THE POST

Service:HR Services

Post:Head of Talent and Leadership Development

Grade:G

Reporting to:Assistant Director – Organisation Development

Working Context

The Head of Talent and Leadership Development is part of the Organsiation Development Team which sits within HR services. The Organisation Development team consists of 2 teams (Staff Learning, Development, and Organisation Design and the Change Team which collectively supports the University to develop its organizational effectiveness. This is a new role would sit outside of the two it; reporting directly to the Assistant Director – Organisation Development.

Job Description

Main Purpose of the job

The main purpose of the post is to shape, manage and develop the University’s talent management and succession planning processes for both Academic and Professional Services staff.

Reporting Structure

The post-holder reports directly to the Assistant Director of Organisation Development and will work closely with the Learning and Development Manager (Leadership and Management Development).

Main Duties and Accountabilities:

Leadership Strategy

  • Working closely with the Director of Human Resources and other senior leaders within the University, to develop and refresh a leadership strategy that clearly articulates the University’s expectations of its leaders at all levels; both Academic and Professional Services .
    Succession Planning
  • Work with key stakeholders to develop and implement the University’s succession planning process and associated governance structures including revision of critical role profiles and establishing routine reviews of the plan in line with the workforce planning and the annual University planning cycle.
  • Grow the University’s understanding of succession planning through demonstrating its value to the University’s to senior executives and key stakeholders within the HR service.
  • Evolve the process through networking with other external organisations with best in class practices.
  • Manage the implementation of the plan including regular updates to the HRD and other key executive stakeholders.
  • Work with specific individuals named within the plan and the Learning and Development Manager for Leadership and Management to create capability development plans to prepare them for future roles.

Talent Management

  • Work with the key stakeholders to develop and implement the University’s talent management planning process including governance, routine reviews and establishment and running of talent pools.
  • Grow the University’s understanding of talent management through demonstrating its value to the University’s to senior executives and key stakeholders within the HR service.
  • Manage the implementation of the plan including regular updates to the HRD and other key executive stakeholders.
  • Work with specific individuals within talent pools and the Learning and Development Manager for Leadership and Management to create capability development plans to prepare them for future roles.

Leadership Development

  • Work with key stakeholders and the Learning Development Manager for Leadership and Management Development to:
  • Specify and source appropriate leadership development interventions for critical roles; ensuring that these are aligned to the University’s leadership strategy.
  • Evaluate the courses and evolve them in line with changes in the University’s environment

Coaching framework

  • Maintain and develop the University’s network of external coaches including:
  • Ensuring the network has the appropriate range of skills and styles of coach
  • Advice and guidance on the best fit of coach for an individual
  • Ensuring the process of setting up and running the coaching runs effectively and efficiently with support from the Staff Learning and Development team
  • Evaluating the impact of the coaching with the coachee and coach and identifying any follow on steps.

Contribution to Organisation Development

  • Contribute to wider Organisation Development delivery on an as required basis.

Key Knowledge, Skills and Capability

Category / Skill/Knowledge/
Behaviour / Specific
Personal
skills & behaviours / Communication /
  • Communicate complex or challenging information in a manner to fit the audience
  • Write high quality documents for different audiences within the University
  • Facilitate workshops and chair meetings
  • Prepare and conduct complex presentations for small groups
  • Influence and persuade both horizontally and vertically within the University without creating conflict
  • Adept at adjusting different communication styles to fit the audience

Customer focus /
  • Ability to explore an issue or concern with a customer to gain a clear understanding of the root cause and be able to co-work to reach an appropriate solution.
  • Follow up promptly on any given agreement with a customer and keep them appropriately informed.
  • Know by appropriate mechanisms if you have met your customer’s needs and expectations
  • Author articles and presentations about your area of expertise
  • Establish and leverage relationships within the University, and networking with other Universities
  • Influence decisions and direction at the senior management level

Organisational /
  • Adapt and be able to deal with ambiguity within own workload
  • Adapt and be able to work in a changing environment within the Service
  • Multi-task without sacrificing deliverables

Creativity /
  • Critically assess and measure the value of new ways of working and be open to suggestions
  • Confront issues and solve the problem not the symptom

Management skills / Leadership /
  • Coach and mentor colleagues about work specific activities
  • Set a vision and translate that into operational delivery; ensuring all team members understand and are aligned around that vision.
  • Be able to effectively manage upwards – providing timely and appropriate updates and early warning of issues.
  • Participate in Service/Department functions outside normal day-to-day activities
  • Act as an ambassador for the Service outside the University

Line management /
  • Understanding of the University’s HR policies and procedures relevant to staff; knowing when to engage HRBP support.
  • Proactively lead and support others in identifying and resolving minor issues and conflicts with support
  • Ability to convey negative messages

Talent and Leadership Development / Organisation development /
  • Strong understanding of the University’s operating model and able to translate that underpinning key critical role skills and capabilities. Ability to recognise the significance to talent and succession planning of changes in the operating model and respond appropriately to these changes.
  • Experience of development and implementation of leadership and talent management strategies.

Talent management and succession planning /
  • Experience and successful track record in establishing and evolving talent management and succession planning systems including policies, process and underpinning tools and training.
  • Ability to coach and advise senior Executives in talent management and succession planning related issues.
  • Ability to hold sensitive conversations with individuals on talent or succession planning related matters.

External networking /
  • Ability to represent the University at external events; raising the profile of the University and in doing so, growing an effective professional network of contacts both within and outside of the HE sector.
  • Actively sourcing and following up on contacts to grow strong partnerships with other organisations and external suppliers; creating opportunities for sharing best practice and joint problem solving.

Previous knowledge/experience

  • Highly experienced in managing an organisation’s talent management and succession planning process
  • Good understanding of the current market for the external provision of leadership development interventions
  • Highly experienced in the design and implementation of in house leadership development interventions.
  • Highly experienced in providing career counselling on an individual basis.
  • Experienced in the use of a range of personality profile tools.

Desired qualifications

  • Degree or equivalent
  • Relevant CIPD qualification or equivalent