Administrative Officer II

The Role

Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued.

The Examinations & Assessment Office requires an experienced administrator to play a key role in managing the various tasks in a very busy office and ensuring internal deadlines are met. The role is diverse and challenging and involves operational, IT/systems and team management responsibilities.

Reporting to the Examinations Officer, the person appointed will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Examinations & Assessment Office, and will work collegially to deliver and enhance the services provided by the Examinations & Assessment Office. The person must be discreet, trustworthy and capable of dealing with confidential material. This will be an exciting but challenging position in a busy office and the candidate must be able to demonstrate an ability to work accurately under pressure and on their own initiative.

Principal Duties

Administrative and other duties: This will include:

• The day-to-day management of the operations of the Examinations & Assessment Office, guiding and supporting the team in the delivery of assessment-related service

• Liaising daily with the Examinations Officer in relation to ongoing office tasks

• Provision of an efficient service, tracking and managing a variety of tasks to exacting deadlines

• Managing the creation and maintenance of detailed SOPs, outlining the office tasks

• Working collaboratively with the team to ensure the smooth set up and running of exams for students and staff, including but not limited to:

  • Supporting the creation and production of the examination timetables three times a year

  • Oversight of exam paper distribution and production of exam-related stationery and documentation, e.g., seating lists, mark sheets, etc.

  • Overseeing the processes that provide exam accommodations for students who need extra provision – on the advice of the Disability Office

  • Support to the invigilation management process

  • Communication of exam-related information to units across the University

• Ensuring the development, maintenance and timely update of spreadsheets and records necessary for the effective functioning of the office

• Ensuring the accurate and timely preparation of information required for the University’s exam boards, including examination broadsheets in accordance with the University’s Marks and Standards

• Management of the processes around release of official exam results to students and tracking and resolution of changes and issues arising

• Supporting the development of changes to systems, processes and procedures which enhance service delivery to students and staff, and documentation of same

• Occasional deputising for the Examinations Officer at University Examination Board meetings and other meetings as required

• Any other duties or projects in the Examinations & Assessment Office as allocated by the Examinations Officer

Note: Applicants should note that at certain critical periods, there may be a requirement to work outside normal office hours (occasionally at short notice) including weekends in order to meet specific deadlines. It will not be possible to take significant amounts of annual leave at certain critical periods for this post.

The ideal candidate will have:

Essential

• A primary degree or equivalent professional experience (i.e., a minimum of four years administrative experience, ideally in a higher education context)

• A very high level of administrative and organisational skills, including evidence of managing complex and competing tasks efficiently

• An ability to lead, delegate and support others to ensure the delivery of both operational tasks and ongoing projects to conclusion

• Professional discretion, and an ability to communicate effectively, in person and in writing

• A collegial approach, and proven team management experience, ideally in an operational role

• A proven excellent level of attention to detail – and a high level of accuracy – in both written and numerical work

• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build successful collaborative relationships within the office, the wider Registry team and across the University

• Experience in documenting procedures and processes

• Efficient task management skills, and an ability to work effectively to exacting deadlines

• An agile, flexible approach to work and handling a variety of tasks with an ability to adapt and respond appropriately to changing circumstances or events

• Excellent and proven IT skills and experience in using systems – e.g., dedicated software, websites, etc. – to deliver services and provide information

• An aptitude for handling large volumes of data, and an ability to carry out data verification and analysis

Desirable

• An understanding of examinations and associated processes, the life-cycle of the student

• Knowledge of student information systems

• Familiarity with reporting tools

• Knowledge of University policies and regulations

Salary

Administrative Officer II €46,418 – €65,806 p.a. (9 points) Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions.

Hours of work

A 35-hour working week is in operation in respect of full-time positions (prorated for part-time positions). This can be reviewed or adjusted from time to time through national agreements.