Job Title: Senior Department Manager (Student Opportunities)

Job Description

Job title: Senior Department Manager (Student Opportunities)

– Maternity Cover 17th August 2015 to 29th July 2016

Salary: £30,000 per annum

Responsible to: Chief Executive

Direct reports: Activities Manager, Student Experience Manager

Indirect Reports: Student Sports Coordinator, Sports Administrator, Societies & Media Coordinator, Student Opportunities Administrator, Volunteering Coordinator, Student Voice Coordinator x 2 and student staff.

Strategic relationships: Senior managers and Trustees from Portsmouth Students’ Union, Senior staff from the University of Portsmouth, staff and senior managers of other SU’s, NUS and NUS Services.

Hours of work: 35 hours per week.

Purpose of the post: The post-holder will lead the management of the Union’s Student Opportunities department comprising of the Student Activities function (sports, societies and media), Representation function and the Volunteering function. In addition the post-holder will be required to deliver the 15/16 departmental projects as set out in the strategic plan. The post-holder will deliver the Union’s Student Opportunities strategies as agreed by the Head of Student Opportunities. The post-holder will also be responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of the Union’s new representative and democratic structures. Senior Managers will offer the highest levels of support to the elected officers. In addition, the post holder will be a member of the Union’s senior management team and ensure that whenever possible, students’ expectations are exceeded.

Authority and direction is delegated from the Union’s Trustees, via the Chief Executive

Duties and responsibilities

1.0  Strategic project delivery and departmental leadership

·  The role’s focus is to deliver the on-going implementation of strategies relating to the Student Opportunities activity of the Students Union in the absence of the Head of Student Opportunities. The key projects for the year in post will include:

o  implementation of the new Governance structure,

o  implementation of action plans for agreed Activities, AU and Volunteering strategies

o  leading the on-going development of the employment skills ‘do more, be more’ project

o  overseeing the group funding review project

·  To optimise student involvement and engagement is essential, as is identifying and leading the on-going development work of including student communities that show lower engagement.

·  To maintain a skilled, motivated and productive staff team through effective line management – including the delivery of personal development, monitoring of annual plans, delivery of department development days.

·  To ensure the effective liaison with the Chief Executive and Heads of Department of the organisation to deliver Union wide agreed goals and targets – monitoring and reviewing activity, guidelines and procedures

·  Manage and evaluate risk associated with departmental activity and implement risk management processes as required.

·  Use knowledge of the regulations, policies, and eligibility requirements or specific activity and ensure compliance.

2.0  Staff management

·  To manage the work of line managed staff and retain oversight of indirect reports

·  To monitor the workloads of staff, ensuring that staff levels are adequate and efficient.

·  To provide leadership, direction and coaching to staff.

·  To undertake performance reviews of all staff, in line with the Union’s policy.

·  To identify individual training needs for staff in conjunction with the Chief Executive.

·  To assist in the development of staff by encouraging a learning and development culture.

3.0  Financial management

·  In line with agreed Trustee priorities; deliver the 15/16 budget for the Union’s Student Opportunities department (which includes the AU clubs and student groups budgets) and support the setting of the 16/17 budget in line with agreed procedures

·  To work closely with the departments managers, the Chief Executive and other Heads of Department to achieve continuous monitoring, restorative action and internal reporting of the financial position of the department

·  To maintain proper financial controls within the department and ensure that the Finance Department receives all relevant financial information promptly, in accordance with financial procedures.

·  To be accountable, along with relevant line managed staff, for the security of resources including fixed assets, stock and cash.

·  To ensure that the Union’s financial resources are used efficiently and that savings are identified where possible and to ensure that Best Value is obtained at all times.

·  To guide staff in best practice in financial management and to ensure that financial systems are adhered to at all times.

·  To proactively report to the Board of Trustees on the plans, progress and outcomes of the department.

4.0  Volunteering

·  To oversee all aspects of the Student Volunteering function working with the Student Experience Manager

·  To work with the University to ensure its promotion, development and recognition.

·  To deliver mechanisms for the capture and recognition of volunteering activity by students, to enhance their profile in the graduate employment market.

·  To maintain relationships with public sector and other third sector organisations in order to increase the profile and reach of the Union’s volunteering programmes.

·  To ensure that training, advice and information is provided and that structures are in place to support and mentor volunteers to complete accreditation of their activities.

5.0  Representation & Research

·  To ensure the provision of support (with the Student Experience Manager) to the Union’s elected officers and course representatives to enable the embedding of the student voice across the University.

·  To ensure that the Union’s attendance and effectiveness at formal meetings is implemented, recorded and outcomes are communicated appropriately.

·  To lead the implementation and monitoring of the Union’s democratic processes including all elections, the new Governance structure, general meetings, scrutiny committees and liberation units to ensure openness, transparency and accessibility.

·  To ensure the administrative and communications support and deliver procedural advice to the Union’s new democratic structures – working closely with the student Experieince manager and Student Voice team..

·  To promote (with support from the Marketing Department) and analyse (with the Student Experience Manager) NSS annually, providing reports and recommendations for action plans for the Union and University where appropriate.

·  To oversee (with the student Experience Manager) the Union’s research activities in producing documents in support of quality assurance at the University.

6.0  Student Activities

·  To oversee all aspects of the Student Activities function (sports, media and societies) working with the Student Activities Manager

·  To maintain the development of collaborative working with the University, particularly in the delivery of Sports and of academic societies.

·  To ensure that the operations of the Student Activities function, including its opening hours, are designed to fit the needs of the membership.

·  To support the Student Activities Manager in managing student feedback, whether positive or negative, ensuring positive change as an outcome where appropriate.

·  To ensure that all areas of Student Activities have a clear link with the development of transferable skills for volunteering, and to develop programmes and initiatives for volunteers to be recognised for their skills development.

·  To promote participation in student activities by students who are under-represented in wider Union activities.

7.0  Ethical and environmental management

·  To promote the highest standards of ethical and environmental behaviour, ensuring that the Union is endeavouring to reduce its impact upon the planet.

·  To ensure the delivery of the Union’s Green Impact project through the Volunteering department

8.0  Service Excellence

·  To ensure that students’ expectations are exceeded whenever possible.

·  To implement and monitor the departments performance against agreed Union Service Excellence standards taking immediate action when necessary.

·  To ensure that all Student Opportunities Department spaces are well maintained and to employ systems to ensure that the highest operational standards of health and safety are met.

·  To ensure that all staff are trained to treat students and University partners in an exemplary manner and do everything in their power to exceed expectations.

·  To deal with student feedback, whether positive or negative, in a courteous, efficient and timely manner.

9.0  Health and safety

·  To ensure that all activity complies with a high standard of Health and Safety through proactive monitoring.

·  To ensure that the Union’s Health and Safety Policy and procedure is adhered to at all times.

·  To ensure that Health and Safety legislation is adhered to at all times.

·  To ensure training is provided to Department staff in healthy and safe working practices.

·  To ensure the health and safety of students, suppliers and visitors to all department sites.

·  To act as a first-aider, if qualified.

·  To act as a fire warden in line with the Union’s Health and Safety Policy.

10.0  Other duties

·  To attend appropriate meetings and produce reports as and when required by the Union.

·  To abide by the Union’s Memorandum and articles of Association, policies and procedures at all times.

·  To uphold and work to the Unions Vision and Values

·  To act as an advocate of the Union, promoting the positive image of the Union with students, the University and the local community.

·  To accept the additional responsibilities and workload as a direct result of the on-going expansion of commercial and non-commercial activities, additional student services and increased engagement & diversity.

·  To work in effective collaboration with Sabbatical Officers and all departments of the Union

·  To carry out all other duties that may be assigned by the Union and are reasonably consistent with responsibilities of the position.

·  To carry out the above duties at other sites as necessary.

Notes

The Union operates a Flexitime Policy which will be offered to the post holder.

This post is a fixed term Maternity cover position and includes a two week handover period with the Head of Student Opportunities at the beginning and end of the contract – it is a requirement of this post that the handover periods are undertaken.

The nature of the post will, at times, require additional commitment over and above normal office hours. Payment for these hours is incorporated in the salary offered.

This job description does not form part of your contract of employment.

June 2015