Head of Operations United Kingdom
Job description
University of Warwick, Centre for Teacher Education (CTE) are looking to recruit an experienced HE administrator to the role of Head of Operations.
CTE is a vibrant, collegiate community in which to work and gain further experience working at a senior level within the University of Warwick.
As head of the Centre’s administration, the role leads a team of 15 Professional Support Services staff. The postholder will need to work with their four direct line reports to use their transferrable skills to quickly get to grips with managing a range of complex and highly regulated teacher training and professional development programmes.
The Head of Operations plays a critical role in:
- Ensuring smooth operating of the department.
- Ensuring compliance of all activities, especially in relation to the safeguarding of children and ensuring reasonable adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act to both learning in the context of Higher Education and work-based training in the context of school placement.
- Facilitating and managing the strategic and operational planning for the Centre.
- (alongside the Centre’s finance link) …ensuring the financial sustainability of the Centre.
- (alongside the Senior Tutor) …ensuring a high-quality student experience for prospective and current students with a diversity of backgrounds and learning needs.
CTE currently has a hybrid working policy where some working from home is possible, where preferred. More time on campus will be required during school/university term time.
We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.
For an informal discussion about the role, please feel free to contact Professor Kate Ireland ([email protected] ) or Dr Andy Hind ([email protected]).
Interview Date: TBC.
Job Description
The role spans the breadth of CTE's activities and is a key member of the senior leadership team, supporting the Director in developing and implementing the strategic priorities for the Centre. Having lead responsibility for overseeing all operational activity (student services and experience, HR, financial, facilities, business development and continuity, marketing, teaching administration, IT, contracting) to achieve the objectives of the Centre.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To lead and line-manage CTE's professional services staff to achieve excellence in teaching by implementing best practice in administration and management to deliver the Centre's academic activities, working collaboratively with all levels of academic, teaching, administrative and technical staff in the management of the full range of functions within the Centre.
To support the effective and efficient operational aspects of the PGCE and other programmes, developing and improving the Centre's systems, processes, and procedures for all aspects of its academic activities including:
- Assisting with the organisation of teaching delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to make the most effective use of staffing, budget and accommodation and timetable constraints.
- Managing and monitoring systems for compliance with the regulatory, quality and audit procedures for the Centre's undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as required by the University and professional bodies, and ensuring that the systems for monitoring them are robust and fit for purpose. Ensure compliance is balanced with a commitment to innovation and academic enterprise.
- Supporting the Centre's Education Committee to quality assure and monitor the Centre's activities to promote closer co-ordination of the various aspects of CTE's work.
Financial Responsibilities
- To plan and manage departmental budgets to ensure effective control and adherence to financial regulations.
- To support the preparation of all financial forecasts including the Centre's five-year planning documentation.
- To monitor income from external sources (consultancy/schools) to ensure appropriate financial information and advice is provided.
- To manage administrative support for external bid applications costing and management.
- To manage financial systems and assist with the development and implementation of long-term financial strategies to meet the Centre's objectives.
To oversee, monitor and implement personnel procedures and policies for the appointment, development, and support of academic and support staff, including those employed on a part-time contract, and to assist in the development of long-term HR strategies to meet the Centre's strategic objectives.
To develop and improve the management of information and publicity for the Centre, and to lead staff in the development of databases, the quality and scope of the website, the use of email and communication systems between staff, students, and external school partners.
To ensure the Centre complies with data protection, freedom of information, confidentiality, safeguarding, compliance, and other legal and ethical responsibilities, and to oversee the management of information to this end.
To oversee and ensure the effective processes and support for new business and development opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships e.g., the design and development of new programmes, courses and modules, including collaborative provision, and partnerships working with schools, external training providers and other academic departments. Ensuring effective support for the development of new business plans, resource and funding bids, new course, and module approval processes.
To manage the organisation of the Centre's committees and ensure effective committee servicing which supports governance, strategy, and decision-making processes as well as the dissemination of information and effective internal communications.
To work in close liaison with the University's central administrative and admissions departments, where appropriate to ensure:
- delivery of effective, consistent and integrated administrative systems and services.
- regulatory and procedural compliance.
- provision of accurate, complete, and timely data and information.
- effective communications.
- serve on working groups and committees, supporting wider processes and strategic departmental reviews.
To manage the Centre's facilities, accommodation, equipment and to advise on future needs. To ensure that annual bids and reports on accommodation to relevant University bodies are prepared and to oversee minor works and liaise with Estates.
To oversee the Centre's IT functions to ensure that technology is deployed effectively in support of achieving the Centre's strategic and operational priorities.
To act as Sustainability and Health & Safety Officer for the Centre.
Our vision and ambition for the Centre for Teacher Education (CTE) derives from a commitment to continue the long history of Teacher Education at the University of Warwick where generations of new teachers gain employment in our partner schools to improve the life chances of the children they teach. Our programmes are underpinned by our core values of social justice, intellectual curiosity, and creativity.
The Centre builds on the success of Warwick's existing expertise in teacher training, which was most recently graded as outstanding by OfSTED in 2016. In addition to the traditional PGCE core training route, the CTE also offers PGCE School Direct, PGCEi and iQTS. Our PGCEs cover early years, primary and secondary across a range of subject specialisms and all include Masters level credits as standard. The MA in professional Education offers a progression route for these teachers and increasingly an opportunity for schools and networks of schools to work towards on collaborative University MA awards.
Student experience and high-quality provision are the foundations on which the CTE is built. We regularly provide all of our trainees, partners and other stakeholders with opportunities to tell us about their experiences, so that we can continually improve and become a world-class provider of professional education. Looking ahead, the CTE aims to become a thought leader in teacher training in addition to developing a series of global opportunities for bespoke professional development that makes use of the most effective learning technologies available.
For further information about the University of Warwick, please read our University Further Particulars.
For further information about the department, please visit the departmental website.
Other Information
The University of Warwick provides an inclusive working and learning environment, recognising, and respecting every individual’s differences. We welcome applications from individuals who identify with any of the protected characteristics a defined by the Equality Act 2010.
Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.
We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here.
Athena SWAN
The University of Warwick holds an Athena SWAN Silver award; a national initiative to promote gender equality for all staff and students. Further information about the work of the University in relation to Athena SWAN can be found at the following link: Athena Swan (warwick.ac.uk).
EUTOPIA European University alliance
The University of Warwick is one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University alliance, whose aim is to become by 2025 an open, multicultural, confederated operation of connected campuses.
Right to work in the UK
If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa in the UK points-based immigration system please click on this link which contains further information about obtaining right to work in the UK and details about eligibility for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa.
Benefits and Rewards
Please refer to this link for a full list of our employee benefits here at Warwick here.
