Deputy Head of Programme (Academic Process and Data) - Social Policy - Grade 6 - 50075Z

Position Details

School of Social Policy

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £27,924 to £30,497. With potential progression once in post to £34,304 a year

Grade 6

Full time

Fixed term contract for up to 1 year - Maternity Cover

Closing date: 4th October 2021

Role Summary

We are seeking a Deputy Head of Programme (Academic Process and Data) with excellent leadership, interpersonal, and administration skills to lead on academic programme management, to be part of a team to deliver the Professional Services offer for the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (EGA) programme (2018-2023). This role will work alongside the 'Deputy Head of Programme (Events and VC Relations)' to provide strong deputising support for the 'Executive Head of Programme'. This will be an exciting time to join the team and to help shape and develop a programme of strategic significance, working closely with senior colleagues both at Birmingham and Manchester, as well as the NHS Leadership Academy (the client - NHSLA).

The programme is an innovative blend of online learning, residential workshops and action learning sets. The role holder will support the Executive Head of Programme to oversee effective Professional Services support for the full range of programme administration activities that this encompasses.

The Deputy Head of Programme (Academic Process and Data) will provide vital support to the Executive Head of Programme (to whom they will report), academic Programme Directors and administrators as well as being part of a wider School of Social Policy Professional Services Management Team. The role will provide proactive support to internal and external stakeholders, fostering a truly collaborative and collegiate approach between academic and professional services staff. The post holder will form key working relationships with the Deputy Learning and Teaching Manager for the School, working together on cross School priorities and projects.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Supporting Leadership of the EGA Professional Services Team

• To provide line management of the Programme Team within the EGA professional services team.
• To support the Executive Head of Programme and Deputy Head of Programme (Events and VC Relations) to maintain and develop excellent relationships with the University of Manchester and the client (the NHSLA); and to ensure that the appropriate levels of Professional Services support are deployed in order to meet the complexities of the programme in regard to programme administration.
• Motivate and lead a sub-team of managers and administrators, monitoring individual and team performance and address issues as necessary to achieve optimum performance and service delivery.
• Manage the team rota for the shared inboxes and 'Helpdesk' system, ensuring a high quality level of support is continually provided to all participants and stakeholders.
• To ensure training and development, Personal Development Reviews (PDRs) are taking place in accordance with the School and University requirements, monitor individual and team performance and address issues as necessary to achieve optimum performance. Undertake a strategic audit of training and development activities within the programme team to identify areas of further training and development.
• Work as a member of the School's Learning and Teaching Team in proactively fostering effective, flexible, and efficient administrative interfaces across the College(s) and University offices to help provide coordinated services to students and academic staff. This will include attending various School-wide meetings on a regular basis.
• Work with the Deputy Learning and Teaching manager to provide resilience across the two teams from an academic process perspective. To look for opportunities to develop team members so support can be provided at a School level as and when required.
• Pro-actively assist the Head of Operations (or nominee) in the ongoing development of the School's Professional Services, its values, standards, service levels, and professional ethos.
• To work with the Executive Head of programme to devise and implement administrative and other support structures and evaluation procedures (e.g staff training) within the team.

Programme Administration and Governance

• Oversight and management of all academic programme administration processes (e.g. management of complaint/appeal investigation process) assessing, monitoring and escalating key risks as required to the Executive Head of Programme.
• In partnership with the Executive Head of Programme and the Deputy Learning and Teaching Manager, assist in the development and implementation of policies, strategies and University lead initiatives to develop and enhance the School's strategic ambition for teaching and for the provision of a high quality learning environment for the School's students, including the EGA participants.

Supporting Leadership of the EGA Professional Services Team

• To provide line management of the Programme Team within the EGA professional services team.
• To support the Executive Head of Programme and Deputy Head of Programme (Events and VC Relations) to maintain and develop excellent relationships with the University of Manchester and the client (the NHSLA); and to ensure that the appropriate levels of Professional Services support are deployed in order to meet the complexities of the programme in regard to programme administration.
• Motivate and lead a sub-team of managers and administrators, monitoring individual and team performance and address issues as necessary to achieve optimum performance and service delivery.
• Manage the team rota for the shared inboxes and 'Helpdesk' system, ensuring a high quality level of support is continually provided to all participants and stakeholders.
• To ensure training and development, Personal Development Reviews (PDRs) are taking place in accordance with the School and University requirements, monitor individual and team performance and address issues as necessary to achieve optimum performance. Undertake a strategic audit of training and development activities within the programme team to identify areas of further training and development.
• Work as a member of the School's Learning and Teaching Team in proactively fostering effective, flexible, and efficient administrative interfaces across the College(s) and University offices to help provide coordinated services to students and academic staff. This will include attending various School-wide meetings on a regular basis.
• Work with the Deputy Learning and Teaching manager to provide resilience across the two teams from an academic process perspective. To look for opportunities to develop team members so support can be provided at a School level as and when required.
• Pro-actively assist the Head of Operations (or nominee) in the ongoing development of the School's Professional Services, its values, standards, service levels, and professional ethos.
• To work with the Executive Head of programme to devise and implement administrative and other support structures and evaluation procedures (e.g staff training) within the team.

Programme Administration and Governance

• Oversight and management of all academic programme administration processes (e.g. management of complaint/appeal investigation process) assessing, monitoring and escalating key risks as required to the Executive Head of Programme.
• In partnership with the Executive Head of Programme and the Deputy Learning and Teaching Manager, assist in the development and implementation of policies, strategies and University lead initiatives to develop and enhance the School's strategic ambition for teaching and for the provision of a high quality learning environment for the School's students, including the EGA participants.
• To manage the processes and procedures in respect of marks entry, production of exam board paperwork and execution, and the recording of extenuating circumstances using databases and management information reports.
• Recommend to the Executive Head of Programme a suite of service level agreements and/or key performance indicators that will assist in the ongoing management and enhancement of the programme. The post holder will ensure that a mechanism is in place to regularly review, monitor, and document approved performance targets.
• Analyse current practices to make evidence-driven recommendations to the Executive Head of Programme on potential enhancements to systems, processes, procedures and student experience for the EGA programme.
• Ensure policies and procedures introduced by the College and University are implemented effectively by the programme delivery team, and ensure appropriate staff members are briefed promptly and effectively.
• Ensure the programme delivery team is proactive about data quality and that University systems are being used effectively and efficiently. The role holder will undertake regular checks of the team's data quality, reporting best practice and concerns to the Executive Head of Programme.
• Oversight of handbook and other programme related materials in conjunction with Programme Directors and Deputy Head of Programme (Events and VC Liaison).
• Liaison with Registry colleagues and the NHSLA regarding participant change of details.
• Responsible for the training and communication of best practice for tutors, in relation to academic process, in conjunction with the programme directors.
• Identify potential areas of further training and development relating to programme management (e.g. UKVI), providing advice and training to support staff to enable a resilient, upskilled, and knowledgeable workforce.
• Work with the Wellbeing Officer to ensure all Leave of Absences, programme withdrawals, extenuating circumstances, Reasonable Adjustment Plans etc. are fully recorded, managed and in line with University regulations.
• Have oversight of the attendance monitoring process and ensure the process is being followed by academic and professional services staff correctly, and in line with UoB governance.
• Undertake regular strategic reviews of academic processes, ensuring they are as efficient and effective as possible, integrating any key programme, School, University wide developments as appropriate.

Service Quality and Delivery

• To work with the Executive Head of Programme and Deputy Head of Programme (Events and VC liaison) to ensure that both external and internal customers are provided with the highest levels of programme support and effective communication.
• To support the Executive Head of Programme in the production of timely and useful management information for the programme to feed into the necessary governance frameworks.
• To support the Executive Head of Programme in submitting information as required to Executive Head of Relations to ensure effective monitoring and reporting on all KPIs in the contract signed by both Universities.
• To recommend and support the implementation of innovative solutions to improve service quality, efficiency and continuity and introduce long term, sustainable improvements. To identify areas of good practice to disseminate across the School of Social Policy.

General

• To ensure that the role and its responsibilities are delivered in accordance with procedures and regulations as defined by both the School of Social Policy and the University of Birmingham; to be proactive in offering advice based on these regulations and procedures to students and staff where required and appropriate; and to contribute to the objective of making the School and the University a friendly place for students, staff, and visitors.
• Build and maintain excellent collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the School of Social Policy, College of Social Sciences and wider University, and with key colleagues at the NHSLA and University of Manchester.
• To work in accordance with the College of Social Sciences Professional Expectations Framework.
• To work in accordance with and promote by example the University's Equality and Diversity policy.
• To undertake any other duties as reasonably required by the Executive Head of Programme including deputising where appropriate and required.
• The specific areas of responsibility and/or tasks may change from time to time in accordance with the requirements of the School/external partners and its priorities of the time.
• Please note that occasional travel in the UK may be required, in line with Government recommendations and some out of hours working will be required while on these trips.

Person Specification

• Formal education to degree level (or relevant equivalent experience)
• Experience in administration, preferably in higher education, executive education or a comparable field
• Experience of managing and leading staff across a range of activities and the ability to bring a team together to delivered shared objectives effectively
• Enthusiastic and supportive approach to management and leadership
• High level of diplomacy, tact, and negotiating skills, with the ability to build trust and relationships as well as to resolve potential conflicts
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with colleagues at all levels both within the professional services teams, with academic staff and partner organisations
• Good oral and written communication skills
• The ability to work with agility to manage academic programme administration and data
• Ability to interpret, analyse and communicate information, and to formulate and implement clear proposals from that analysis, that can inform the development of strategy
• Evidence of working with a focus on excellence and continuous service improvement
• Problem-solving and organisational skills, with the ability to deal with complex and/or difficult situations
• Good attention to detail
• Ability to work on own initiative, with minimal supervision and to manage and prioritise a range of varied and complex tasks, completing them to the required deadline
• Good IT skills, in particular Excel, Word and willingness to learn new technologies
• A flexible and proactive approach to work, willing and able to respond to changing demands to deliver effective services

Please contact Janine Turner, Executive Head of Programme j.turner.7@bham.ac.uk Or Louise Randall l.e.randall.1@bham.ac.uk

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