JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title:HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

Advanced Technologies and Sustainable Construction

Post Ref:PC124

Hours:Full time (1.0FTE)

Responsible to:Vice Principal – Excellence and Learning

Job Purpose:To provide effective leadership and management of the Department, its curriculum and commercial portfolio and drive the achievement of the College's Strategic Plan as a member of the College Management Team.

Salary: £52,909per annum (SCP 51)

(The College is undertaking a Job Evaluation exercise and as a consequence it reserves the right to change this salary accordingly. Any such change may be to a higher or lower amount.)

Closing Date:Thursday 3rd October 2013 at 12 noon

Interview Date:Thursday 17th October 2013

If you have not been contacted within 14 days of the closing date of the position, you should assume that, unfortunately, on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

The information given below is intended to provide an outline of the workload of the job and its role within Preston’s College.

The job description outlines the main duties in general terms only and is not intended to be prescriptive.

The post holder will be expected to work in a flexible, proactive manner to carry out such duties as are necessary and to communicate effectively with all work colleagues.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY STATEMENT

Preston’s College is committed to ensuring equal rights and opportunities for all. Recruitment for positions in the College will be carried out in a manner which accords with best equal opportunities practice. The selection of candidates for interview will be based on the personnel specification and applicants should bear this in mind when preparing their applications and completing the application form.

The post holder will be expected to take a lead role in the promotion of the College policies on Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Quality Assurance.

SAFEGUARDING LEARNERS STATEMENT

Preston’s College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All Preston’s College staff and volunteers are required to undertake mandatory Safeguarding training. The successful candidate for this appointment will be required to apply for Enhanced Disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau. Further information on the Disclosure process can be found at

Corporate Behaviours

  • To promote and deliver the College vision, values and corporate behaviours that are characterised by:
  • Putting the learner first;
  • Empowering and having respect for others, the College and stakeholders;
  • Being enterprising, innovative and ambitious;
  • Taking personal responsibility and accountability; and a
  • Commitment to reflection, continuous improvement and self assessment.
  • To be proud of Preston’s College and play an active role in a “One College” culture focussed on enterprise, outstanding delivery and growth.
  • To be proactive in the development of a culture within Preston’s College which welcomes diversity and promotes equality, removes barriers to learning and promotes and celebrates excellence.
  • To be proactive, adaptable and flexible in responding to what our learners and the markets require to be successful, contributing to the pursuit of excellence and achieving agreed results and outcomes.

Leadership and Management

  • Communicate the mission, vision, values and behaviours of the College and ensure these are effectively embedded across the Department
  • To maintain and develop an enterprise culture across the Department and be a lead contributor in the drive to become an Enterprise College
  • Ensure Department business plans are closely linked to the achievement of the College's overall Strategic Plan
  • To contribute to, and lead on when required, the production of timely, accurate and incisive reports to the Governing Body and its various committees following agreed corporate conventions
  • To be part of, and deliver, the College Performance Management system consistently and with objectivity based on effective target setting, measurement of performance and identification of staff development
  • Lead a department vision which is communicated effectively in the pursuit of outstanding outcomes for all learners
  • Develop and implement communication strategies in conjunction with College Management Team colleagues to roll out the College and Department Strategic Plans
  • Develop and implement appropriate strategies to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Ensure the Department employs appropriate strategies to develop and maintain a strong identity both internally and externally to the College
  • Ensure effective links are maintained to develop and sustain strong and effective marketing, recruitment and public relations activities

Curriculum Leadership

  • Maintain and develop outstanding practices in the delivery of learning and teaching ensuring dissemination of this in accordance with the College’s policies and procedures
  • Promote and deliver an enterprise curriculum to enhance the learner experience and develop employability skills
  • Provide leadership and management of curriculum innovation and developments including the development of Information Learning Technology
  • Develop and implement strategies to bring about continuous and sustainable improvements in the quality of learning and teaching delivered by the Department
  • Ensure that appropriate improvement targets in respect of the quality of learning, teaching, and attainment are established, effectively monitored, and achieved
  • Identify new and developing markets which are aligned to the College's strategic vision and plans
  • Ensure proposed provision is market led and based on robust market research and analysis

Commercial Development

  • Identify and engage in strategic partnerships external to the College which support and promote the development of the College's commercial and other income streams
  • Lead and support the Department in the development of new services from inception to implementation to support a culture of new product and service development that is market intelligence driven

Learner Achievement

  • Manage, and be accountable for, sustained improvements in learner achievement to exceed national averages in all provision and achieve outcomes that are considered outstanding
  • Ensure that the targets for Key Performance Indicators such as learner punctuality and attendance, retention, achievement and progression are realistic, challenging, and achieved
  • Ensure that robust systems and procedures are maintained and developed to support the production of accurate and timely learner data

Working with Learners

  • Ensure the development and implementation of schemes of work, teaching and learning materials and assessment programmes meet quality standards associated with outstanding provision
  • Maintain teaching and training files in accordance with the College’s quality standards
  • Provide timely and relevant information and guidance to current and prospective learners, parents/ guardians and employers
  • Maintain learner records and data in accordance with the College’s data management procedures
  • Ensure that an entrepreneurial culture is developed where resources are developed to support business idea creation and development

Learner Experience

  • Manage, and be accountable for sustained improvements in teaching and learning for the benefit of all learners within the Department
  • Ensure robust systems and procedures are in place and consistently applied to deal with learner discipline and conduct, and work with Student Services to deliver these
  • Ensure effective systems are in place to gather and analyse learner feedback and, in conjunction with the Learner Voice initiative, identify appropriate actions to address learner needs and satisfaction in conjunction with Student Services
  • Create a safe learner culture and ensure that the College's safeguarding procedures are embedded across the Department

Quality & Planning

  • Assume a leading role in the College quality assurance agenda
  • Embed a culture of individual and team self assessment and reflection to support sustained improvements in quality
  • Ensure that the College's quality arrangements are consistently applied throughout the Department and that quality control and assurance procedures are maintained
  • Develop and implement strategies which enable the Department to achieve excellence in the quality of its provision
  • Ensure the Department is suitably prepared for external inspections, quality audits and external verification procedures as required
  • Ensure that College Self Assessment Reports and processes to produce them are undertaken with rigour and drive continuous improvement

Financial and Resource Management

  • Lead the development and implementation of a business plan for the Department
  • Manage, and be accountable for, the Department’s annual income and expenditure budgets as delegated by the Executive Leadership Team
  • Ensure the timely and accurate preparation, analysis and collation of financial forecasts/estimates and returns in conjunction with timescales set out
  • Utilise College systems and procedures within the Department to ensure that agreed financial targets are monitored, met and exceeded where possible
  • Utilise College systems and procedures to ensure that the College’s Financial Regulations are adhered to at all times within the Department
  • Ensure effective systems are in place to manage the physical resources of the Department including security of equipment

People Management and Development

  • Develop strategies,in conjunction with other College functions, to promote personal excellence, learning, and development throughout the Department.
  • Drive high standards of people management and practices throughout the Department in line with the College's Human Resources policies and procedures.
  • Develop and implement a management strategy which supports the achievement of Department and College strategic objectives and develops human resources to sustainably support this, including effective workforce development and succession planning
  • Ensure the Department maintains the most effective staffing structures to deliver the Department and College strategic plans and that staffing resources are deployed efficiently and effectively
  • Establish a culture and working environment in which people are empowered, encouraged and valued and in which success is acknowledged and rewarded

Corporate Management Expectations

  • Contribute to, and participate in, College decision making and policy making processes through membership of College committees, working parties and cross College projects as may be required and be an active member of the College Management Team
  • To promote the College Corporate Strategic Plan and its values and be a driver of change and enterprise
  • Contribute to, and take a leading role, in the corporate development of curriculum, commercial development and to lead on the underpinning quality assurance of this
  • Support and promote the College’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners across the Department
  • Take responsibility for and manage all aspects of Risk Management as appropriate to the role. This includes Health & Safety, Finance, and Corporate Risk Management
  • Comply with all College Policies and procedures (eg. Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities) and ensure that these policies are followed by students and reflected in appropriate teaching strategies
  • Undertake appropriate staff development activities that support personal development and the changing needs of the College and its environment
  • Be aware of, and responsive to, the changing nature of the College and adopt a flexible and proactive approach to work
  • Undertake such other duties as may reasonably be required commensurate with this grade, at the initial agreed place of work or at other locations

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABLE CONTSTRUCTION

A = Application form I = Interview

Essential/
Desirable / Method of assessment
  1. Experience

Successful record of achievements in managing and leading teaching and learning, delivery, attainment and support across a broad curriculum / E / A and I
Successful record of implementing innovative and wide-ranging curriculum, quality or support developments / E / A and I
Experience of implementing strategies to enhance student success rates consistently across a range of provision / E / A and I
Experience of liaising with internal and external agencies / E / A and I
Experience of developing and implementing business/action plans / E / A and I
  1. Qualifications

Degree or equivalent in a relevant subject area, or equivalent vocational/professional experience / E / A
Teaching Certificate (PGCE, Cert Ed.), or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale / E / A
Level 2 English at minimum Grade C or equivalent, or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale / E / A
Level 2 Maths at minimum Grade C or equivalent, or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale / E / A
Level 2 ICT qualification at minimum Grade C or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale / E / A
Higher Degree or Diploma in a relevant subject area / D / A
A1 and V1 Awards or a willingness to achieve within an agreed timescale / E / A
Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) / E / A
  1. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Up-to-date knowledge of current initiatives in the FE Sector and the potential strategic implications for Preston’s College / E / A and I
Up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the external FE funding environment and FE funding methodologies / E / A and I
Effective oral communication skills suitable for different audiences / E / I
Effective written communication skills suitable for different audiences / E / I
Ability to manipulate, interrogate and analyse data drawn from a variety of sources in order to drive continuous improvement / E / A
  1. CORPORATE Expectations

A commitment to the expected corporate behaviours associated with working at Preston’s College / E / I
Evidence of successful staff leadership and management, and a commitment to the future development of a range of staff leadership and management strategies within a broad Learner Services environment / E / I
An ability to demonstrate successful strategic and functional leadership and management, and a commitment to the future development of functional leadership and management strategies including delivery of the College Student Services, ALS, Quality and Excellence agenda / E / I
Demonstrable examples (past, present and future) of a commitment to internal/external partnership development and a strategy for working across the College curriculum / E / I
Demonstrable evidence of improving learner achievement and a clear vision of future strategies that will result in outstanding outcomes for all / E / I
A commitment to a learner-centred approach and to strategies that will place the learner at the centre of all developments / E / I
An ability to demonstrate a range of wide-reaching management strategies to deliver continuous improvement in both the quality of provision and the learner experience, in line with the College’s quality assurance agenda / E / I
An ability to set, plan, monitor and manage financial, staff and physical resources to deliver outstanding outcomes / E / I
A commitment to a corporate approach to strategic planning, self assessment and delivery, in line with all College policies and procedures, and a commitment to being a driver of change / E / I
  1. OTHER REQUIREMENTS specific to thE post

Willingness and ability to work at any site or location given reasonable notice / E / A
Willingness and ability to work flexibly throughout the week / E / A