Job title:Head of Business Systems

Reports to:Assistant Director (IT Services)

Department:Information Services

Location:Watts Building

Post Number:IS5343

Grade:9

Purpose of the role

In support of the University strategy, the purpose of this post is to lead and manage the Business Systems team in delivering its range of responsibilities in respect of our strategic objectives that comprise the development, operation, and management of the University’s strategic corporate and related IT systems.

The post-holder’s primary responsibility will be to be accountable for and ensure the management and operational delivery of the corporate business systems and services provided by the Business Systems team.

The post-holder will be expected to exercise a great deal of leadership, independence, initiative and judgment, working closely with senior managers and balancing their interests with those of the University as a whole in ensuring mutual value and benefit in its IT system developments.

Line management responsibility for:

Business Systems Team

Main areas of responsibility:

  • Deputise for the Assistant Director (IT Services) in relation to the strategic development, planning and delivery of the IT components of Corporate Business Systems in support of modernising the staff and student experience.
  • Manage and ensure the planning, development and delivery of novel and complex technical solutions with long-term objectives to meet the strategic needs of the university in relation to corporate business IT systems, ensuring delivery against agreed deadlines, business cases and levels of quality.
  • Provide strategic advice and guidance on the development and delivery of all corporate business IT systems to all levels of the University
  • Manage and ensure operational delivery of all Corporate IT Systems to agreed service levels and quality, anticipating user needs, identifying opportunities and facilitating change management
  • Manage the work of the Business Systems team in a matrix environment
  • Develop and deliver the professional service activity relating to the provision for the University’s strategic corporate business IT systems
  • Manage and be accountable for the resource planning for the Business Systems team ensuring that customers from across the university are effectively provided with appropriate resources as agreed and ensure that priorities and conflicts are clearly communicated and resolved
  • Ensure and be accountable for developing and implementing processes and systems to support effective management, induction, coaching and development of team members
  • Monitor progress on the delivery of work elements either directly or in conjunction with relevant project or senior managers and take appropriate action in the event of slippage or deficiencies in quality
  • Ensure that individual levels of productivity are maintained or improved
  • To conduct Staff Development Reviews of team members in accordance with university policy
  • Lead, supervise and line-manage the Business Systems team
  • To carry out project work on corporate management and information systems
  • Undertake and be accountable for project planning, analysis, and design of robust IT solutions for university wide corporate business IT systems
  • Advising and influencing at senior levels externally and within the university in support of project delivery objectives and identified business benefits
  • Negotiate with project suppliers and partners to influence outcomes favourable to the university
  • Ensure the provision of a reliable operational service meeting agreed service levels and to ensure security of systems to prevent loss of data, loss of availability, errors in data, and violation of privacy.
  • Ensure that systems adhere to university and legislative requirements in respect of data protection and data retention
  • Be accountable for relationships with key customers, agreeing maintaining and reporting upon service levels and customer satisfaction.
  • Conduct regular tests against agreed service levels and business continuity plans
  • Manage supplier relationships ensuring that suppliers continue to deliver in line with contracts and the needs of the University.
  • To be the Corporate Systems expert taking the lead responsibility for one or more major application systems, and to deputise for specific Section colleagues’ similar responsibilities; and to contribute to the formulation of strategies with their specialist knowledge.
  • To be responsible for the initial technical implementation of a system or technology, its maintenance throughupdates and changes that are required; and to plan, agree, test and implement all such changes, where appropriate in conjunction with colleagues in the University central departments.
  • To act as consultant to other colleagues in all matters concerning interfaces and data transfers between their own designated systems and all other systems, integration with other systems and all aspects of their specialist technologies, and to evaluate with colleagues or decision making bodies alternative technical strategic options.
  • Manage the databases and applications that make up the technical areas of expertise to ensure the technical efficiency of the IT systems
  • To assist with other tasks within IT Services as required.

General responsibilities

These are standard to all University of Brighton job descriptions.

  • To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character of work as may be reasonably required, including specific duties of a similar or lesser grade.
  • To adhere to the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy in all activities, and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
  • To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • To work in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

The person specification focuses on the knowledge, qualifications, experience and skills (both general and technical) required to undertake the role effectively. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria. You will be assessed by your completed application form (A), at interview (I) and in some instances through an exercise (E).

Essential criteria / A, I, E
Knowledge /
  • Wide-ranging knowledge of information technologies, tools and techniques including enterprise system architectures and information management.
  • Well developed understanding of the regulations and procedures around information systems and the consequences of non-compliance
  • In-depth knowledge of software applications and systems applied to business outcomes, ideally in a higher education environment (eg. Student Records, HR, Finance)
  • In-depth knowledge of at least one relevant application platform (eg. Oracle Weblogic, Tomcat), one or more enterprise relational database management systems (eg. Oracle, SQLServer), enterprise operating systems (eg. RH Linux, Windows Server), enterprise reporting tools (eg. Business Objects), or web application development tools
/ A, I
Qualifications /
  • Degree or equivalent professional qualification.
  • Professional qualifications in Service Management and/or Project Management (eg ITIL or PRINCE2)
/ A, I
Experience /
  • Extensive management and leadership experience with a strategic impact
  • Significant experience of corporate IT service operation and development
  • Experience of leading innovative solution and managing strategic planning processes
  • Demonstration of professional development through a series of progressively more demanding and influential work roles
  • Evidence of significant development of appropriate specialist IT knowledge
  • Awareness of current developments in and highly developed knowledge of the principles, theory and practice of IT service delivery
/ A, I
Managing people /
  • Experience of managing multiple professional teams, complex projects, or activities with a strategic influence across a large organisation or impact on a large resource
  • Ability to build teams and create an environment of sharing knowledge and skills, and developing productive working relationships.
  • Experience in implementing technical change within an organisation.
  • Experience of working with technical consultants from different organisations.
  • Ability to motivate others, without direct line management responsibility.
/ A, I
Technical/work based skills /
  • Analytical problem resolution skills and the ability to use them effectively in an information systems environment.
  • Ability to collect and collate information and data, identifying gaps, patterns and trends in reporting requirements.
  • Ability to present analyses in straightforward language, with proposed actions and outcomes.
  • Ability to work with and influence senior management and key suppliers and partners
  • Strong interpersonal skills for motivating, negotiating, influencing and relationship building.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical information to non-technical people.
  • Experience in presenting information to a range of audiences.
/ A, I
Other requirements /
  • Self motivated.
  • Meticulous attention to detail.
  • Able to use display screen equipment extensively, according to health and safety guidelines.
/ A, I
Desirable /
  • Experience of working in higher education.
  • Good knowledge of university business processes and relevant data applications.
/ A, I
  • Any appointment is generally made at the bottom of the salary range for the grade dependent upon experience and previous salary.
  • This is a full time and permanent role.
  • Annual leave entitlements are shown in the table below and increase after 5 years’ service. In addition, to the eight Bank Holidays, there are university discretionary days between Christmas and New Year. All leave, including bank holidays and discretionary days, is pro-rated for part time employees.

Grades / Basic entitlement per year / Grades / After 5 years’ service
1-3 / 23 days / 1-3 / 28 days
4-7 / 25 days / 4-7 / 30 days
8-9 / 27 days / 8-9 / 30 days
  • More information about the department can be found here
  • Academic departments (schools and colleges)
  • Read the University’s 2016 - 2021 Strategy
  • The University has an attractive range of benefits and you can find more information about them on our website.

Date: 5th November 2016

07 December 2018