Timetable Coordinator

Salary: £32,722 to £33,662 with progression to £35,302 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 3 November 

The Role

The Timetable Team are looking for a natural problem solver to take a critical role in the production and maintenance of the University timetable, delivering the best academic experience to students and educators. Don’t worry if you’ve no experience of timetabling software, we’ll teach you everything you need to know; we’re looking for the right person to join a high performing team working in a high-pressure environment. The ideal candidate will bring a curious nature, exceptional organisational skills, an ability to remain calm under pressure and be a clear, empathetic communicator.  

As a Timetable Co-ordinator, you will need to communicate effectively with a wide range of academic and professional services colleagues. You will be required to work across multiple IT systems, so need strong digital confidence. 

You will need to take ownership of your schools, collaborating with key stakeholders, to make informed scheduling decisions. A readiness to take speedy and decisive action on large numbers of queries at critical periods without becoming overwhelmed will be essential.

Our busiest period runs from June through October as we prepare for the new academic year and welcome students to the University. During these months, annual leave is restricted, and occasional flexible working hours may be needed to support critical dates.

Informal enquires should be directed to Ross Guy, Senior Timetable Manager at ross.guy@newcastle.ac.uk.

To apply please upload your CV and cover letter evidencing how your skills and experciences align to the person specification as outlined within the job description.

Key Accountabilities

• Build strong relationships with assigned schools; proactively gather their scheduling requirements and priorities, and clearly communicate what is possible, to set positive, realistic expectations. 
• Take full ownership of collecting, validating, and entering timetable data accurately and efficiently, ensuring the core schedule is built on solid information.
• Creatively schedule teaching events to maximize room and estate resource usage while consistently keeping student experience at the heart of every decision.
• Remain agile and think on your feet to resolve urgent, unexpected post-publication changes, such as last-minute staffing changes, by providing calm, well-considered solutions under pressure.
• Act as a knowledgeable partner to professional services and academic staff during the design of new modules and programs, identifying potential room or scheduling constraints early on.
• Spot opportunities to refine timetabling processes, sharing ideas for smarter ways of working and helping communicate schedule updates clearly to students and staff. 
• Keep accurate, up-to-date procedural guides, in-line with the University Timetable Policy, for your assigned schools so scheduling standards remain consistent and easy to follow across the team.
• Produce clear, useful reports on room usage, scheduling performance, and key metrics to help track progress and inform future planning. 
• Share your knowledge generously by helping train new team members and school colleagues on timetabling systems and best practices.
• Assist with University room bookings, in line with policy and making best use of facilities. 

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, explain complex details simply, and manage stakeholder expectations across diverse teams.
• Ability to manage high volumes of information, balance competing priorities, and make practical, evidence-based decisions while maintaining high standards of accuracy.
• Comfortable making decisions with imperfect information and maintaining a positive, professional approach when faced with competing demands or challenge from stakeholders.
• Proven ability to navigate, learn, and comfortably work across a range of IT systems and software applications.
• Demonstrates an interest in improving processes and finding smarter ways of working to enhance the experience of customers and stakeholders.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Driven by curiosity and a desire to understand how things work, with a proven ability to evaluate options and take decisive action independently.
• Ability to remain composed during peak busy periods, treating setbacks or unexpected challenges as temporary puzzles to solve.
• Comfortable shifting priorities at short notice without becoming frustrated or overwhelmed.
• A natural reflex to take full ownership of outcomes, following tasks through to resolution with integrity.
• Keen to learn, receptive to feedback, and proactive in continually developing new skills and knowledge.
• A collaborative team player who prioritizes group success, supports colleagues during peak periods, and celebrates shared achievements.

Qualifications

Essential:

GCSE Maths at Grade 5 / C or above (or equivalent Level 2 qualification).

Desirable:
Level 3 Qualification with a quantitative, analytical, or scientific focus (e.g., A-Level / BTEC in Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Statistics, or related technical disciplines).

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29865

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