Description ABOUT THE ROLE Ask4Help is Northumbria University’s professional, sector-leading frontline service, which provides our students with information, guidance, advice and support throughout their time with us. We operate a 24/7 service across multiple locations and channels of contact: in-person at our City and Coach Lane campuses; by phone using specialist contact-centre technology, and online via the University’s Student Portal. Our staff are skilled at working across all of these channels, and are committed to delivering a high-quality service under the ethos of ‘Every Student Counts’. As an Ask4Help assistant, you will deal with inbound contact from students and other service-users, and work within agreed parameters to provide resolutions to enquiries and requests. You will receive training to enable you to assist students with a wide range of topics, including: study skills and library usage; careers and employment; welfare and finance; academic progression; and access to wellbeing services like our Mental Health and Accessibility and Inclusion teams. Working across these different areas provides an excellent opportunity to develop an in-depth working knowledge of Higher Education and create strong relations with teams throughout the University. Further information is available in the job description. Please note that this role involves shift-work, and you will be required to work at our City and Coach Lane Campuses, work on some Bank Holidays, and wear a telephone headset. We are currently recruiting to fill the following shift patterns: Vacancy 1 (26.2 hours per week) – Tuesday, 16:00-midnight; Wednesday, 16:00-midnight; Saturday, 16:00-midnight; Sunday, 13:00-17:00 Vacancy 2 (26.2 hours per week) - Thursday, 16:00-midnight; Friday, 16:00-midnight; Saturday, 16:00-midnight; Sunday, 11:00-15:00 ABOUT THE TEAM Ask4Help is part of the Student Engagement Team, which in turn is part of the Student, Library and Academic Services department within Northumbria University. We are a friendly, dynamic and inclusive team, with a strong commitment to providing students and stakeholders with the highest levels of customer service and satisfaction. We hold Customer Service Excellence (CSE) accreditation from the UK Cabinet Office, which requires us to consistently achieve high standards in service provision. Our focus is on enabling a successful student journey; from application and enrolment through to completion, award and beyond. As a member of our team, you will work within an open-plan environment, based in the University’s Student Central locations, and will receive unwavering support from your colleagues and line managers. ABOUT YOU To be successful in the role you will be able to demonstrate outstanding customer service skills, a high level of self-motivation, excellent communication skills that enable you to deal with challenging situations, and the ability to act on your own initiative. We use a customer relationship management system, alongside various digital reference tools, to ensure consistency in enquiry responses, and you should therefore be comfortable and proficient in the use of IT systems as part of your regular duties. Further information about the role, and about the essential criteria you will need to demonstrate, is available in the person specification. If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact gavin.galenorthumbria.ac.uk. To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'. Your application must include an up-to-date CV, and a covering letter / personal statement which outlines your suitability for the role according to the criteria described in the job description and person specification. ABOUT US Northumbria University is a research-intensive university that unlocks potential for all. We change lives regionally, nationally, and internationally through education and research, tackling the global challenges of our age to transform society and the economy. Find out why we were named Times Higher Education’s University of the Year in 2022. Northumbria recorded the biggest rise of any UK university for research power in the Research Excellence Framework for the second time in 2021 and is now ranked top 25 in the UK for this measure. One of the largest universities in the UK with over 37,000 students from more than 140 countries, filled with world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and students at the heart of an outstanding experience. Discover more about us. Northumbria University is a great place to work. We empower our exceptional people to achieve shared ambitions and promote a positive work life balance. We offer a wide range of benefits including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, continued commitment to your learning and development and more. Our Northumbria Values are guiding principles that define who we are, what we do and what is important to us. Our Values are: Academic Excellence; Innovation; Inclusivity; Collaboration ; and Ambition. Our Behaviours describe how we do things and how we work together at Northumbria, reflecting our culture and our decision-making. Our Behaviours are: w e listen and learn, we support one another to success, we respect everyone and their contributions, we trust in ourselves and each other and we are bold. Our Values and Behaviours were co-created by colleagues from a range of roles across the University, who worked collaboratively to consider what it feels like to work for Northumbria, and where we need to continue to transform together to achieve what’s important to us. Please visit Our Values and Behaviours page to find out more. Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. 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