Junior Dean

Salary: Please see honorarium section below
Contract: Part of one academic year from 1 January to 31 August 2025
Department: Welfare
Reports to: Welfare Lead
Location: Balliol College, Graduate Centre: Masters Field and Holywell Manor

Balliol College is one of the oldest in the University of Oxford and has around 800 students, 70 Fellows, 120 staff and 8,000 alumni. The resident community is composed of over 500 students.

THE ROLE

The safety and welfare of individual students and the community as a whole is at the heart of these roles. The overarching function of all Junior Deans at Balliol is to support the welfare and decanal systems of the college, to foster a good atmosphere in our student communities, and to provide friendly direction and signposting support to individual students where needed.

This role will support the Middle Common Room Committee, act as sounding boards for their ideas and plans, and will sometimes be required to be present at student events in their official capacity. The holders of these posts have a dual role, in that they are still students of the College – with academic careers and social lives – but are also employees of the College, working with other employees, and may become privy to confidential information. As such they need to be individuals with discretion, and capable of separating their two capacities as appropriate.

The Junior Deans are important members of the Welfare team, offering support to students and the community in several different ways. This supportive part of the role can vary greatly. They will be well-versed in how to signpost students with problems to the right help, at the right time, and this will often mean by referring them to a more senior member of the College’s Welfare Team. In line with the training they will receive from the University, they will be able to sign-post students to all the relevant professional sources of assistance within the College, the University, the NHS and elsewhere.

The Junior Deans report to the Welfare Lead, and they also take instruction directly from the Dean. Their work necessarily will also bring them into close contact with a range of College Officers including the Domestic Bursar, the Domestic Manager, and other members of staff including the Lodge, the College Nurse, the College Counsellor, the Front-of-House Team, and the College Office. All Balliol Junior Deans are given training in how to help students with problems to access relevant help from professional sources, and they will work together as a team to support the relevant college officers.

Taking on a Junior Dean role is compatible with pursuing graduate and/or post-doctoral research, but will involve attending some specific day-time meetings and night-time events, occasionally at short notice. The Junior Deans have a range of specific tasks, which are described in the section below. All Junior Deans will undergo required training and inductions, and so should expect to be in Oxford and able to attend daytime training on multiple days prior to starting employment. All Junior Deans will be required to plan any absences from Oxford ahead of time with the relevant college officers, and they may be needed to help cover each other’s duties in emergencies.

MAIN DUTIES

A Junior Dean role is an official job to assist the College in maintaining the welfare and well-being of Balliol’s students, ensuring the desirable levels of health and safety standards, and where necessary exercising the lowest level of decanal authority. The following duties and responsibilities listed below constitute the detailed structure of the job and the expectations the College has of all its Junior Deans.

All Junior Deans have responsibilities in four main areas:

• Emergency and ‘out-of-hours’ response when “on duty”: In conjunction with the Lodge porters, the Junior Deans may be called on to act to deal with emergencies. This may include being the first point of contact to call an ambulance or taxi to take a student to the Accident and Emergency ward at the JR Hospital, or it may include aiding porters to deal with illness, injury, disturbance, fire or other emergencies. In a serious incident resulting in hospital admission of a Balliol student who is or could be gravely ill/injured, the Junior Dean on duty will follow agreed protocols and ensure that the appropriate College Officer is informed at the appropriate time. This may in some cases involve a Junior Dean accompanying a Balliol student to hospital although they should not normally stay with the student once at the hospital.
• Pastoral care and welfare sign-posting: The Junior Deans are part of the Welfare Team of College and are expected to be available, within reason, to offer a caring and listening ear or word of encouragement to students or to support any student who seeks their help. They assist the Dean and Welfare Lead to promote College morale, and particularly to support the Common Room Welfare Officers, peer supporters, and individual students.
• Administrative responsibilities and/or events when ‘on duty’: The Junior Deans may be required to assist the Welfare Officer or Dean with routine administrative matters related to the College’s welfare and decanal functions. They will be expected to make themselves aware of recent incidents through consulting the Lodge Incident Book or similar system, and to record accurately any welfare issues which they have been called on to deal with in the College’s confidential Welfare Reporting System. They will be trained in the exercise of confidentiality and use of personal data within their roles. They may be required to assist in the supervision of Balliol students prior to Matriculation, and to be present at bops, dinners, or other student events where the presence of a member of the Decanal team is appropriate.
• Decanal responsibilities: the Junior Deans will know and help administer the College Rules as contained in the Balliol College Handbook. They have delegated authority from the Dean to act in some clearly defined ways. For example, they may be called upon to close down any unauthorised party, or any activity of students in College where the noise generated is an unreasonable disturbance to their neighbours, or is otherwise prohibited by College rules.

Alongside their work with College Officers, the Junior Dean will form good working relationships with key figures like the Porters, Domestic Manager, and the student Committee officers, who share in keeping the Balliol community a safe and happy environment. This might mean visiting the Lodge when on duty, and meeting with MCR student committee members, perhaps asking to be invited and introduced at one of their weekly committee meetings.

To allow them to carry out the above duties effectively, the Junior Deans are expected to be proactive in engaging with the student community. To assist this, there are shared discretionary hospitality allowances for the Junior Deans. Appropriate uses of this allowance might include holding small parties or informal gatherings at the start of the academic year for groups of students (including newcomers to the Balliol community).

Time Commitment and Being ‘On Duty’

• The Graduate Junior Deans are expected to work together to ensure a fair distribution of duties across the year.
• Balliol’s postgraduate community remains in residence for a longer period than the undergraduates, in line with their accommodation contracts. For this reason, the two Junior Deans based at the Graduate Centre ordinarily are to be resident in the Graduate Centre throughout the term of office. By Sunday of -1st week each term, or at any other point determined by the Dean. The Junior Deans based at the Graduate Centre will produce a working rota so that there is always one person in residence and on duty each night of the year except when given permission upon request to the Welfare Lead for both to be absent. When on duty the postgraduate-facing Junior Deans must be generally available and easily contacted between 7pm-8am, and able to return to the Graduate Centre within 5-10 minutes.
• While ‘on duty’, Junior Deans will need to work flexibly to deliver on the range of student needs that might be required of them. Junior Deans may be required to keep a log of active working hours — whether responding to emergencies, in meetings, being present at events, etc.
• All Junior Deans must plan any absences from Oxford and taking of leave in advance with the college officers with whom they work, confirmation being overseen by the Dean. In most cases permission to be absent should be sought at least 48 hours in advance.

Fire Alerts and Procedures

• In the event of a fire alert, the Junior Deans on site report to the Lodge to be of direct assistance to the Porter on duty. They may be required to staff the Lodge and direct fire fighters; to assist students in evacuating the building quickly and safely; or to assist, if required, in investigating any non-compliance with the alarm call or behaviour not in the best interests of health and safety. In conjunction with the Lodge Porters, they are expected to be the first responder to a fire.
• All Junior Deans are required to attend the Fire Awareness course provided by the College in 0th Week of Michaelmas Term and any other fire training deemed necessary.

Training, Meetings, and Supervision

• Unless they have already done so, all Junior Deans are required to attend the Junior Dean training course organised by the Oxford University Counselling Service (OUCS), which is designed to give support and confidence in relating to Junior Members and carrying out duties.
• Unless already so qualified, the Junior Deans are required to attend a full ‘First Aid at Work’ course organised and paid for by the College at the earliest opportunity and certainly before the start of Michaelmas Term.
• Junior Deans will attend Mental Health First Aid training at their earliest opportunity.
• The Junior Deans are expected to attend meetings with the Dean and/or Welfare Lead, and any other college officers as required. Some Junior Deans will be asked to attend the termly Welfare Committee meeting of College and one of them will be asked to take the minutes.
• The Junior Deans are expected to attend other occasional meetings related to the care of students. Within reason they are expected to make themselves available for such meetings, which are likely to take place during office hours in term.

Terms and Conditions

In compensation for discharge of the duties described above, the Junior Deans will receive:

• An honorarium of £2,600 (pro rated for 1 January to 31 August) for the two officers based at the Graduate Centre (in recognition of the longer time commitment associated with the two Postgraduate-facing roles).
• A room in College property, free of charge, (however, the Junior Deans are responsible for usage charges, such as electricity, amenity charges, washing machine levies) for the duration of their contract.
• The two postgraduate-facing roles based in Balliol’s Graduate Centre will occupy rooms in Holywell Manor or the Master’s Field.
• A hospitality allowance of £600 is shared between the Postgraduate-facing officers, payable upon submission of an expense form. It is intended that the allowance should be used as described above to become a familiar and reassuring part of the Balliol community. The allowance is not for use to entertain personal guests.
• Meal allowances: lunch and dinner in Hall in term time and lunches outside term-time when the kitchen is open.
• SCR dining: Dinner in the SCR or on High Table two evenings a week during 0th to 9th weeks inclusive, except Wednesdays of full term, when dinner is available. Wine taken at High Table and/or any Formal Desserts are charged to Battels. Junior Deans have some entitlement to bring guests to High Table dinners, but the details are under review.
• All Junior Deans are provided with a named sweatshirt to allow students to recognise them when they are acting in their official capacity at student events.

In the event an appointment is terminated before the end date of the contract, the stipend will be reduced pro rata. Where an office-holder gives less than two months’ notice of resignation, they may be liable for two months’ room rent. On ceasing to hold the position, the office-holder will be expected to vacate their room within 7 days.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Member of the University of Oxford of postgraduate or more senior status (e.g., Postdoctoral Fellow, JRF, etc.) in good academic standing;
• Postgraduate students should have completed 1 year of study and be in receipt of funding for their degree.
• Be making and continue to make during their employment, satisfactory academic progress while fully carrying out the duties of a Junior Dean. If sufficient academic progress is not being made, then Junior Deans may be required to step-down from the role.
• Any graduate student who is currently a member of another college will be required to migrate to Balliol;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build constructive working relationships with Fellows, students and members of staff;
• A responsible, mature and professional attitude, possessing natural authority and the ability to command trust;
• Sound judgment, including the ability to react quickly to sometimes challenging situations;
• Discretion and sensitivity in handling confidential information, with a good understanding of the requirements of data protection;
• Ability to work effectively in a small team, and to work flexibly with a range of College Officers;
• Good organisation and time-management skills;
• Willingness and ability to respond to the changing needs of Balliol’s welfare team.
• Ability to attend Junior Dean Training organised by the University of Oxford (8 sessions of 3 hours each, dates TBC), as well as fortnightly supervisions during the three terms of the academic year.

Desirable

• Experience of welfare or decanal functions in an academic environment;
• Experience of fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment and tackling discrimination;
• Current first-aid qualification.

Probation and notice: There is a probationary period of one term.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Informal enquiries: Candidates with any questions about the roles should contact in the first instance the Welfare Lead, Hannah Jones (hannah.jones@balliol.ox.ac.uk).

Written applications: Applications should be made by Wednesday 27 November at https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/balliol-people/vacancies/college-jobs.

Application materials should consist of:

• Cover Letter laying out the applicant’s suitability and motivation for the post with reference to the essential and desirable criteria;
• Curriculum vitae with details of course, academic and employment history, and any other relevant experience;
• Two references (details below).

Applicants who are graduate students or post-doctoral researchers must specify their primary source of funding in their cover letter. The Junior Dean role cannot be their only source of income.

References: Applicants are asked to ensure that two referees send their references directly to the Dean’s secretary (deansec@balliol.ox.ac.uk) no later than 5pm on Wednesday 27 November 2024.

If the applicant is a postgraduate student, one of the referees must be from the applicant’s University supervisor reflecting the applicant’s ability to balance the role with their studies and the second reference should be from a representative of their College (e.g. College Adviser, Dean, Welfare Officer, Senior Tutor, etc.).

Interviews: will take place shortly after the closing date.

Right to Work: Shortlisted candidates will be expected to supply original documentation proving that they have the right to work in the United Kingdom (UK).

Equal Opportunities: Balliol College is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants are asked to complete a separate confidential Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form to help us fulfil our duties in this regard. Applicants are encouraged to ask if they require reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process.