College Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Project Officer - College of Engineering and Physical Scie

COLLEGE EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROJECT OFFICER - 80045

Position Details

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £31,406 to £40,927, with potential progression once in post to £43,434

Grade 7

Full time

Fixed-term for up to 1 year

Closing Date: 6 June 2022

This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.

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, and we are 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 are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

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 debate. We 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 are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

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 site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Job Summary

Support the effective implementation of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) and Athena SWAN action plans across the College. Undertake a variety of activities designed to help maximise the promotional impact of ED&I and Athena SWAN across the College. Liaise with Schools to support their preparations for submitting applications for Athena SWAN awards. Contribute to events organisation, and a variety of activities to support the promotion and implementation of ED&I and Athena SWAN.

Main Duties

• Provide first line advice and support in relation to the College's duties, responsibilities and plans concerning ED&I and Athena SWAN.
• Analyse staff data by gender and other diversity characteristics and produce graphs and trend analysis to present the information for Schools.
• Oversee staff consultations: prepare and carry out staff and student online and one to one surveys; collate information to monitor staff satisfaction and success of Action Plan measures; identify issues for action
• Attend Athena SWAN-related events outside the College and University: e.g. regional meetings, Athena SWAN assessment panels (when invited), liaison with other Colleges to develop shared initiatives
• Liaise with Schools to support their preparations for submitting applications for Athena SWAN awards, including drafting applications. Develop an Athena SWAN 'Guide for Schools' and associated information on best practice on addressing gender and wider ED&I in departments.
• Attend ED&I related meetings, and contribute to the note taking, progressing of actions, communications and organisation.
• Develop and maintain the Athena SWAN and ED&I section of College and School websites, ensuring that information is up to date. Post items to the websites, organise the layout, and draft content.
• Produce internal communications materials for promoting items relating to ED&I and Athena SWAN.
• Undertake other relevant activities connected with the communication and promotion of ED&I and Athena SWAN and the progressing of associated plans e.g. develop, organise and deliver promotional events
• Manage one or more projects through the provision of significant and high level project management support/make a contribution to larger University-wide projects as part of a project team.
• Draw up project plans, including key performance indicators, identifying milestones as appropriate.
• Report on progress, including preparation of reports, eg financial or other regular progress reports to internal and external stakeholders and presenting to Project Boards and other key stakeholders.
• Provide executive support to Project Boards, work streams and working groups as required; setting agendas, collating and distributing papers and minutes and ensuring follow up action is taken.
• Appropriately assess and escalate issues and risks, including monitoring risk registers.
• Manage project resources efficiently and effectively, and ensure project documentation is maintained.
• Develop and deliver communication strategy.
• Milestone tracking - deliver agreed deliverables against timelines
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of project management methodologies
• Analyse and develop insights from the data to inform evaluation and review of projects
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Proven experience using project management principles, coordinating projects and events.
• Commitment and interest in EDI and EDI good practice.
• Substantial experience of project management, preferably in an academic setting.
• Experience of managing staff to deliver high-quality support.
• Excellent IT skills, with working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office software and using custom systems and databases.
• Substantial project management experience, preferably using project tools such as Prince 2
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
• Demonstrable experience of working on own initiative and as part of a team, to manage workload, priorities and meet deadlines when under pressure
• Qualified to Degree level (or equivalent).

Dimensions

The role will manage projects across the College, over all seven schools. The role will work closely with the Deputy Head of College, the ED&I Academic Lead, and will submit reports to College Board.

Problem solving and decision making

This role will be expected to devise and deliver project plans and consider and recommend improvements and enhancements to project plans by reviewing progress, assessing and escalating risks. The focus of the role is on delivery of the projects. The role will be likely to operate within constraints set by Deputy Head of College and the Director of Operations.

Informal enquiries can be made to Emma Melia; e.melia:bham.ac.uk, or Mark Jeffery; m.c.jeffery@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.