The University of Notre Dame Australia Careers

Description

Director, Student Administration (Internal Only)
Sydney or Fremantle Campus
Full-time, Fixed term contract

• Rewarding opportunity
• Friendly and collaborative environment
• Competitive Salary + 14% superannuation

About the university

The University of Notre Dame Australia is a private Catholic University with over 1,000 permanent staff providing an exceptional educational experience to over 12,000 students across our Fremantle, Broome, and Sydney campuses, as well as clinical schools in Victoria and New South Wales.

About the office/school

Student Administration at the University of Notre Dame Australia provides expertise, service and operational support across a broad range of student administration, student service and key regulatory, policy and compliance functions that support the academic decisions of the Faculties, Schools and other relevant departments at the university.
 
About the role

The Director Student Administration reports to the Academic Registrar and provides leadership and oversight over all Student Administration functions including Enrolments, Timetabling, Examinations, international compliance matters, graduations, Student Systems, Student Fees, Policies, Appeals and Regulatory/Compliance matters.

Leading a service culture and a shared commitment to continuous improvement, the Director will ensure that all Student Administration functions and activities serve and support the University in driving student centric service standards.

Central to this function is the ability to create and maintain collaborative working relationships with institutional leadership, Faculty, Schools, and staff, by being responsive to internal stakeholder needs, to enhance the student experience, operational efficiency and contribute to strengthening the reputation of the university. Supporting University programs and policies as established by federal, state, administrative, and academic entities is also fundamental to this leadership position. In a coordinated national approach this role leads a diverse team across two campuses situated in WA and NSW.

Key Responsibilities

1. Functional Leadership

The National Director provides leadership and oversight over the four functional areas of the University Student Administration:

• Enrolments, Fees, Timetabling & Student progression
• Student Administration & Service, International compliance and academic matters linked to graduations
• Policies, Appeals and Regulations/Compliance oversight
• Student Systems

Enrolments, Timetabling, Fees and Student Progression

• Enrolment processes at UNDA are efficient and effective, including end-to-end administration, inquiry management and necessary liaison and collaboration with other teams involved in prospective student management to meet university objectives.
• Governance of enrolment administration including advanced standing applications, re-admissions and change of program matters.
• Efficient timetabling and examination logistics driven by a positive student centric approach and service culture to Faculties.
• Accurate and timely fee management and service to students in line with relevant regulations.
• Management of fee issues and advice to senior internal stakeholders.

Student Administration & Service, International compliance and academic matters linked to Graduations

• Oversee a broad range of efficient student administration services including student record management, assessment processing, attendance monitoring, withdrawal and other change of status matters.
• Maintain an integrated service delivery model that supports comprehensive and connected services, and information for students throughout their lifecycle, including knowledge management, frontline services, and communication.
• Develop and implement measures to monitor service requirements, including appropriate user feedback mechanisms, and take action to ensure delivery to the highest standards to meet relevant University Key Performance Indicators.

Policies, Appeals and Regulations/Compliance

• Ensure Academic Student Appeals are managed effectively and in line with sector best practice.
• Assist with relevant compliance responsibilities as per the functions of the Student Administration team (including under ESOS, HESF and HESA)
• Part of a broader university team which ensures that critical processes are sustained to meet academic quality, statutory and contractual requirements, and that the University’s academic regulatory framework is fit for purpose and compliant with external agency requirements.
• Ensure Student Administration Policies and Procedures are managed and updated in a timely manner and reviewed regularly based on regulatory updates, changes within the university and/or other drivers.
• Develop operational Risk Management and Business Continuity plans for Student Administration to minimise the possibility of disruption to university business activities and to ensure efficient and appropriate communications structures are in place in the event of any disruption.

Student Systems

• In collaboration with IT, drive the development and implementation of processes, using contemporary systems to enhance service delivery and efficiency and provide service excellence to all users, staff and students.

2. Strategic Management, Leadership & Engagement

• Responsible for the leadership and management of the Student Administration team, including direct staff management, team building and developing a culture and infrastructure that facilitates a culture of service, process improvement and problem-solving, to meet university objectives, including delivery of a high level of student experience.
• Lead a dynamic approach to improvement and change, identify and implement ongoing enhancements to the services and functions of Student Administration that shift culture, place the student experience at the centre, and provide efficiencies and cost effectiveness. This will be supported by adherence to a service charter and resultant turnaround times for services.
• Work with Faculties, Schools and all Offices and Departments across the University to maximise cross-collaboration, shaping student requirements and deliverables to agreed plans.
• Participate and represent the university by attending internal and external events and committees and performing delegated duties as requested.
• Promote and engender an environment at the University, its Campuses and among the University Community, which is based on the University Objects, the Catholic Intellectual tradition and animated by mutual respect and pursuit of the common good.

3. Staff Development & Management

• Mentor and develop the Student Administration team enabling them to achieve university objectives in an environment with a strong internal and external customer focus.
• Provide effective, consistent and regular performance feedback and address performance issues in a timely manner to maximise individual and team outcomes.
• Ensure team members have access to approved and appropriate training and development opportunities to build their skills and capability.
• Work with the Academic Registrar to manage any performance and conduct matters.

4. Operational & Financial Management

• Provide leadership and manage the operations and activities of Student Administration including responsibility for reporting, financial, human resources and audit requirements.
• Oversee the Student Administration budgets and forecasts.
• Monitor and evaluate business processes, systems and procedures to identify best practice.
• Establish and maintain relevant controls and feedback systems to monitor the operation of the business unit and ensuring all reporting requirements are accurate and delivered on-time.

Additional requirements

• Provide proactive and reactive briefings to the Academic Registrar and other senior leaders on sector/regulatory developments that pertain to Student Administration in a timely way to further university objectives.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as deemed appropriate with the scale and scope of the role.
• Comply with all other reasonable training and duties as identified by the line manager (or delegate).
• Comply with University policies and procedures in all aspects of their work and conduct.

Qualifications, skills & experience

• Relevant Tertiary qualifications, ideally postgraduate qualifications.
• Experienced practitioner with significant background in student administration, enrolment management or similar areas(s) of educational quality and/or administration.
• Strong experience coupled with a strategic understanding and knowledge of National Higher Education and institutional issues relating to educational quality and administration.
• Extensive experience of working within a regulatory framework including demonstrated ability to operationalise knowledge effectively.
• In depth working knowledge and understanding of the strategic priorities of Student Administration, including student enrolment, fees, policy development/maintenance, regulations, academic timetabling and academic processes leading to graduation.
• Experience in driving service standards for internal and external clients preferably within a Higher Education environment to ultimately enhance the student experience.
• Demonstrated experience in building collaborative relationships across diverse functions to deliver university objectives, within set timeframes, responsive to stakeholder needs.
• Experience in and knowledge of contemporary complex student management systems including the ability to clearly communicate complex student management issues in related for a.
• Capable of effectively managing multiple projects and functioning productively as a member of a multidisciplinary team, using data and communication and influencing skills to build support.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, in relation to all levels of University staff, engagement with high-level committees, external representatives, stakeholders and bodies.
• Staff leadership including performance review of direct reports, team building and team recruitment as well as effective technical leadership of the Student Administration team to collaborate to achieve successful outcomes.
• Experience of leading and managing directly or indirectly large teams of people.

Benefits

• Fast paced environment with opportunity for professional growth
• Generous training and development opportunities
• Friendly and collaborative environment

How to apply

Please apply online with a resume and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

Applications closing date: 05 October 2024

For further information on how to apply, please visit: How to apply | Notre Dame

Applicants are expected to have current and valid work rights in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.      

The University of Notre Dame Australia seeks to increase the diversity of our workforce to better meet the different needs of the University and its stakeholders and to improve equal opportunity outcomes for our staff.

Contact us

Please direct your queries regarding this role to Janette Tam, [email protected]

Unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies will not be entertained.