Senior Assessment Officer

Direct Reporting Line:
Deputy Head: Academic Operations

Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa, and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

The IIE's Varsity College, Pretoria Campus has a vacancy for a Senior Assessment Officer.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Managing and Tracking of Assessment Printing

• Manages the assessment process from the point of capturing on the assessment printing tracking system to receiving crates from the assessment printing service provider.
• Ensures that correct orders are placed and fulfilled as per the details in the assessment printing tracking system.
• Ensures that actual student numbers are updated in the assessment printing tracking system once the student numbers have been audited.
• Manages and ensures that the respective assessment tracking and printing timelines are met and feedback is provided to the National office when required.
• Ensures that the student numbers, venue and Invigilator details have all been captured in the assessment printing tracking system as per the batching timeline to allow for prepacked assessments being delivered in the batches from the assessment printing service provider.
• Ensures that the venue and Invigilator details have been inserted into the distance printing tracking system for the students who are registered with the Online Centre as per the batching timeline to allow for prepacked assessments being delivered in the batches from the assessment printing service provider, and adheres to deadlines given as these determine the last date that inserts or updates can be made.
• Checks the assessment crate contents on arrival from the assessment printing service provider to ensure that all the assessments have been packed and grouped as requested on the assessment printing tracking system.
• Receives batch and lock codes from the assessment printing service provider for opening the crates.
• Ensures that the assessment printing service provider and assessment printing tracking system How-to-Guide has been adhered to.
• Ensures that the crates and locks are returned to the assessment printing service provider timeously after the batch has been checked.

Invigilator Recruitment and Management

• Manages the Invigilator training process and ensures that Invigilators are informed of, and trained on, any changes to the policy.
• Recruits Invigilators for the campus and partners with the Campus HR representative to ensure that all audit requirements are adhered to in the recruitment process.
• Co-ordinates and supervises the Invigilator booking process 5 weeks in advance of assessments in line with the Programme Assessment Schedule (PAS) to ensure that the Invigilator details can be entered in the assessment printing tracking system as per the batching timelines.
• Sends follow up emails to remind Invigilators of bookings.
• Assists with invigilating when required.
• Reconciles the Invigilator reports pre and post assessment, and follows up on any anomalies if and when required.
• Logs assessments in and out with Invigilators.

Pre-Assessment Logistics - Initial and Replacement Assessment

• Manages upcoming assessments using the Programme Assessment Schedule (PAS) and the Combined National Assessment Schedule.
• Uploads the Programme Assessment Schedule (PAS) and informs students that it is available.
• Ensures assessments and memos are stored safely at all times in the campus academic safe from when the assessment is received in the crate from the assessment printing service provider to when the assessment is written, and ensures that any excess scripts are destroyed once the assessment has been written.
• Prepares all documentation required for the assessment as per the assessment templates provided (i.e. the Assessment Activity Logs, Invigilator Reports and Seating plans).
• Finalises the student lists, including the Cumulative Assessment (CASS) lists at the point of exams.
• Exports the register from the distance printing tracking system for the students registered with the Online Centre who have selected the campus as their exam centre.
• Prepares all the assessment documentation required for the students registered with the Online Centre.
• Pulls The Student HUB report daily to ensure the preparation of assessments for applications that have been approved.
• Ensures that pre-assessment logistics accommodate concession applications.
• Accesses and checks the special concession grid to ensure all concessions granted are actioned.
• Proactively plans with the campus Academic department to ensure that all approved special concessions can be accommodated.
• Ensures that all concessions have been arranged for special concession students (i.e. additional time, separate venue etc.).
• Liaises with the ICT department regarding any ICT assessment set-up requirements which may be needed for practical assessments.
• Receives preloads (exams or tests) from the relevant Programme Operations Manager (POM) and ensures that these are uploaded and verified by the Senior ICT Support.
• Escorts students with permission slips to their test/exam venue.
• Updates the student noticeboard with assessment venue allocation details.
• Manages all assessments being written on campus.
• Analyses the criteria for all students writing replacement sittings to ensure that they are eligible to write the assessment.
• Ensures that the Assessment Centre carries out all pre assessment logistical requirements for replacement assessments including the daily analysis of The Student HUB report.
• Checks that students are registered with the Online Centre if they arrive at the incorrect exam centre and grants permission for the student to write the assessment.
• Ensures that all assessment documentation is kept up-to-date at all times and is compliant with all assessment and audit policies and processes.
• Ensures that each stage of the Assessment Activity Log is accounted for by way of a signatory.
• Conducts regular audits of assessment documentation.
• Ensures that the number of booklets and instruments that are issued with an assessment align with those as listed in the assessment documentation and that any surplus/shortfall is accounted for.
• Manages and tracks the assessment booklet stock and conducts regular audits of the assessment booklet tracker.
• Reconciles the Invigilator's report that summarises all the necessary information and removes the report from the pack before the scripts are handed over to the Results Centre for the marking process.
• Notes and investigates any discrepancies on the Invigilator report.
• Uses the allocated supplier bins for the disposal of assessment instruments to safely destroy test papers and memos as per the Assessment Strategy & Policy, and retains only one memo as a master copy for filing.
• Reconciles the scripts at the end of each assessment and hands them over to the Results Centre for the marking process, results capture and moderation process thereafter.
• Ensures that the assessment memo is included in the pack handed over to the Results Centre for the marking process.
• Hands over the student list to the Results Centre for billing purposes post assessment.
• Notifies the National office of all different location Student HUB approvals and manages and tracks the different location approvals.
• Verifies and confirms the different location venue and Invigilator details as per the confirmation letter included in The Student HUB application.
• Receives written acknowledgement from the different location Invigilator that all exam rules will be followed.
• Ensures that the different location Invigilator is informed of the assessment date and time in the respective time zone.
• Prepares and sends all the assessment documentation (i.e. assessment activity log, Invigilator report and register) to the different location Invigilator at least two days before the assessment is due to be written.
• Prints the assessment received via email from the different location and hands it to the Results Centre for the marking process.

Non-Exam Condition Assessment Processing

• Sets-up student groups and VC Learn links, and manages the assessment submission deadlines on SafeAssign, MS Teams and Turnitin as per the Programme Assessment Schedules (PAS).
• Collects the assessments from the assessment submission point on campus (Campus Reception/Academic Reception/Information Centre) when required.
• Reconciles assessment submissions and signing sheets, and identifies any assessments not submitted through the online plagiarism detection software and hands these cases over to the Results Centre.
• Collects, collates, groups and hands over assessments to the Results Centre by 9 am the day after the submission for the marking process.
• Manages late assignments in accordance with the Assessment Strategy and Policy.

Exam Condition Assessment Escalations

• Facilitates the resolution of any escalations that may occur during the writing of an exam that relate to the exam paper in particular.
• Escalates queries to the relevant Programme Operations Manager (POM) when assessments are running.
• Communicates any decisions made in response to escalated queries and received from the Central Academic Team (CAT) to all students in the various venues in which the assessment is being conducted.
• Communicates query resolution to the respective different location Invigilators.
• Escorts students to the bathroom during assessments.
• Responds to and resolves any issues/queries that Invigilators raise during assessments.

Team Support and General

• Ensures that all student notes are captured in the academic system timeously and accurately.
• Provides training support for any new Assessment Centre team member.
• Completes incident reports, otherwise known as the For Action Now (FAN) reports, for any action which results in non-compliance in the Assessment Centre for guidance and approval on the way forward.
• Tracks and reports any trends emerging from the For Action Now (FAN) reports.
• Ensures that the Assessment Centre is secured at all times and that all access in and out of the Centre is monitored and logged.
• Assists with campus specific projects/events (e.g. Graduation, Open Day etc.).
• Arranges/facilitates regular team focus group sessions with discussions centring on the challenges experienced with existing processes and systems and the proposed improvements needed to address these challenges.
• Ensures compliance to The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) legislation relevant to the Assessment Centre.
• Provides support to the team via performance management and management of leave.
• Drives assessment policy knowledge within the Assessment Centre in order to ensure that students are advised correctly.

Competencies required:

• Advanced communications skills
• Computer proficiency
• Planning & time management skills
• Results driven and able to handle pressure
• Team player
• Highly ethical
• Leadership skills
• Attention to detail
• Advanced administrative and organisational skills

Minimum Education Requirements:

• Minimum of a Higher Certificate (NQF level 5).
• National Diploma (NQF level 6) or above advantageous.

Minimum Work Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of 2 years administrative experience (ideally within a tertiary environment), and 2 years leadership / supervision experience for external candidates.

Working hours depend on academic calendar.

The IIE's Varsity College is an Equal Opportunity Employer . However, preference may be given to previously underrepresented groups in accordance with the South African Employment Equity Act.