Benchmark Role Profile for School Manager (APML5)

Benchmark Role Profile for School Manager (APML5)

Version 2.0

Last amended: March 2015

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM

Job Title:Operations Manager

School/Department:Faculty of Science, School of Psychology

Salary:£37,768 to £46,414 per annum, depending on skills and experience. Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance

Job Family and Level:Administrative, Professional and Managerial Level 5

Contract Status:Permanent

Hours of Work:Full-time, 36.25 hours per week

Reporting to:Faculty PVC

The Purpose of the Role:

The role holder will provide operational leadership and management of a team of support staff, including recruitment, development and performance management of staff to ensure the successful delivery of an excellent administrative support service for the School of Psychology.

Working with the Head of School and Directors of Research and Teaching, the role will have a specific business development focus. The role holder will contribute to strategic, budgetary, resource and operation policy and planning, with particular emphasis on developing new revenue streams to support growth.

In addition to School leadership, the role holder will be required to contribute to Faculty-wide projects and initiatives appropriate to the level of the role (in any combination as follows) relating to the following:

• Space and Estates
• Marketing and Press Liaison

Main Responsibilities:

% time per year
1. / To developnew projects and initiatives, working with the Head of School and the Directors of Research and Teaching. Where appropriate, co-ordinating the work of colleagues as directed by the FPVC. / 20%
2. / To be responsible for operational administrative support in the School. Attend School Management Group (SMG) meetings, Research Committee, Teaching & Learning Committee and Student Forums.Work closely with the Head of School to operationalise, implement and monitor agreed School plans. Support the School committees to embed Faculty strategies and plans, source information, prepare documentation and draft appropriate policy. / 15%
3. / Support the FPVC and Head of School to develop, deliver and monitor School progress against approved operational plans and School, Faculty and University performance indicators.
Contributing to the strategic management of the School to facilitate development of research and teaching, including:
Close liaison with Head of School and Directors of Research and Teaching todevelop and implement strategies and policies.
Membership of School Management Group (with Head of School, Deputy Head of School, Director of Teaching, Director of Research), attendance at monthly meetings, drafting reports and following-up on action points.
Liaison with, and offer support to, Directors of Teaching and Research regarding matters delegated to the School Committees that they chair.
Ad hoc policy development and project management as agreed with Head of School.
Representing Head of School in their absence, as appropriate.
Contribute to the financial planning process and Faculty Plan, providing relevant statistics, drafting reports, attending meetings and monitoring ongoing performance against plans.
Take a pro-active role in the development of new revenue streams for the School. This will include, but not be limited to, (1) further developing existing links and forming new relationships with local/national/international organisations to develop potential research partnerships; (2) develop ideas for new academic UG and PG courses, in conjunction with the Director of Teaching and PG studies, and prepare the appropriate business cases; (3) assist staff to develop new CPD courses and summer schools. / 20%
4. / Manage the financial planning process including budgeting, financial forecasting and financial controls (both operational and research), working in partnership with the Faculty Business Partner and the Head of Operations responsible for finance.
This includes:
Budget setting with respect to the School’s non-pay budget (with Head of School and School Finance Adviser).
Ongoing budget monitoring and preparation of key management data.
Development and review of methodology for allocating non-pay budgets.
Oversee, in conjunction with the Director of Research and Research Manager, the management of the School’s research portfolio, ensuring terms and conditions of all sponsors are met and research spend is optimised.
Provide financial forecasts, analysis and reports to senior staff as necessary.
Oversee and monitor the work of the School’s key purchaser(s), authorising expenditure when required. / 10%
5. / Lead on the School’s administrative processes and business information systems. This will involve overall coordination of operational administrative support procedures and protocols undertaken within the School, including School and University management information and quality assurance systems. Manage the smooth and efficient operational administration of the School to meet QA standards. / 5%
6. / Lead on the collection, preparation and delivery of information and documentation for internal and external quality audits and other Quality Assurance activities. / 5%
7. / In conjunction with the School’s Technical Manager (who will take responsibility) oversee and strategically manage the physical infrastructure (offices, teaching facilities, reception and communal space), equipment and consumables, so as to provide an effective, efficient, attractive and safe working environment for the benefit of staff, students and visitors.
Liaise with the School’s Technical Manager to oversee the operational, safety and maintenance requirements of common research and teaching tools used in psychological science (EEG, fNIRS, eye tracking, TMS, visual simulators, equipment for testing visual/auditory/somatosensory function, psychological test library and software for psychology practical classes). / 10%
8. / Support the operational delivery of the Faculty HR administration processes managed by level 4 staff (e.g. fixed-term contracts, PDPR, recruitment, promotions, post re-grading, workload planning etc). Work in partnership with other staff, Faculty HR Business Partner and Director of Operations responsible for HR/people,taking prompt action to mitigate risks and barriers to operational effectiveness and areas of underperformance.
This includes:
Support in recruiting new staff.
Overseeing sponsorship arrangements for international visiting staff and ongoing monitoringafter they arrive.
Review APM staff vacancies to determine need and replacement strategy.
Ensuring University guidance on HR issues is followed by all staff members.
Attend monthly update meetings with Head of School and HR adviser.
Overall responsibility for management of ‘sensitive’ staffing issues relating to APM staff (e.g. discipline, sickness, honorarium, PDPR). / 15%
9. / Any other duties appropriate to the grade and role

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications/Education / Either professionally qualified/relevant degree, and/or significant hands-on experience in similar or related roles. / Postgraduate qualification in business or public administration, or equivalent.
Experience / Proven experience of:
An administrative management role within a single site/team of a large, complex, matrix organisation.
Managing and establishing new administrative systems and procedures.
Financial management and reporting.
Supporting senior management teams.
Developing and implementing service excellence.
Creating a continuous improvement culture. / Management experience within UK HE sector.
Skills and competencies / Proven skills and competencies in:
Operational planning.
Team leadership and management.
Successful problem-solving.
Self-motivation and ability to motivate and lead others.
Excellent verbal, written and presentational skills.
Discretion to handle sensitive and confidential issues and manage conflict effectively.
Excellent IT skills to include knowledge of University systems or previous experience with financial management packages and costing tools.

Decision Making

i)Taken independently by the role holder;

• Manage own workload.
• Development, review and implementation of administrative procedures and standards.
• Line management of School administrative support staff, including recruitment, performance management, staff development and any disciplinary issues/grievances.
• Expenditure related to areas of responsibility within agreed budget allocations.
• Implementation of University directives.

ii)Taken in collaboration with others;

• Development of school strategies and policies in collaboration with the Head of School and other Faculty staff.
• Setting of budgets with the School Financial Adviser and Head of School.
• Planning and School strategy.

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

• Expenditure beyond agreed budget allocations.
• Performance and disciplinary issues relating to academic and research staff.
• Major issues that pose significant risks to the School.

Additional Information

This role is pivotal to the strategic management and daily operations of the School of Psychology and is the most senior administrative positionwithin the School. The role holder is required to develop policies and procedures commensurate with the delivery of all school functions and has considerable freedom in decision-making and target setting. The role would suit applicants with a strong interest in project management and developing new business proposals.

/ 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.