WHAT’S THE JOB?

We’re looking for two enthusiastic individuals to join our Advice Hub on a permanent basis to help us deliver a supportive, timely, and valued service to our students.

The Advice Hub provides independent, to the University, support, guidance, and information to any Heriot-Watt Student who needs help with subjects ranging from Academic, Financial, Accommodation, CAMPUS, health & Wellbeing, and digital access to name a few.

Much of the role will see you being the first point of contact for our students: that could be face-to-face, email, or Teams enquiry.

Your role is to understand students' question(s) and, where possible, help them with an answer from your growing bank of knowledge. There is some keyboard/ computer work as all our cases are maintained on a compliant case management system so any of your authorised colleagues can pick up a case when needed.

 For the more complicated enquiries, you will do what you can to gather the necessary information and refer the case to your colleague who will then work with the student to attempt a positive resolution.  

While we don't necessarily require experience, it usually helps you stand out if you can talk about how you have helped others in the past, solved problems with your knowledge as well as demonstrating adaptability.

You will also play an active part in the team and wider Union supporting initiatives, events, and meetings during the academic year.

When engaging with our members, any Heriot-Watt student at a UK campus, it can be tough when hearing about their situation. So, empathy and professionalism should always be used. If able to, solutions to their concerns should be signposted.

The two jobs we are looking to fill are both part-time – 21 hours per week (we will try to work around your schedule, but you should expect hours to be split over three - four days). Due to the face-to-face nature of the role the positions will be based at our Edinburgh campus though there may be times when an alternative location (e.g. home) may work for specific tasks.

WHO ARE WE?

We are Heriot-Watt University Student Union. We’re based in Edinburgh and our main goal is to make sure that Heriot-Watt students have THE BEST TIME whilst studying here. We have our commercial outlets as well as Advice Hub, academic representation, societies and community, plus we work with Students to make their time at Heriot-Watt the best it can be.
 

WHAT WOULD THE AVERAGE day LOOK LIKE?

• You head into work for the first day of the week. Before you get started, you’ll organise and agree with your colleagues who will handle new enquiries from the emails received over the weekend, who will undertake face-to-face contact on reception as well as a run through of previously booked appointments.
   
• You're on reception and a student comes to the Advice Hub clutching a letter saying they have missed a deadline for submitting a piece of work and they want you to sort it. You calmly ask if they have looked at out help guides on our website and seeing they have a smartphone signpost them to the raft of information that will answer their question. You do of course offer the option to clarify anything they may not understand once they have looked at the information online. This helps you by creating time to help others as well as showing students our 24/7 digital resource.
   
• Your other First Contact colleague also works today, so it’s your turn to ensure the case management system is up to date, you pull of the data from the last week for reporting purposes before you head home after a fulfilling day helping students.

WHAT DO YOU GET?

The role attracts a salary of £20,500 pa (full time equivalent). You will be fully supported by the existing Union team, and you’ll be involved in helping to shape our services going forward.

You will also gain invaluable experience of assisting with making students' lives better.
 

IS THIS JOB FOR YOU?

If you answer yes to these questions, then click apply now!

• Do you have an interest in helping others?
• Are you keen to gain experience in an advice/ information sharing role?
• Are you full of compassion but able to maintain professionalism?
• Do you have basic computer skills?
• Can you cope with each day being slightly different?
• Do you want to help make the Advice Hub even better?
   

SO LET’S RECAP…

• 21 hours per week
• £ 20,500 FTE (£12,300 for 21 hours)
• Generous holiday (28 days FTE)
• Extra holiday when building closed, (a further 8/9 day’s FTE)
• Pension
• Life cover
• Staff Discount 25% including in our own grocery store.
• Support and training provided
• Working with great people
   

WANT YOUR APPLICATION TO STAND OUT?

Make sure you show off your skills by selling yourself well!

We’re looking forward to hearing from you, and hopefully welcoming you to our team!

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 Job Description