Student Casual – Graduation Usher – Academic Services – Grade 2 – 906960

Position Details:

School or Department: Funding Graduation and Award Student Services

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Grade/Band: Grade 2

Hourly rate: 13.06 per hour plus holiday entitlement

Casual contract from: 05/12/2025 15/12/2025

Advert closing date: 06/11/2025 23:55pm

Number of positions available: 30

Please note that this vacancy may be taken down early depending on the number of applications received. We advise you to submit your application promptly.

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond support them to succeed and celebrate their success.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we areand how we work.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus including main bus routes and a train station on campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool shopsplaces to eat and drinkour own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham

Background

Funding Graduation and Awards are looking to recruit a team of enthusiastic and proactive students to undertake a variety of roles during the week of December Degree Congregations between Friday 5th December and Monday 15th December.

All roles will also be required to attend a paid training and set-up day on Friday 5th December (10:00-13:00). Smart clothing is not required (nor recommend) for the set-up day. All roles will be expected to work part-time (up to 20 hours) each week.

Role Summary

Graduation is the highlight of the academic year and relies on a dedicated team of ushers to help deliver these prestigious events. Our ushers need to be proactive energetic approachable and enthusiastic. The role is public facing welcoming graduating students and their guests to the celebrations and helping to ensure that everything runs smoothly for them on the day. It requires a high degree of dedication but has proven to be an extremely rewarding experience for our previous ushers.

Main Duties

• Staffing the ticket desk and managing certificate collection which requires attention to detail and a professional demeanour;
• Providing directional advice to many visitors and answering questions about the events and various buildings where graduation activity takes place.
• Understanding the logistics and running schedule of the day as you may be asked questions about the schedule of proceedings.
• Managing the flow of graduates in the Great Hall helping us to ensure that they go up on stage in the correct order;
• Managing the flow of guests into and out of the Great Hall in line with safety requirements;
• Keeping the venues clean and tidy;
• Helping to get the venue ready between ceremonies;
• Helping guests and graduates with accessibility requirements and special requests.

These are formal events so the dress code is business wear (smart comfortable shoes shirt with collar and smart trousers or skirt) though please note that smart clothing is not required (nor recommend) for the set-up and training day on Friday 5th of December.

Person Specification

Our ushers need to be:

• Proactive - Graduations welcome many guests to The University of Birmingham who might have never visited campus before. Being proactive to step in if you spot guests (or graduates) who look like they may need some extra assistance in finding their way to help the day run smoothly.
• Energetic - Working in a customer facing role will require lots of interaction and multiple ceremonies each day so it is important to maintain a consistent positive energy and motivation throughout the course of the week upholding an excellent experience for graduation attendees.
• Approachable For all students and guests this is an important and exciting day having student ushers who can provide a friendly and reassuring face means that if any unexpected situations do arise attendees have someone to speak to.
• Enthusiastic- providing a positive and welcoming experience for all guests and students as this is an important celebration of academic achievement.
• Comfortable in a public facing role - speaking to new people and welcoming graduating students and their guests to the celebrations and helping to ensure that everything runs smoothly for them on the day
• Have a high degree of dedication - for example catering to guests with additional needs and ensuring the safety and comfort of guests in possibly challenging weather conditions as it may be very cold/wet during this time.
• Attention to detail- for example staffing the ticket desk: our Great Hall has limited guest capacity as such being aware of our ticketing constraints and adhering to them so it is highly important that those working on the day show great attention to detail.
• Professional demeanour- some roles will require you to be on your feet for longer periods of time than other such as ushering being able to maintain professionalism throughout the shift is essential.
• Positive service attitude- for example if a student brings more than the permitted 2 guests it will be important to show care and courtesy in politely dealing with these individuals to let them know that they may have to queue up for additional tickets and it is possible that not everyone will be able to sit in the Great Hall.
• Ability to order own duties within a schedule set by your supervisor- checking in and asking questions if there is something you are not sure about one role includes distributing certificates and transcripts important and confidential documents to students here it will be essential that you feel comfortable to independently carry out these tasks giving the correct graduate their documents.
• Ability to be flexible in terms of work practices/requirements- being adaptable to change roles if needed on the day you may have to staff the ticket desk or work the cloak room or be an usher within the marble reception of the Great Hall.
• Ability to work as part of a team - there will be many ushers so being able to work with a range of different people each shift and coordinate your responsibilities is essential.

For any informal queries please contact with the subject Worklink Graduation Usher Enquiry.

View our staff values and behaviourshere

Valuing excellence sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

The University of Birmingham restricts all students to working up to 20 hours per week during term time. If your application is successful and your course does not follow the usual academic term timetable (e.g. PGT PGR or PhD student) you and your supervisor must formally agree vacation periods if this role exceeds 20 hours per addition to this please be aware if you are an International student you will be required to apply to the Registry for the appropriate Authorised Absence.

You are only eligible to apply to this role if you are a current University of Birmingham student. If you are not a University of Birmingham student your application will not be considered.

To work you will need to carry out a right to work check.These checks will need to be completed prior to work commencing.