Student Services Officer - Manchester, United Kingdom - Malvern International Plc

Description

Summer opportunity - June - August (with 1 position potentially becoming permanent)

The principal focus is to assist with the student experience, working as part of the Student Support Team to deliver efficient daily operations in the school and complete student services procedures to ensure the success of the school.

The SSO ensures a welcoming and supportive environment for all students in all aspects of their stay.


MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To oversee the student experience and to work across departments to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment for all our students in all aspects of their stay.
• To ensure delivery of highquality nonacademic services (including reception, welfare, social programme and study centre) for students to gain a high level of satisfaction.
• To be the first point of contact at reception for students, agents and visitors to the school with enquiries of all types.
• To deal sensitively and effectively with student queries, problems and complaints, and manage the effective resolution of all complaints.
• To provide students with clear information in the centre on all aspects of their stay.
• To ensure that the centre, facilities and information points are well maintained, clean and safe.
• To assist with study centre and student enrolments, as required

SALES AND STUDENT PROCEDURES

• Answer all student enquiries, administration requests and complaints in a helpful and friendly manner, following company procedures and referring students on to others if necessary.
• Ensure that all student data is correctly entered and updated on the student database and run reports as required.
• Providing current students with clear information on our courses and encouraging them to increase the number of hours of study and/or extend their course.
• Take payments from direct students already in the UK and ensure that company credit control procedures are adhered to.
• Assist with student enrolments via agents, as required
• Open the school (as requested, on a rota basis), ensuring that reception areas are prepared for the start of the school day.
• Provide reception support for the school's evening activities, including external room hires, on a rota basis
• Provide a high level of welfare support for all students with extra support and vigilance for under18 students, in accordance with company policies.
• Increase student participation on the social and seminar programme through formal and informal promotion.

ACCOMMODATION

• Recruit new host families;
• Visit and inspect potential hosts;
• Make accommodation bookings allocate students to accommodation considering British Council criteria, UK legislation, customer preference and the commercial requirements of the company;
• Ensure all documentation for homestay providers, and their Safeguarding, Prevent and Welfare training, is kept up to date;
• Deal effectively and methodically with students, agents and parents regarding any issues related to accommodation;
• Research potential residences and develop relationships with them for students who prefer student accommodation;
• Liaise with the finance team to arrange homestay payments;
• Deal sensitively with issues, complaints, etc, as they arise; work closely with the safeguarding team as required;
• Take responsibility for checking the safety and security of homestays and residential accommodation;
• Plan in advance, taking particular notice of the busy summer season.

GENERAL PROCEDURES

• Keep abreast of policy changes and improvements and regularly update staff manuals, student handbooks and information sheets.
• Ensure that the reception area is a welcoming and functional area for all visitors.
• Carry out general reception duties effectively, including answering phones, keeping the area tidy and attending to visitors.
• Assist colleagues in ensuring that the building and facilities are well presented, well maintained and in line with health and safety requirements.

Assume responsibility for the emergency phone on occasional weekends on a rota basis, assisting students, immigration authorities, accommodation and transfer providers as necessary.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

• Excellent customer service skills, with a friendly, helpful and efficient manner and ability to remain calm in busy times
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in spoken and written English, to nativespeaker level
• An understanding of and genuine interest in the International Education sector, especially EFL, including understanding of our courses and provision.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team, with enthusiasm for new opportunities
• Must be well organised and able to coordinate, with good administration, IT skills and attention to detail
• Polite, clear and helpful telephone manner

Must maintain a professional demeanour as a representative of Malvern House at all times


DESIRABLE COMPETENCIES

• Additional language skills to reflect the native lang