PGR Support Officer at The University of Sheffield

Overview

Our postgraduate research student community plays a central role in the research life of the University. PGR students undertake their own programme of research, supervised by an academic team, and also contribute to the wider research culture, output and impact of their group, academic discipline and department.

Postgraduate support officers work closely with PGR students, the academic PGR leadership and other key Professional Services colleagues. You will be based within the Faculty Doctoral School, with the Faculty Doctoral School Manager, Senior PGR Support Officer and additional PGR Support Officers. You will be the first point of contact for all aspects of the postgraduate research student life cycle, providing professional and knowledgeable support to both PGR students and academic staff who supervise PGR research programmes. You will ensure delivery of a range of processes and procedures and ensure that student feedback is heard and responded to.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Act as first point of contact for PGR students, working with the academic PGR supervisors, School PGR Leads, and the Faculty PGR Lead and their deputies.
• Maintain a regular overview of student progress and attendance data to ensure that students meet milestones on time, reporting data to the Faculty Doctoral School Manager.
• Support the PGR application process, working closely with central admissions and School PGR Leads to support the central initial assessment, directing relevant queries to academic supervisors, ensuring interviews are arranged and conducted, recording decisions, communicating with applicants, and supporting compliance with the Universityʼs PGR recruitment regulations and standards.
• Support pre- and post-registration activities for accepted PGR applicants as appropriate, working with School PGR Lead, including induction, registration and welcome events for new students.
• Make arrangements for a variety of progress milestones, such as organising venues and attendees for confirmation reviews or oral examinations, ensuring these are compliant with the Universityʼs regulations and standards.
• Advise on the application of the Universityʼs Code of Practice for PGR degrees and other procedures, including liaising with Professional Services.
• Support the administration of internal and external scholarship processes and applications for PGR studentships.
•  Update and maintain appropriate University, Faculty and School systems and databases, to provide an ongoing record of PGR and research activity.
• Support the administration of financial activities relating to the setup of funding forms and processing of RTSGs.
• Ensure student details are captured correctly and by the deadlines on external systems such as Je-S (which is used by UK Research & Innovation, UKRI).
• Ensure financial and progress reports are provided to UKRI funders via Je-S.
• Provide support to and represent the School/Faculty at relevant committees, meetings and events as appropriate.
• Contribute to the production of materials for PGR students including School online handbooks (as appropriate), programme materials and descriptions, ensuring that all materials are consistent with those provided by the Faculty and institution.
• Engage with local and University networks to ensure up-to-date knowledge of internal policy and procedures.
• Understand and be able to signpost to other support available to PGR students (e.g. international, well-being and mental health).
• Provide administrative support for Centres for Doctoral Training where required and agreed with the Doctoral School.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post and provide cover in other Schools as may be required.