Role Description: Subject Director

ROLE DESCRIPTION: SUBJECT DIRECTOR

REPORTING TO:Head of School or Deputy Head of School

The role of Subject Director is to provide academic leadership within the curriculum area with responsibility for co-ordinating the delivery of the programmes and ensuring a high quality student experience. Duties include:

Providing academic leadership in the development of the course portfolio and the curriculum referenced to internal and external, including international, contexts.
Developing and maintaining partnerships with external stakeholders to enhance the student experience
Overseeing the provision and delivery of a high quality learning experience to students on the programmes
Allocating teaching activities and other subject coordination responsibilities to academic colleagues within the subject cluster to ensure effective delivering of learning, teaching and assessment activity. Populating individual work plans accordingly.
Being responsible for managing student expectations and monitoring student satisfaction in programme areas including ensuring effective and efficient feedback mechanisms are in place.
Working with the Head of School to ensure appropriate and timely engagement with quality enhancement and assurance processes
Ensuring that academic tutorial support is provided in accordance with University policy
Overseeing effective and efficient management of assessment processes including ensuring appropriate and timely information is submitted to the School Assessment Panel
Ensuring that a timely and appropriate timetable is produced for each programme
Leading the development of innovative, inclusive, efficient and effective approaches to teaching, learning and student success
Working with the Head of School to foster effective and collaborative working relationships and communication.
Supporting the Head of School in creating a culture of innovation, research, scholarship internationalisation, enterprise

Supporting the Head of School in ensuring all activities promote and reflect equality and diversity
Assisting in the recruitment and selection of staff.
Demonstrating a sustained contribution to education, research and/or professional practice within your own discipline
In collaboration with the School and University, ensuring the effective promotion and marketing of the courses and the recruitment and induction of students.
Taking responsibility, in conjunction with the Head of School, for health, safety and wellbeing within the programme areas
Undertaking other appropriate University and cross-School responsibilities and duties following consultation and discussion with the Head of School
Advise the Head of School on resource requirements

Tenure

The role is assigned on a rotational basis to provide opportunities for members of staff to gain leadership experience without placing restrictions on future career paths. The rotation will be on a three-yearly cycle with the opportunity for re-appointment, subject to approval. Decisions around re-appointment will be based on a number of factors including:

whether key activity is underway and continuation will allow for continuity (e.g. revalidation of programmes);

whether the Subject Director wishes to continue in the role and how continuation would fit within their overall career aspirations;
performance of the Subject Director in relation to delivery against role expectations;
the continuing success of the programme;
the availability and potential for other academic colleagues in the subject area to step into the role; and
the career aspirations of other staff in the subject area

It is expected that in the normal course of events, where an extension to the Subject Director role is agreed, the appointment will be renewed for a further three years. However, in exceptional circumstances the extension may be for a shorter period, e.g. where it is agreed to ensure the completion of particular time-limited activity.

Resignation from the role during the course of the appointment period will only be regarded as appropriate in exceptional circumstances.

Remuneration and Recognition

A Subject Director will normally hold a substantive Senior Lecturer position within the University.

Subject Directors will be paid a pensionable allowance of £3,000 per annum in addition to their substantive salary in recognition of the additional duties undertaken.

The allowance amount will be reviewed every 3 years. The first review will be undertaken in February 2019 for the 2019-2020 academic year.

A time allowance of 50% of full-time will be allocated to allow for role responsibilities to be undertaken.

Personal capabilities

To be appointed, Subject Directors will be expected to demonstrate the following:

Academic credibility within the discipline
Experience of successfully leading teams
Evidence of identifying opportunities and implementing initiatives to enhance the student experience
Excellent understanding of quality enhancement and assurance processes
A understanding of developments within higher education, its management and organisation
Excellent understanding of the needs of all students in relation to the learning experience and the impact of diversity issues on curriculum development and learning, teaching and assessment.
Successful experience in curriculum development

The following skills and abilities will also be demonstrated:

Vision for the subject area with ambition for the curriculum
Effective leadership skills with the ability to command respect and build trust
Able to role model good academic practice and encourage others to deliver excellence
Student-centred with a passion for the student experience
Innovative and creative approach
Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain effective and productive relationships
Commitment to openness and transparency facilitating open communication channels both within the School and across Schools.
Excellent team player
Ability to persuade, influence and negotiate
Excellent organisational skill
Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity in higher education.
Commitment to the University’s mission, vision and value
Able to develop and implement systems and procedures to secure high standards of teaching and learning

September 2016 Transition Arrangements

These new arrangements will be introduced from 5 September 2016 as part of the implementation of the University’s new academic structures. Subject Director roles will be offered on a ring-fenced basis to current Heads of Programme in the first instance.

Current Heads of Programme are paid on the Principal Lecturer pay grade, Points 44 to 47 (currently £47801 to £52219pa). New Subject Directors will be paid on the Senior Lecturer grade plus a £3,000 per annum allowance.

Any current Head of Programme appointed to Subject Director whose salary is paid at Point 47 of the pay spine (£52219pa) at the time of appointment will have their salary level protected for 3 years. No additional allowance will be payable. After the 3 year period, should they no longer continue as a Subject Director their salary will revert to the top of the Senior Lecturer grade (Point 44). Should they continue as Subject Director, their salary will be adjusted to the top of the Senior Lecturer grade plus the £3000 allowance.

Any current Head of Programme appointed to Subject Director whose salary is based on Point 44 (£47801), 45 (£49230) or 46 (£50702) of the pay spine will have their substantive salary adjusted to the top of the Senior Lecturer grade (Point 44, £47801) and will be paid the £3000 Subject Director allowance on top.

This arrangement ensures that the salary level of current Heads of Programme is protected and their pay is not subject to detriment on being appointed.