

Generous leave entitlements

Commitment to Professional Development

Staff discounts for gym facilities

Opportunity to learn Welsh for free

Qualifications

• Ability to work in a busy environment with minimum supervision.
• Experience using student financial support systems.
• Sensitivity to the needs of diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist Student Funding and Visa information to stakeholders.
• Administer the Student Hardship fund efficiently.
• Compile data for internal reporting while ensuring data protection.

Skills

Organisational skills

Excellent IT skills

Communication skills in English

Interpersonal skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Education to A level standard or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

The Role

The Student Support Assistant will play a key role in supporting Aberystwyth University students to achieve their academic potential. They will work as part of a multidisciplinary ‘Student Support and Community Life’ service, providing expert administration and assistance to students in relation to a range of issues, but predominantly relating to Money and Finance and Visa support throughout the applicant and student journey.

This will include liaison directly with students and with relevant colleagues across the University community to ensure that services for students are accessible and delivered effectively. The postholder will assist with the effective administration of the Student Hardship fund. They will also assist as required with the coordination of the University’s Behavioural Intervention Team meetings and Support to Study process, ensuring that actions are documented with key tasks being tracked and managed.

The post holder will be an accessible point of contact for a range of stakeholders on all Student Funding and/or Visa‑related matters, providing specialist information via various media including telephone, email, webforms and face‑to‑face. In addition to this, they will undertake a range of administrative tasks relating to scholarships, bursaries, and hardship funds, including collating, and recording data, processing applications, checking evidence, and determining eligibility. Where appropriate they will signpost students to other internal and external sources of financial and welfare support.

The postholder will be an effective administrator, ideally with some experience in the field of student support or wellbeing. They will work closely with the Head of Service and advisers/caseworkers to contribute to the development of a newly formed ‘Student Support and Community Life’ service ensuring that it aligns with the University’s 2030s Strategic Plan and meets the needs of our diverse and engaged student community.

The postholder will play a key role in supporting with the integration of Student systems and assisting in the development of data reporting to enable the continual improvement of the service.

What you’ll do

This job description is subject to review and amendment in the light of the changing needs of the University, to provide appropriate development opportunities and/or the addition of any other reasonable duties.

• Deliver specialist Student Funding and Visa information to a range of stakeholders, including current and prospective students and their sponsors, and departments and services across the university.
• Administer and manage the various contact methods used by students and other stakeholders, ensuring these are prioritised and effectively processed and allocated every day.
• Working closely with Student Support caseworkers to ensure that students prioritised for appointments are contacted and enabled to access support on their terms, be that online, by telephone or in person on campus.
• Ensure the effective administration of the Student Hardship and any other funding resources as is appropriate.
• Support the work of the University’s Behavioural Intervention Team (BIT) by attending and administering meetings and following up on agreed actions.
• Provide flexible administrative support across the wider team as required, responding to emerging priorities and urgent requests.
  • Extract and compile data from internal systems (e.g. Report and Support) to support Freedom of Information requests or internal reporting needs, within the boundaries of data protection and role scope.
• Communicate with students and staff in line with departmental processes and external requirements. Ensure that communications are compliant with the requirements of the Welsh Language standards.
• Support the administration and coordination of training activity, ensuring effective communication to staff attending throughout and effective organising of systems, room booking etc.
• Carry out other administrative tasks as required.
• Support staff in establishing systems and processes that improve the student and practitioner experience.
• Carry out work accurately and efficiently whilst using Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and Word as well as using routinely student facing systems such as the Departmental Case Management system, Target Connect and Report and Support.
• Operate as part of a rota to provide frontline, Student‑Facing support in the Student Welcome Centre.
• Work in accordance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements and AU Confidentiality and Data Protection policies.
• Undertake other duties as assigned by your line manager, commensurate with the role’s grade.
• Be a flexible member of the team, supporting colleagues at peak times of workload and pressure including attendance at university events e.g. open days, graduation which may include weekend work.
• Promote equality of opportunity and support and uphold the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of your work.
• Support the university strategy and underpinning plans, engage in continuous personal and professional development in line with the demands of the role, including undertaking relevant training and development activities to develop yourself and support the development of others.
• Fulfil health and safety responsibilities appropriate to the role, while actively promoting the personal health, safety, and wellbeing of staff and students as a member of the Aberystwyth community. Additionally, support the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability through responsible practices and engagement.

The above does not represent an exhaustive list of duties associated with this role.

Who you are – Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills required

Essential

1. Education to A level standard or equivalent experience.
2. The ability to work in a busy environment with minimum supervision and as part of a team to provide flexible support to colleagues.
3. Strong organisational skills – ability to prioritise work and respond to conflicting demands.
4. Excellent IT skills and experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and Word to a high standard.
5. Knowledge and understanding of student financial support systems including hardship, scholarships and bursaries, the UK benefits system.
6. Excellent communication skills in English: particularly active listening and an ability to express yourself clearly on the telephone, face‑to‑face; and to write clearly and concisely for various audiences.
7. Excellent interpersonal skills: an ability to build good working relationships and sensitivity to the needs of people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
8. Ability to stay calm under pressure and have a positive ‘can‑do’ attitude.
9. Strong administrative skills with high standards of accuracy and attention to detail.
10. Oral (spoken) and written Welsh Level A1 or evidence to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to learn Welsh to this level.

Desirable

1. Knowledge of current student issues either through experience of working or studying at a university, or Higher Education Institution.
2. Experience of delivering support, preferably in a Higher Education setting.
3. Experience of web design.
4. Oral (spoken) and written Welsh Level B2.

More information on Welsh Language Levels can be found at: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/hr/policy-and-procedure/welsh-standards/

How to apply

To promote a flexible workforce, the University will consider applications from individuals seeking full time, part time, job‑share, or term‑time only working arrangements.

Applications for this role must be made through jobs.aber.ac.uk. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.

Benefits

• Flexible working policy.
• 36.5‑hour week for full‑time roles.
• Generous leave entitlements – 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays and university closed days.
• Commitment to Professional Development.
• Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension schemes.
• Staff recognition and reward schemes.
• Opportunity to learn the Welsh language for free.
• Staff relocation bursary.
• Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Adoption Leave.
• Staff discount for gym facilities, hospitality, and retail on campus.

Please keep reading

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities and those that are currently under‑represented in our workforce. This includes but is not limited to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities, and female candidates.

We are a Bilingual Institution which complies with the Welsh Language Standards and is committed to Equal Opportunities. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.

Employment Visa

Under the UK Government’s points‑based system scheme, this role does not meet the criteria to be sponsored by Aberystwyth University (AU) for a Skilled Worker Route (SWR) application.

For more information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa