Erasmus Coordinator

Essential Qualifications and Skills

Candidates must:

• Have the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to carry out the role to a high standard.

• Be capable and competent of fulfilling the role to a high standard.

• Have obtained at least Grade O6 (formerly D3) in five subjects in the Leaving Certificate Examination (Higher, Ordinary, Applied or Vocational Programmes) or equivalent, or have passed an examination at the appropriate level within the QQI qualifications framework which can be assessed as being comparable to Leaving Certificate standard or equivalent or higher, or have appropriate relevant experience which encompasses equivalent skills and expertise.

Desirable Qualifications and Skills

• Honours Bachelor's Degree (2.2) in any discipline.

• Previous experience in a similar role advising students on Study Abroad opportunities.

• Ability to work on own initiative, manage own workload and work within a team.

• Have a full, clean driving licence and access to a car, as well as a willingness to drive for work-related purposes when requested.

• Able to travel internationally to key markets up to four weeks per year, if required by ATU Global.

• Fluency in a European spoken language would be advantageous.

• Evidence of previous experience dealing with or advising international students, or promoting Study Abroad in a higher education setting.

• Previous experience of organising events for students.

• Strong project management skills.

• Excellent time management and budget management skills and demonstrate an ability to multitask effectively.

• Experience of information systems and database management.

• Proficient in social media marketing, for example content creation, vlogs and blogs, to support Study Abroad promotional campaigns.

• Ability to deal with highly confidential information in a very discreet manner.

• Supervisory skills in a small team environment.

Overview of the Role

ATU is a proud holder of the Erasmus+ Charter. Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

The successful applicant will develop, monitor and manage the university's portfolio of Erasmus+ student and staff mobility projects (for example, Key Action (KA) 131 and KA171), collaborate with ATU students and staff to promote and showcase Erasmus+ mobility, collaborate with Erasmus+ partner institutions including those from the EU GREEN alliance, and maintain a strong working relationship with the Irish National Agency for Erasmus+ at the HEA.

In particular, the postholder will be responsible for raising the profile of the Erasmus+ programme across the university and effectively supporting applications to a range of Key Actions to support the four faculties, in line with the emerging Global Engagement Strategy.

The successful applicant will report to the Head of the Partnerships Team (ATU Global) and be based on the Sligo campus. The role will require strong time, project and budget management and reporting skills.

Duties

• The appointee will work closely with colleagues across ATU Sligo's academic and professional services departments to ensure that the university meets and maintains its strategic targets in relation to Global Engagement and is in compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, as well as support and pastoral care guidelines such as those stipulated under TrustEd Ireland, working in close collaboration with colleagues from the ATU Global Student Experience Team.

• The appointee will work closely with colleagues from ATU Global at ATU Donegal and ATU Galway-Mayo to increase efficiencies regarding ATU's overall international activities, with particular reference to Erasmus Mobility initiatives linked to KA131 and KA171.

• The appointee will be responsible for overseeing ATU's commitments under the Erasmus Charter 2021-2027. Compliance with the Charter is essential to sustain all Erasmus+ funding which the university receives for supporting student and staff mobility.

• The appointee will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Erasmus Without Papers (EWP) initiative for ATU Global and the associated SOP Mobility Online system, which has become mandatory under the Erasmus Charter.

• Coordinating and generating reports in advance of Erasmus+ audit and monitoring visits, as executed by the Irish National Agency for Erasmus+ (HEA) on behalf of the European Commission.

• Assist in implementing contracts for international services, memoranda of understanding, inter-institutional agreements (IIAs) and agency agreements.

• Draft Inter-Institutional Agreements (IIAs), Learning Agreements, Teaching and Training Agreements, Grant Agreements and review relevant Expense Claim Forms.

• Utilise the Erasmus+ Mobility Tool/Beneficiary Module to record all information on project activities and complete and submit Progress Reports, Interim Reports and Final Reports in a timely fashion.

• Maintain meticulous records and budgets under the various cost centres overseen by the Partnerships Team, with particular reference to KA131, KA171 and the general ATU Global Office budget.

• Work closely with the Finance Office to ensure accurate financial reconciliations are completed each year, carefully monitoring and tracking all income and expenditure in relation to Erasmus+ funding.

• Maintain an accurate database of inbound and outbound students and ensure accurate reconciliation of ATU Global's financial records to ensure international student payment requests are correct and processed in a timely fashion.

• Promote student and staff mobility on campus to increase the number of ATU students engaging in Study Abroad programmes, including the Erasmus+ Programme and mobilities in other key non-EU territories.

• Liaise with counterparts at TUA, Education in Ireland, the HEA and Enterprise Ireland on matters relating to joint showcasing, student mobility and other relevant activities.

• Facilitate and support the compilation of interim and final annual activity reports on successful bids as required by the HEA, the European Commission and other bodies.

• Work closely with the Office Administration Team, the Student Services Team, Students' Union and Faculty Managers regarding the provision of services for international students, including pastoral care, induction and orientation, and a calendar of support and social events.

• Provide pre-departure and post-arrival advice and pastoral care support to international students.

• Administer applications from international students, including liaising with Heads of Department and others involved in the admissions process.

• Communicate application decisions promptly to applicants, agents and/or university/Erasmus partners.

• Track acceptances against allocated places in association with Heads of School and Departments.

• Engage with ATU's European University Alliance partners to support the flow of reciprocal mobilities by working closely with the dedicated ATU EU GREEN team.

• Provide other administrative support and organisational tasks as may be required from time to time by the Director of International Engagement (Partnerships Team) or another designated officer.

Duties Specific to the Role

• The appointee may be assigned to any of a very wide range of areas or activities carried out in the University, across any of its campuses.

• Appointees at this grade would have supervisory responsibility and would normally work under the direction of a higher grade or senior officer for a section of the University's activities. The section would normally have a moderate-sized staff of two or more levels. The jobholder would be responsible for most of the decisions taken within the section. The work of the section would be reasonably complex and broad in scope.

• Alternatively, the appointee may be assigned as a secretary, involving the provision of a range of supportive services, including typing and audio typing to a senior officer, committee, school or department, and involving access to and processing of significant confidential information.

• The role could also involve supporting staff in research, collection and collation of reasonably complex material and the preparation of reports and submissions.

• The job would involve regular contact with students, staff, the public and organisations and individuals at all levels, where discretion, tact and courtesy would have to be constantly exercised.

• The jobholder would be required to take decisions involving the conscious exercise of judgement.

• All jobs demand a good knowledge of and skill in the use of Information and Communication Technologies, and appointees will be expected to use new techniques and technologies as they arise. The University will provide the necessary training as appropriate.

• Following appointment, the appointee will be assigned to a particular location. Universities may operate a number of different locations in addition to the main campus. On assignment to the particular post, the University will provide a detailed list of duties and responsibilities applicable to the post.

Salary Scale

Grade V Salary Scale: €52,763 - €63,107

Candidates external to the sector may be appointed up to the 3rd point (€61,569) of the Salary Scale in accordance with University Policy.