Benchmark Role Profile for Head of Service (APML6)

Version 2.0

Last amended: March 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM

Job Title:Head of Service

School/Department:

Salary:

Job Family and Level:Administrative, Professional and Managerial Level 6

Contract Status:

Hours of Work:

Location:

Reporting to:

The Purpose of the Role:

The purpose of the role is to develop, lead and manage the work of the service, comprising of two large customer facing teams. To take an active role in managing critical and urgent issues, project activity across campuses, and developing management procedures, ensuring that quality standards are set, achieved and maintained to the benefit of the University community.

Main Responsibilities: / % time per year
1. /
  • To plan, develop and report on the strategic development of the role and structure of the service, ensuring the service is meeting the changing needs of the University.
  • Contribute at a strategic level to the continuing development of the department as a whole through participation at relevant committees and forums. To inform and influence department policy formulation and service level statements.
  • Member of the departmental management team which considers, develops and aligns department strategy with the overall strategy of the University.
/ 20%
2. /
  • To lead, manage and analyse the role and work of the service to ensure provision of high quality customer focused services, to agreed service levels to the University
  • To provide direction, leadership, support and guidance to line managers within the service.
Responsible for shaping the strategic direction of the service and managing the associated change. This is demonstrated through the following activities:
  • Development of service level agreements (used to focus staff attention on key areas for service delivery)
  • PDPR, management team meetings, and regular line manager 121 meetings (used to monitor performance and progress whilst communicating direction or change)
  • Staff welfare monitoring (communicating relevant policies and procedures and applying them fairly, taking responsibility for disciplinary matters, considering requests for early retirement, management of sickness absence etc).
/ 45%
3. /
  • Significant and continuous project management responsibilities including formal reviews of services across the campuses and the department, and implementation of all recommendations and strategies
  • Providing strategic planning reports and recommendations on the future development of the service with a planning timescale of months and years
/ 20%
4. /
  • Responsible for managing the service staffing budget of almost £1 million annually. With service continuation and expectation, discretion is required to match current service provision by using temporary staff to cover absences/shortfalls whilst ensuring pay remains within the allocated budget.
  • Responsible for managing the operational budget of around £350k pa
  • The role holder also has a duty to ensure that the service achieves additional income generation
  • To assess and report for planning purposes on the future budgetary requirements of the service.
/ 7.5%
5. / Management of critical and urgent issues that may have significant impact on the service / 2.5%
6. / To represent the service at senior levels within the University and the wider community to promote the work activities of the department and keep up to date with the requirements of the higher education sector in general. / 2.5%
7. / To keep abreast of current and emerging developments in the field of expertise, in both the education sector and in business that may be used to enhance the service and efficiency / 2.5%
8. / Any other duties appropriate to the grade and role

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications/ Education / Relevant degree or equivalent.
Skills/Training / Proven change management skills.
Proven advanced analytical and problem solving capability.
Operational planning, management and business process skills
Recognised training in relevant standards.
Experience / Substantial experience of managing a large team and service.
Experience of developing a significant team and project management.
Experience of working with and influencing senior management.
Experience of budget management at a significant level
Experience of developing solutions and contributing to strategic planning
Proven ability to motivate staff. / Highly developed understanding (theory and practice) of the relevant fields
Widespread awareness and understanding of University activities and objectives
Statutory/Legal / A well-developed understanding of governing regulations and legislation.
Decision Making

i)Taken independently by the role holder;

  • Own workload prioritisation and associated delegation of work to staff.
  • Any operational decisions on service provision.
  • Implementation decisions following Senior Management’s approval of change.
  • Responses to complaints and associated negotiations.
  • Proactively write reports and recommendations.
  • Management decisions in critical and urgent situations.
  • Short-listing candidates for interview and chairing decisions during interviews.
  • Project management decisions.
  • PDPR
  • Disciplinary measures (in accordance with University policy).
  • Project progress reporting.

ii)Taken in collaboration with others;

  • Responses to complaints involving other services or teams
  • Negotiations for service delivery involving other services or teams.
  • Responses to requests for information (depending on topic).

iii)Referred to the appropriate line manager by the role holder;

  • Approval for recommendations for policy change.
  • Reports requiring senior management approval or which would impact on departmental strategic change.
  • Items with additional budgetary implications.

Additional Information

/ The University of Nottingham strongly endorses Athena SWAN principles, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in furthering women’s careers. It is our mission to ensure equal opportunity, best working practices and fair policies for all.