Job description

King s Foundations provides year-round and summer programmes to international students who aim to progress onto King s College London Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes. The Programmes Team operates within the Professional Services Team which includes the Student Experience, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and Business Support, working closely with teaching staff across the portfolio of programmes.

You will work as a member of the programme administration team in King s Foundations to ensure consistent management and delivery of taught provision through providing high quality administrative support. You will aim to deliver a high-quality customer experience to relevant stakeholders throughout the student lifecycle from pre-enrolment activities through to assessment and beyond, resolving complex day-to-day issues, responding in line with university Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). You will represent the Department externally and in wider university activities and committees, in support of the Faculty s interests and engaging with university functions.

The role is primarily based at Bush House on the King s Strand Campus though you may be required to travel to other campuses on occasion. King s College London operate a hybrid working programme with a minimum of 60% time spent on campus. Additionally, there are periods which will be difficult to take leave throughout the year although we have procedures that aim to allow staff to take leave on a fair basis.

The post is also involved in other activities such as supporting student communications, representation and feedback opportunities, as well as supporting our Welcome to King s activity and other engagement opportunities. The role holder will be part of team that seeks to continuously review and improve approaches and support mechanisms.

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract until October 2024

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• Work with relevant colleagues to plan programme cycles, considering the provision of processes throughout the academic year, identifying priorities, and demonstrating flexibility throughout the cycle, recognising when priorities change, amending plans and adjusting work patterns accordingly


• Coordinate programme administration processes relevant to teaching and assessment, in line with university deadlines and regulations, and School of Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) and external requirements


• Assist in the coordination of timetable and assessment-related activity. Support the team in trouble-shooting timetable issues and liaising with staff as appropriate. Assisting in the provision of online and in-person formative and summative assessments, marking and feedback, liaison with teaching staff and external examiners and preparation for all Assessment board meetings.


• Supervise the provision of student support with the Programme Officers, ensuring enquiries are responded to as appropriate within agreed timeframes, taking responsibility for responding directly to more complex enquiries.


• Engage with and triage students pastoral care needs, resolving straightforward issues where appropriate and informing key stakeholders were appropriate as per university frameworks. Receive, investigate and resolve low-level complaints and address service setbacks, exercising judgement and escalating to line manager where required.


• Ensure that quality assurance and accreditation requirements are met for all provision. To service committees as directed by your line manager.


• Take personal accountability for the data quality of student records, ensuring records are accurately maintained in accordance with the agreed retention schedules


• Develop and improve the service through eliciting and responding to service user feedback, identifying and suggesting service improvements and implementing new ways of working as directed


• Work flexibly as part of a team, supporting others in times of high-volume activity. Participating in and coordinating new starter inductions. Covering staff absence and deputising for the line manager as and when required


• Work with the wider university community to ensure up-to-date and consistent practices are followed when utilising systems (e.g., student records systems and virtual learning environments) to undertake both day-to-day functions and higher-level processes such as reporting and extracting data, ensuring accuracy of data and identifying and resolving issues


• Ensure all work is carried out in a professional and timely manner, with appropriate confidentiality and sensitivity. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the data protection requirements and to support Freedom of Information and subject access requests


• Carry out other reasonable responsibilities commensurate with the grading of the post as required


• To support the work of the Student Experience Team in student engagement events and activities.

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. Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to draft documents and correspondence autonomously to a broad range of audiences

2. Strong numeracy skills and ability to analyse complex numerical data (e.g., assessment marksheets)

3. Excellent time management and organisational skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines

4. Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

5. Data driven decision making approach, utilising appropriate information as required

6. Experience in the use of databases and student records systems (such as SITS) to provide management information data to a high level of detail and accuracy

7. Experience of stakeholder management, ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders in a professional and assured manner

8. Experience of working in a customer facing environment with a knowledge of how to address complaints and service setbacks in a professional and efficient manner, with a commitment to personal accountability and continuous improvement

9. Experience of managing and delivering a portfolio of taught provision, with a proactive, development focused and transparent approach

10. Have a methodical but flexible approach to work, maintaining a high level of accuracy, even when working under pressure.

11. Ability to work proactively, both independently and collaboratively as part of a team, to complete a range of competing priorities, and to request/utilise support as and when required

12. Commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace

Desirable criteria

1. Degree level or equivalent qualification or experience

2. Experience of using virtual learning environments

Further information

About King s

King s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world according to the 2016-17 QS international world rankings, is the fourth oldest university in England and is a research-led university based in the heart of London.

King s has over 29,600 students (including more than 11,700 postgraduates) from some 150 countries and over 8,000 employees. Our students are located in 9 faculties: www.kcl.ac.uk/faculties-departments

Our work is guided by our Strategic Vision (Vision 2029). It shows how King s will make the world a better place by focusing on five key strategic priorities: educate to inspire and improve; research to inform and innovate; serve to shape and transform; a civic university at the heart of London; an international community that serves the world.

King s provides world-class teaching and cutting-edge research; in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) King s was ranked 6th nationally in the power ranking, which takes into account both the quality and quantity of research activity, and 7th for quality according to Times Higher Education rankings. Eighty-four per cent of research at King s was deemed world-leading or internationally excellent (3* and 4*). The university is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of just over £738 million.

****About King s Centre for International Education and Languages

King s Centre for International Education and Languages a new, cross-cutting Centre designed to widen the educational reach of King s. It brings together three existing areas: King s Foundations, Summer Programmes, and King s Language Centre. This brings together international pathway provision, pre sessional programmes, pre-UG summer courses, UG summer modules, UG language modules, bespoke language programmes for the community and our partners and academic skills provision for all King s students.

Each of these areas are well established, respected and recognised within and beyond the King s community. The Centre is focused on enabling collaboration between the three departments to further advance our work in promoting educational excellence and supporting and enhancing the student experience. The Centre has significant expertise in International Education and makes a significant contribution to the rich and diverse make-up of the King s student body.

About King s Foundations

King s Foundations is a leading centre for EAP and pathway education across the HE sector, accredited by the British Council. As one of the largest providers of pathway education, we welcome over 2,500 students each year across our King s International Foundation Programmes and our range of Pre-sessional Programmes, with programmes offered online, on campus and in a blended way. We also offer a range of short courses with partners and support all King s students through contributing to a range of co-curricular academic skills and language development courses.

Our mission is to support a diverse group of learners to achieve their potential at King s, supporting students to become independent and inquisitive learners. King s Foundations is home to approximately 80 permanent staff, growing to around 150 during our busy summer months. We champion a forward-thinking approach to education and take a digitally enabled approach across all aspects of education. Over the last 6 years, the department has seen significant planned growth in support of King s Vision 2029, with annual income of over £20m.