Job Description

Directorate

: Student LifeaEUR

Salary:

Grade 4 - 24,215 - 26,707 (pro rata)

Contract Type:

Part Time (0.8FTE/ 28 hours per week), Open Ended

Rewards and Benefits:

28 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days per year after 5 years service, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff (Part time workers should pro rata this by their FTE). Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

About our Team

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The Residence Life Team is part of the Student Life Division responsible for the policies and procedures of services to staff and students throughout the student lifecycle. The Residence Life Team is integral to the provision of a professional and effective support to the 2000 Heriot-Watt University students living on campus.aEURThe Team works closely with Campus Services, SafeGuarding Services, Student Wellbeing Service and Accommodation Services to ensure effective systems and processes are in place to deliver a high-quality customer service experience.aEURaEUR

RoleaEURDescription

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The role of Residence Life Assistant is integral to the provision of professional and effective support to Heriot-Watt University students living on campus. The role holder will deal with a wide variety of issues as they arise and will often be the first point of contact for advice and support, responsible for processing maintenance requests, assisting in maintaining discipline and referring students to a wide range of other services. aEURaEUR


The Residence Life Assistant will work closely with Residence Life Manager, fellow Residence Life Assistants and Residence Life Wardens to ensure effective systems and processes for reporting maintenance issues and providing a supportive service for students. They will also work on a shift pattern, including evening, weekends and building closed days, and work closely with other services on campus.aEURaEURaEUR


The role is very active as it involves significant amount of walking, as the team is required to assist students in their residences across campus. The role subject to Disclosure Scotland check.aEUR

Hours of Work

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During term time, Residence Life Service operates from 09:00 to 23:00, and the team is operating in shifts. Residence Life Assistant shifts are 09:00 : 17:00 and 12:00 : 20:00, Monday to Sunday.aEURaEUR


During busy periods such as Fresher's week and end of term everyone is expected to work longer hours to assist and support the students on campus. During this time the Residence Life Service operates until 03:00.aEUR Residence Life Assistants are expected to patrol on regular basis so there is a fair bit of walking required at times.aEURaEURaEUR


The period from late August to mid-October is the busiest period for the Residence Life team and annual leave is not normally taken during this period.aEUR

Key Duties and Responsibilities

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To assist with student welfare on campusaEUR

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Being available and approachable to all students as first point of contact.aEUR
Communicate and Liaise with Wellbeing colleagues, Residence Life wardens, Accommodation Services, SafeGuarding Services and Estates staff to share appropriate information regarding maintenance, and welfare issues.aEUR Provide advice, support and guidance to students and signpost to relevant services.aEUR Play an active part in building strong and positive relationships with students, alongside other staff from the wider university in particular Hospitality Service, Wellbeing services, SafeGuarding services, Student Union and Sports UnionaEUR

To support students with enquiries and issues during their stay in the halls of residenceaEUR

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Contribute to aspects of residential lettings, including the arrival and departure processes; dealing with complaints; resolving maintenance issues relating to accommodation, and liaising with other services on campus as required.aEURaEUR Provide excellent customer service, and provide advice and information to students on campus, either in person, email, telephone, etcaEUR

To assist in dealing with student discipline on campus

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Help students to be aware of expected standards of behaviour living on campus, and the relevant rules and regulations.aEUR
Deal with incidents where rules and regulations have been broken (e.g. noise and behavioural problems), this includes taking disciplinary action and resolution of conflicts using mediation where appropriateaEUR

To work within a wider team of campus services

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Actively contribute to teamwork and teambuilding with colleagues across the campusaEURaEUR Build positive relationship with wider university community and perform shared responsibilities with shared responsibilities such as such as overnight patrol in Welcome Week and End of term nights.aEUR

To organise and support student engagement activities on campus.

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Lead, coordinate, promote and deliver a range of small to medium scale initiatives and events to promote student engagement and campus community within our Halls of ResidenceaEURaEUR Identify new initiatives and areas of improvement to Residential Life as a result of student feedback, survey results and benchmarking.aEUR Promoting student experience and community living using innovative methods, including social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Tik-tok, etcaEURaEUR Keeping aspects of the student life team's presence up to date e.g. website and noticeboardsaEUR

Other duties

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Participating in a rota to provide a responsible student presence on site every day until the end the appointment, as per the agreed rota.aEUR Participate in appropriate training for the role and contributing to team development.aEUR Provide administrative support in all aspects of the operation of the Residence Life office. To undertake the timely and accurate inputting of data into the computerised record systems, assisting with the preparation and presentation of regular reports and other statistical data as required.aEUR To complete regular documented health and safety inspections the residential estate to ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, including mid-term inspections.aEUR Assist the Residence Life Manager in running the Residence Life Hub.aEUR Provide extra cover as required.aEUR Any other relevant duties as requested by the Residence Life Manager and the Head of Student Service CentreaEURaEUR

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Essential aEUR


Experience of delivering high quality customer service. A good understanding of the diverse range of needs/issues of a multicultural community Proven ability to deal with difficult situations.aEUR Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly, and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment.aEURaEUR Proven ability to work flexibly and positively as part of a team.aEUR Proven ability to use Microsoft Office and other relevant IT systems, including data entry skills.aEURaEUR Attention to detail.aEURaEUR
Desirable aEUR


Experience of working within a similar environment, especially someone who has worked in higher education sector. aEUR
This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.aEUR

Competencies, Tasks and ResponsibilitiesaEUR

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Team Work aEUR


Participate in and contribute to the general support across the team.aEUR Support other colleagues within the immediate team when required.aEUR
Service ExcellenceaEUR aEUR


Create a positive image of the University by being responsive, prompt and courteous when responding to requests or enquiries from customers.aEURaEUR Deal with students who ask for service or require information.aEUR Produce simple standard reports as requested.aEUR Enter and maintain records and data into the appropriate university system.aEURaEUR Keep working area clean and tidy in line with appropriate H&S requirements.aEUR
Clear and Consistent CommunicationsaEUR aEUR


Maintain confidentiality at all times by following university policies and guidance in managing confidential information and personal data.aEUR Abide by ResLife's communication policy to effectively communicate and interact through verbal and non-verbal means. Comfortable in using telephone, radio and emails to receive and pass on data/information/messages. Training will be provided. Explain routine instructions, procedures, operating instructions, or information.aEUR Reply to simple requests for information, routing enquiries where information is standard/routine.aEUR Discuss routine work matters with supervisors.aEUR Disseminate news and information to relevant colleagues.aEUR
Planning and Organising aEUR


Carry out routine tasks from standard procedures.aEUR File, archive and destroy data in line with the University Data Protection & Retention PolicyaEUR Provide appropriate admin support for meetings and events. Support your team by adhering to the set deadlines and schedules.
Initiative and Problem Solving aEUR


Act as the first point of contact for queries from students by phone, email, system-generated and in-person.aEUR Follow set standard procedures and guidelines to solve local, day to day issues.aEUR Use experience and initiative to identify when to pass non-standard issues to line manager.aEUR
Decision Making aEUR


Provide routine advice and guidance, respond to queries, and refer more complex queries to more senior members of the team as appropriate.aEUR Follow set procedures and protocols referring any non-standard requests to line manager.aEUR Understand the appropriate tools to use when undertaking day to day tasks.aEURaEUR
Management Responsibilities aEUR


There are no management responsibilities within this position.aEURaEUR CitizenshipaEUR aEUR


Demonstrate the University Values at all times through performance and behaviour.aEURaEUR Participate in ad-hoc duties to support the team/University and for personal development.aEURaEUR Support newer or inexperienced colleagues within and outside the University by offering support, help and advice.aEURaEURaEUR Positively promote the University internally and externally through positive behaviour and supporting University-wide activitiesaEUR

About Heriot-Watt UniversityaEURaEURaEURaEUR

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages.aEURaEUR


With a history dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and practical, leading-edge research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for business and industry. We connect with industry at every level and develop programmes to match their needs : so employers get work-ready industry-fit graduates.aEURaEUR


Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.aEURaEUR


We have an established set of values that help us to nurture innovation and leadership, and show our commitment to continuous improvement and development in all our activities.aEUR


For full details on our University please view our Careers at Heriot-Watt http://www.hw.ac.uk/about/careers-at-heriot-watt.htm aEUR

How to Apply

PleaseaEURsubmit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV.


Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on

Tuesday 2nd September 2025.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.


Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.


Heriot-WattaEURUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.aEUR Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.


Heriot-WattaEURUniversity values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our websiteaEUR https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm aEURand also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science CareersaEUR https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ aEUR.


Use our total rewards calculator:aEUR https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm aEURto see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.