Music Timetable and Administration Officer
Chetham’s School of Music is seeking a Music Timetable and Administration Officer to join the internationally renowned specialist music school located in Manchester city centre. Chetham’s is a magical place, home to the UK’s largest specialist music school, the oldest library in the English speaking world and a world-class concert venue all in the heart of Manchester.
The Music Department is at the very heart of the School and is the centre of all students’ musical activities and non-academic studies. The Department has a lively, busy atmosphere, and aims to deliver the best possible musical opportunities for all its students.
Working as a part of a team of dedicated music administrators, the Music Timetable and Administration Officer (MTAO) is one of the central organising roles of the Music Department. The role has two core remits: act as the primary scheduling role for the keyboard and WBP (woodwind) departments (plus contact points for all Instrumental Music Tutors’/students’ timetable enquiries); the role also offers administrative support to the Head of Keyboard.The anticipated average split in role remit is 80% scheduling, 20% Head of Department direct support – although this may vary on a weekly basis as required.
Key Duties (Timetabling/Scheduling): Term Time
There are currently 3 members of staff who deliver timetabling within the music department. The MTAO’s main responsibility is to timetable all instrumental lessons within the keyboard and WBP (woodwind) departments on a weekly basis. Presently this amounts to approximately c.50 tutor timetables, scheduled weekly. This role works collaboratively with the other timetabling staff to ensure all student timetables across the disciplines are scheduled on a weekly basis.All timetabling is currently delivered through the use of ‘StREAM’, the School’s own bespoke timetabling software.
Other key duties include:
- Scheduling of Accompanists’ times for lessons, as requested by the Tutors or Heads of Department.
- Resolving all lesson clashes promptly and reacting to any changes of Tutor schedule as required.
- Ensure all students recieve their required allocation of tuition in a student-centred manner (i.e. timetabled at appropriate times according to age and stage and scheduled around any notified key academic lessons/ external activity).
- Support the weekly rota of instrumental tutors’ room bookings and disseminate information as required.
- Act as a central communication channel for department specific instrumental tutors, ensuring all teaching staff within the department are aware of forthcoming School activities which may impact on schedules, and deal with any queries and requests that may arise.
- General timetable/schedule administration, including: collating tutor availability; ensuring all timetable related material and StREAM database allocations are accurate and up-to-date at all times; maintaining accurate and detailed records are kept of teaching activities.
- Follow up any unexpected student or tutor absenses.
- Support the work of the Music Department Assistant with regards to notifying contractual changes, allocation changes and any extra tuition charges.
- Log and communicate tutor sickness to relevant members of staff.
- Any other duties as directed by the Music Department Manager within reasonable scope of the role.
Key Duties (Heads of Department Support): Term Time
Alongside timetabling/scheduling responsibilities, the MTAO is required to support the Head of Keyboard with a broad base of administrative duties during term time weeks. These will include (but are not limited to):
- Student/Parent correspondence as required.
- Logistical planning and scheduling of department specific masterclasses/performance classes from visiting musicians.
- Administrative support for any larger-scale departmental activities (performance days, Music Course activities, competitions etc).
- Scheduling and logistics for any specific departmental classes during Wednesday ‘Music Blocks’ as required.
- Some external staffing at performances/department activities if required and reasonably undertaken within the hours of the role.
- General administrative support.
- Any other duties reasonably required within the scope of the role.
Additional Duties (timetabling): Non-Term Time
During the Summer Holiday period, alongside preparatory timetabling for the term ahead, the MTAO takes the lead in preparing all student allocations and tutor contractual hours notices.
The musical allocations for the entire student body are reviewed and updated annually. The collation of this information forms the backbone of the Department’s administrative and contractual systems for the following year. The MTAO creates a comprehensive and accurate database containing all allocation information and ensures that this information is updated and reflected in all associated systems.