Accommodation Officer

Department: Accommodation and Conferences

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Brasenose College

Compensation: £32,278 - £37,508 / year

Description

Key Responsibilities

• In liaison with other Domestic team managers (“Heads of Departments” or HoDs), anticipate and forward plan for term, conference and vacation accommodation requirements ensuring all contacts are kept informed of developments. 
• To ensure that accommodation capacity is maximised both in term, and for conferences in vacation. Essentially working closely with College Office, Estates team and the Conference and Events Manager.
• To liaise and oversee the required student room ballots and to ensure the administration of the ballots go ahead in liaison with the student common rooms and Domestic Bursar.
• To ensure that all aspects of room allocation are completed, and the information distributed as appropriate, ensuring rooming information is entered onto the room booking database (Kinetics) in a timely manner.
• To manage all student room, change requests and requests to end tenancies early and to advise all relevant departments of amendments.
• To input on Kinetics and keep up to date all student room allocations throughout the year.
• To ensure clear, professional communication and support for our students and guests/clients. 
• Develop agreed Service Levels in collaboration with college office and the Domestic Bursar. 
• To prepare all annual licences for accommodation together with the respective inventories. To ensure that arrivals and departures are conducted correctly and to respond to concerns or queries regarding the accommodation.
• To support the Head of Operation and Room Allocation Committee by managing the process of allocation of Fellows’ teaching rooms and Fellows’ property and managing the Ballot process for each. To ensure clear communication and liaison with relevant academic staff, HODs and external property agencies where appropriate.
• In liaison with the Clerk of Works and Head of Operations, to assist in ensuring that public rooms and residential rooms on all College sites are kept in a good state of decoration and repair, and in particular that the housekeeping team identify and report faults promptly.
• In liaison with Housekeepers, to organise carpet, window cleaning and other specialist cleaning as necessary.
• In liaison with the events Coordinator, to manage and monitor standard room set ups in public/teaching rooms. 
• To order furniture and soft furnishings for Fellows, staff, student and public rooms as required in consultation with the Domestic Bursar.
• Administer guest room, and B&B enquiries.
• Support any requirements for SCR guest room bookings via SharePoint and KX Residential. 
• Adopt a service desk style customer service for all enquiries. Help maintain and update listings on SpeedyBooker, University Rooms, and the College website.
• Oversee the administration of ACOP assessments, reviewing accommodation applications, assessing individual requirements, maintaining accurate records, and liaising with students and relevant departments to support accommodation allocation decisions.
• You may also be required to undertake other reasonable duties not specified in the job description.

• To keep accommodation contracts under review to ensure best value.
• Support the annual review of the accommodation budget and contribute recommendations for potential adjustments to the Head of Operations.
• Liaise with Finance Department to ensure that all bill charges for accommodation services are accurate and raised in a timely fashion.
• To take ownership for the KX system for student accommodation and ensure the system is effectively used and the required contracts are in place.

• Ensure a safe working environment for students and staff.
• Ensure Health and Safety notices are up to date in all rooms.
• Coordinating and administering the reporting and resolution of pest-related issues within student accommodation, liaising with contractors, residents, and relevant departments to ensure timely action is taken and accurate records are maintained.

• Welfare liaison lead between the welfare team and the Domestic Bursary. Manage all aspects of welfare provision that impact the Domestic Bursary including the provision of room adjustments for disabled students/staff or those with medical needs and the co-ordination of Domestic Bursary departments in the event of an outbreak of infectious disease.

• To work with the Domestic Bursar and other colleagues to review all elements of the Disabled Access strategy.  This includes an auditing process and the developments to offer a fully accessible service to students.

• The post holder will be required to be familiar with, and work in accordance with, all College’s policies and procedures.
• To participate in training and development required by the College.
• To be willing and prepared to undertake any other duties as directed by the Head of Operations or Domestic Bursar. The job description may be subject to review in consultation with the postholder.
• To be vigilant and take responsibility for ensuring the Accommodation and College property and equipment is kept safe at all times. 
• To ensure all personal data relating to individuals is kept confidential in accordance with college policies and relevant data protection regulations.

Person Specification and Criteria

• Experience running a accommodation operation within a hotel or college.
• Experience of student accommodation issues as a user or supplier.
• Excellent customer service and relationship building skills.
• Experience in developing service schedules to ensure that standards of accommodation are implemented and maintained.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills and able to multi-task.
• Excellent planning and skills with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure and remain calm and courteous.
• Proven ability of developing and implementing effective process and procedures.
• A positive and proactive approach to problem solving to ensure the best standards and service delivery.
• Professionalism and excellent presentation skills with a high level of English (oral and written)
• Proficient IT skills with an intermediate to advanced working knowledge of Microsoft office including Excel.

• Degree qualification in Hotel Management & Catering.
• Experience of room booking database.
• Experience of working in a college or higher education environment.

Terms and conditions of employment

• Pension - Eligibility to Brasenose College's pension scheme, OSPS (Oxford Staff Pension Scheme). The successful candidate will be entered into this scheme automatically on joining, but on-going membership of the scheme is optional.
• Salary Exchange Scheme - Staff who are eligible for OSPS, and who join our pension scheme will be enrolled into the Salary Exchange Pension Contributions Scheme on or around three months after joining Brasenose. This scheme is financially advantageous both to the employee, and the College as the employer.
• Annual leave - The paid holiday entitlement for an equivalent full-time contract for a year is six working weeks (30 days) of annual leave (5 days to be taken over Christmas break when College is closed) plus 8 Statutory Bank Holidays. Annual leave shall be taken at mutually convenient times agreed in advance with the Department Manager. The holiday year begins on 1 January and ends 31 December. For part years of service, the entitlement will be calculated as 1/12th of the annual entitlement for each completed month.
• Meals - Employees are entitled to take lunch free of charge in Hall when the kitchen is open.
• Welfare Support - Employee Assistance Programme; a free confidential telephone helpline and online medical guidance. 
• Free annual flu jab.
• Travel Pass Loan - a discounted travel scheme is available with monthly deductions from salary.
• Cycle to Work Scheme/Bike Loan - monthly deductions from salary.
• Sports Facilities - access to the University Sports club.
• University Card - for discounts in shops, cafes and restaurants and University leisure facilities.