Student Engagement and Retention Officer (1723)
Student Engagement and Retention Officer
Full Time - Permanent - High Wycombe
Salary - £25,733 - £28,381
Buckinghamshire New University is an ambitious, modern university that is always open to fresh ideas and thinking. We believe in the transformative power of education, and in doing the right thing by our students, people and local community. That’s why our BNU community is a special place to work and study, and where people who want to make a difference can contribute and succeed.
Our University’s DRIVE values and are at the heart of all that we do. We are united in being dynamic, responsible, inclusive, visionary and empowering to ensure that we provide the best experience to our learners and offer excellent service to our partners and to each other as colleagues. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that you require.
Retention and Engagement Officers play a key role in supporting the University’s ambitious targets relating to student retention ensuring all students are supported to complete their studies. The Student Engagement and Retention Officer will use casework to support learners at risk of withdrawing from their studies. This involves a range of activities such as, calling students, signposting to student services, working with Course Leaders and academic tutors, and liaising with support services.
What we offer:
- a generous holiday entitlement (30 days per annum, plus bank holidays & closure days)
- Hybrid working (dependant on business needs)
- training & development support opportunities
- contributory pension scheme
- discounted gym membership for our on-site gym
- a range of staff discounts with major retailers.
Please click here to see our wide range of benefits available for employees.
Please click here for our behavioural based interview question bank.
Please click here to view our employee handbook.
If you have the qualities and attributes representative of the University’s values and ambition, we would be delighted to hear from you.
For further information about this role please contact Megan Hunn at Megan.Hunn@bucks.ac.uk.
All applications are to be made in full and online.
BNU is proud to have a diverse community and a strong track record of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our aim is to continue to build an environment where everyone thrives and can be themselves. We therefore ensure that our interview/shortlisting Chairs complete the relevant e-learning and/or inclusive recruitment training.
We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in BNU’S workforce. These include people from global majority backgrounds, disabled people, and LGBTQI+ people, particularly in more senior roles.
Closing Date: 17 March 2025
Interview Date: W/C 31 March 2025
If you are successful in securing an interview for the role, you will be required to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK.
BNU is a Disability Confident employer and as such you will be given the opportunity to declare a disability as part of the application process. The University is also committed to achieving the Race Equality Charter.
Job Description
JOB DESCRIPTION
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Job Title: Student Engagement and Retention Officer (Case Work)
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Faculty/Directorate: Learning Enhancement and Academic Practice (LEAP)
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Grade: D |
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Location: High Wycombe (will be required to cover all campuses)
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Hours: 37 hours (full-time) |
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Responsible to: Student Engagement & Retention Lead
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Responsible for: N/A
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Job Purpose: Retention and Engagement Officers play a key role in supporting the University’s ambitious targets relating to student retention ensuring all students are supported to complete their studies. The Student Engagement and Retention Officer will use casework to support learners at risk of withdrawing from their studies. This involves a range of activities such as, calling students, signposting to student services, working with Course Leaders and academic tutors, and liaising with support services.
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Main Duties & Responsibilities of the role:
- Support the provision of an effective personalised and individual student retention & engagement service to students.
- Identify potential barriers to engagement and signpost to appropriate support and develop strategies to address them.
- To utilise the full range of University systems (e.g. timetabling, Civitas, MIS, CMS, the VLE and the attendance monitoring system) to source student engagement related information.
- Work closely with academic personal tutors in the Schools, the Registry Team and Other departments in the Directorate for Student Success to ensure a seamless and coordinated integration of support.
- Maintain appropriate records of actions and interventions to support timely and accurate reporting of the student engagement and retention team’s performance against key performance indicators.
- Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the work of the Student Engagement and Retention team.
- Contribute to awareness raising of the work of the Student Engagement and Retention team.
- To engage with students when they do not engage and/or attend, explain regulations to students and support them through university support processes (e.g. fitness to study, mitigating circumstances).
- Comply with relevant legislative and other requirements (e.g., the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR; Health and Safety; UKVI; and Equality and Diversity) in all working practices
- Such other duties temporarily or on a continuing basis, as may reasonably be required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
A = Application T = Test I = Interview
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Education, Qualifications & Training |
Means of Testing |
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Good general education to GCSE ‘A’ Level/ other |
A |
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Evidence of sector awareness |
A/I |
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Knowledge & Experience |
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Delivering an excellent customer experience |
A/I |
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Dynamic and motivated |
A/I |
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Inclusive, team-working approach |
A/I |
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Experience of working as part of a high performing team |
A/I |
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Skills |
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Digitally able and proficient in Microsoft tools |
A/I |
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Good presentation skills and excellent spoken and written English |
A/I |
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Demonstrate good communication styles to develop successful working relationships with staff and students across the University |
A/I |
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Flexible approach to work and commitment to providing a professional service |
A/I |
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Work accurately with numerical data |
A/I |
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ability to work cooperatively in teams, task groups and meetings, sharing your knowledge and ideas with others |
A/I |
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Work effectively with relevant technologies and a variety of electronic resources |
A/I |
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Show a high level of initiative and the ability to work independently within the remit of the role |
A/I |
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Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload and work effectively under pressure, to required deadlines |
A/I |
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Special Requirements |
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Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development |
A/I |
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A willingness and ability to work across all campuses (including High Wycombe, Uxbridge, Aylesbury) and in off-site locations at the University’s partner institutions |
A/I |
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Occasional working on Saturday Open Days and Saturday Applicant Visits Days by prior arrangement |
A/I |
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Occasional evening working by prior arrangement |
A/I |
BBF (Top 3 key behavioural categories most applicable to the role)
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Delivering excellent service Making every contact count by providing the best quality service to all our customers. |
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Finding Solutions Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and develop workable solutions
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Engaging with the wider context Enhancing your contribution to the University through an understanding of organisational values, its students, customers and stakeholders |
