Job Description

About Us  

The King’s community is dedicated to the service of society. King’s Strategic Vision 2029 sets out our vision for the future, shaped around five priority areas: educate to inspire and improve; research to inform and innovate; serve to shape and transform; a civic university at the heart of London; and an international community that services the world. Our ambitious Education Strategy sets out the actions that we must take to transform how we teach, how and where our students learn and how we support them during their time with us. 

Student Conduct & Appeals handles a large number of student-related academic appeals, misconduct cases, support for study, fitness to practise referrals and complaints per year, and is also responsible for responding to complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (‘OIA’), as well as managing student-related litigation. We sit within the Student Services division which includes Counselling & Mental Health, Disability Support & Inclusion and Advice Welfare and Wellbeing. 

We are part of the wider Students & Education Directorate, a collection of wide-ranging professional services in place to support King’s students and their education. As a directorate we manage the student lifecycle from application to graduation and beyond, to ensure a coherent and seamless student experience and effective administrative processes, working closely with King’s faculties to do so. 

About the Role

The Student Conduct & Appeals Manager is responsible for the management of a case load of referrals made to the Student Conduct and Appeals ranging from academic appeals, complaints and misconduct to fitness to practise and support for study processes. They are primarily responsible for investigating and bringing to resolution cases that have been referred to Student Conduct & Appeals as well as clerking the various committees which are involved in the processes dealt with by the team. This role will specifically focus on the Support for Study process providing advice and support at Support for Study meetings and case conferences as well as providing advice and support and case management of complex cases involving students where there are multiple teams involved in supporting students. 

This is an exciting opportunity for candidates looking to work in a team that deals with a range of issues from academic to non-academic matters and who wish to utilise their skills and expertise in managing complex cases. This is an opportunity to grow your skills in dealing with complex university processes which support students through their studies. 

We encourage applications from candidates who have experience from both within and outside of the Higher Education sector where they can demonstrate the skills needed to succeed in this role. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time post, but we welcome applications from candidates seeking a flexible work pattern within our necessary service operating hours.

Key responsibilities

• Leading on the investigation and case management of student matters, including liaising with other teams within King’s who may be supporting students, reviewing documentation, identifying relevant merits, providing a case overview and applying the relevant policies, procedures and regulations to drafting detailed responses and outcomes.-

  Clerking Committees, including coordinating panel membership, preparation of documentation, providing advice and guidance in accordance with relevant regulations, and communicating outcomes.

• To monitor the proper recording and processing of information within cases and in accordance with information compliance legislation and policies.

• Provision of incisive written and oral briefings on cases for the Principal, the relevant Vice Principal, the Director of Students and Education, the College’s solicitors and other key senior College individuals as needed.

• Proactively develop and deliver effective staff training and briefings on Support for Study processes, conveying key points clearly and succinctly.

• Develop networks within the College, working with key professional services and academic staff both within King’s and externally.

• Responsible for the investigation of cases (where appropriate), seeking appropriate information; managing and advising on the decision making processes in accordance with the College’s procedures and regulations.  Providing salient information at case review meetings and case conferences to enable correct decisions to be made being aware of legal, reputational and financial risk to the College.

• Responsible for proactively managing case load working to high service standards and protocols: prioritising own work load and taking account of competing and shifting demands.

• Provision of expert advice to the College and individuals on all aspects of the student conduct and appeals framework and mechanisms and in particular Support for Study.

• Ability to engage in collaborative working across King’s professional services, other Faculties, academic and student communities, with a meaningful and visible commitment to Diversity & Inclusion policies and practices with a focus on case management.

• Ensure students are advised appropriately with regard to student misconduct, complaints and appeal issues, in particular Support for Study, as well as the related support services available.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

 

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria

1. Relevant work experience and/or education: We think a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. Relevant work experience might include work in support and case management, dispute resolution or student services. Relevant educational experiences might include higher education in a related discipline, professional qualifications or other training 

2. Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate complex information into easily understood language for the given audience, in both written and oral mediums. 

3. Ability to manage the workload of yourself and your team in a fast-changing environment, meeting challenging deadlines while ensuring service standards. 

4. Ability to establish and proactively build professional working relationships with external and internal stakeholders. 

5. Ability to analyse and interpret data or detailed information to support decision making to support students and the resolution of complex problems for which an immediate solution may not be clear. 

6. Identify operation areas for development, propose and implement solutions, in co-ordination with others. 

7. Sound knowledge of regulatory issues in relation to student misconduct, appeals and complaints within higher education, providing advice or training in relation to such matters. 

8. Sound knowledge of the sensitive nature of personal data, and the importance of compliance with Data Protection Legislation (by both yourself and your team) 

9. Sound knowledge of support services available to student, safeguarding, assessing risk and duty of care. An understanding of when to escalate cases, and respond with diplomacy and sensitivity. 

Desirable criteria 

1. Training or experience in any of the following areas may be beneficial: mediation and dispute resolution; welfare or mental health; diversity and inclusion and; legal or quasi-legal matters. 

Further Information

Your application should clearly set out how you meet the essential criteria as this is how we shortlist applications. Learn more about how we recruit, including tips on writing your application and supporting statement on our website: https://jobs.kcl.ac.uk/gb/en/applying     

Interviews will be held using Microsoft Teams and will consist of competency-based questions linked closely to the essential and desirable criteria mentioned here. 

Although we have made improvements over the last number of years, our team is still under-represented in terms of staff from global majority ethnicities, LGBTQ+ identities, and from people with disabilities. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. 

Interviews are scheduled to take place on 19 October 2023.