Director of Student & Programme Services

Transcription

1 Further Particulars: background information, job description, person specification and recruitment process Saïd Business School Director of Student & Programme Services August 2014 Heidrick & Struggles advises Saïd Business School on the basis of an exclusive consulting assignment.

2 INTRODUCTION The Director of Student & Programme Services will be vital to the development of first-class administrative support services to match the School s world-class ambitions. The appointee will be an inspiring, energetic, innovative leader of a team of 80+ staff across the breadth of the School s customer-facing services underpinning all of its programmes and the entire student experience, from application to graduation. This is a new position, reflecting a shift in the School s programme administration from back-office support to high-quality, customer-facing services, putting the interests of the School s students and course participants at the very heart of its support operations. The Director of Student & Programme Services will be accountable for delivering front-line services to the highest standards, introducing innovative approaches for improving the experience of students and course participants, and providing a role model of customer care to differentiate the School from its competitors. Reporting to the COO/Associate Dean (Administration) and collaborating closely through matrix working with the Programme Directors across the range of degree-bearing and executive education courses, the Director will lead a range of specialist teams, including Admissions, Financial Assistance, Programme Support, Examination Support and Career Services. Direct reports will include the Head of Student Welfare, Head of Admissions, Head of Programme Services and Director of the School s Careers Service. The Director of Student & Programme Services will be expected to review team roles and structures and to make recommendations for improving service quality and operational effectiveness and efficiency. The Director will also be expected to lead the way in developing new service level agreements to express the working relationships between teams and internal customers (e.g. the Programme Directors). The Director will forge effective relationships with the Associate Deans, Programme Directors, faculty and other key staff responsible for delivering degree-bearing and executive education programmes. He/she will also work in close collaboration with other operational directors in HR, Marketing, Facilities, Finance and IT, for example to ensure that service delivery is consistently first-class and appropriate to a leading global business School. The Director of Student & Programme Services will be a member of the COO s senior management team and will be expected to provide strategic insights and recommendations for improvements to operations and services generally, as well as to contribute at senior management level to the development of the School. The role will be based in the School s main buildings in central Oxford, but will have responsibility for programme support teams at both of the School s sites at Park End Street and Egrove Park

3 THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD The University of Oxford is a complex and stimulating organisation, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence in research and teaching. It employs over 10,000 staff and has a student population of over 22,000. Most staff are directly appointed and managed by one of the University s 130 departments or other units within a highly devolved operational structure - this includes over 6,500 academic-related staff (postgraduate research, computing, senior library, and administrative staff) and over 2,700 support staff (including clerical, library, technical, and manual staff). There are also over 1,600 academic staff (professors, readers, lecturers), whose appointments are in the main overseen by a combination of broader divisional and local faculty board/departmental structures. Academics are generally all also employed by one of the 38 constituent colleges of the University as well as by the central University itself. The University s annual income in 2012/13 was 1,086.9m. Oxford is one of Europe's most innovative and entrepreneurial universities: income from external research contracts exceeds 436.8m per annum and more than 80 spin-off companies have been created. For more information please visit Saïd Business School The School is a relatively young, vibrant, and innovative business school, which has rapidly established itself as one of Europe s leading centres for management education and research. Offering a range of post-graduate programmes including the highly regarded Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) and a number of specialist MSc degrees, the School has a significant and growing portfolio of custom, open programmes and accredited diplomas for executives. It is an international and outward-looking School with course participants coming from more than 50 countries. The School is growing rapidly and is located in award-winning modern offices located in the City of Oxford. It has an additional site on the edge of Oxford, Egrove Park, where most of its executive education activity is undertaken. In the Financial Times 2013 European Business School ranking Saïd Business School was ranked 12 th. The School was ranked 23 rd in the world both in the FT ranking of MBA programmes (Jan 2014) and in the FT Executive MBA ranking worldwide (Oct 2013). The Oxford MSc in Financial Economics is ranked 6 th in the world in the FT ranking of Masters in Finance programmes (Jun 2013). In the UK university league tables it is ranked first of all UK universities for undergraduate business and management in The Guardian (Jun 2013) and has ranked first in nine of the last ten years in The Times (Sept 2013)

4 The School s vision is to be a world-class business school community, embedded in a world-class University, tackling world-scale problems. Further information on Saïd Business School is available at Social Sciences Division Saїd Business School is a department of the Social Sciences Division, one of four academic Divisions in the University, each with considerable devolved budgetary and financial authority; and responsibility for providing a broad strategic focus across its constituent disciplines. The Social Sciences Division represents the largest grouping of social sciences in the UK: home to a number of outstanding departments and to the internationally ranked Law Faculty; all are committed to research to develop a greater understanding of all aspects of society, from the impact of political, legal and economic systems on social and economic welfare to human rights and security. That research is disseminated through innovative graduate programmes and enhances undergraduate courses. For more information please visit THE ROLE OF DIRECTOR OF STUDENT & PROGRAMME SERVICES Position title: Director of Student & Programme Services Reports to: COO and a member of the COO s senior management team Direct reports: responsible for a range of specialist teams, including Admissions, Financial Assistance, Programme Support, Examination Support, and Career Services. Amongst those reporting to the Director of Student Services will be the Director of Careers Service, the Head of Student Welfare; the Head of Admissions; and the Head of Programme Services. In total c 80+ staff overall. Location: School s main buildings in central Oxford, but will involve responsibility for programme support teams at both of the School s sites at Park End Street and Egrove Park. Tasks and responsibilities Champion change and drive forward new standards of service provision, quality and efficiency across the School s student- and programme-related support functions. Provide leadership and management of staff across the range of relevant services, processes and operations

5 Oversee staff recruitment, performance reviews and development, ensuring that teams are efficiently resourced, and that staff are well-managed and highly-motivated to perform to the best of their abilities. Accountable for the planning, allocation and monitoring of workflow across Student & Programme Services, and to ensure that collaborative, cooperative and timely approaches are taken by staff in order to provide prompt, efficient, courteous and joined up support. Advocate an uncompromising level of quality and service across Student & Programme Services, taking into account internal and external customers specific needs and focusing relentlessly on driving up standards of customer care. Monitor, review and maintain the section s service standards and operational efficiencies, introducing measures to ensure continuous improvement of customer care and operational processes. This will involve the development and implementation of appropriate internal service level agreements with other departments, service evaluation methods, and the reporting of performance against key indicators. Inform School-wide strategy and decision-making in relation to policies, processes and procedures affecting the student/course participant experience. Work closely with the Dean, Associate Dean for Degree Programmes and other senior members of the School s Executive in the development of the School s academic strategy and policy, as well as in its preparation for international accreditation. Develop systems and processes for the effective collection, maintenance and reporting of student- and programme-related data; and to oversee the secure management of this data. Ensure effective communications on student-related matters with the Social Sciences Division, colleges and central University, and to oversee the timely reporting of student- and programme-related information to the School centrally, Division, University and outside agencies. Oversee budgets for operational support relating to Student & Programme Services, liaising with other departments and the School s finance team as appropriate to ensure accurate forecasting, value for money and careful budget management. Build relationships with internal colleagues and external customers and to collaborate closely with other senior managers within the School, Division and University to ensure that the School meets the standards expected of it by all parties

6 Act as a role model to team members and other operational and administrative staff, communicating the importance of high standards at all times and championing a culture of customer care. Carry out any such other reasonable duties as the COO and/or Dean of the School require. SELECTION CRITERIA The successful candidate will be a strategic, energetic, and experienced leader with a background in the provision of multifunctional, high-end customer services, professional administration and operations. Candidates will be selected against the following criteria: Essential experience, knowledge and qualifications A good first degree or other high-level qualification/professional training. Successful record as a senior manager in charge of large, multifunctional service teams. Proven leadership skills with evidence of having successfully shaped and led highperformance teams across different organisations and/or sectors. Evidence of having developed strategy and implemented operational plans. Evidence of having led cultural change within organisations. Record of reviewing, analysing and improving operational services and processes. Evidence of having developed and implemented measures to drive continuous improvement in operational standards which have brought about marked increases in efficiency, effectiveness, customer satisfaction and service quality. Experience of working and managing teams in a matrix operation, ideally in a knowledgeintensive environment, with evidence of collaborative working across functional boundaries. Desirable experience, knowledge and qualifications A post-graduate business degree or other formal management training. Experience of working at a senior level within higher education and/or a complex administrative setting. Demonstrable experience of writing policy papers, committee membership and/or committee servicing

7 Leadership competences The ability to think and operate strategically, both at the operational and organisational level. Well-developed time management skills and an ability to work on several complex competing projects, prioritising as required and delivering to tight deadlines. The ability to motivate, guide and train others. In particular, the ability to mentor, develop and manage staff, particularly through change and organisational growth. Outstanding communication skills, both oral and written. Able to switch easily from strategy to delivery. Able to develop effective working relationships with support staff, administrators, senior academics and University managers alike to achieve buy-in. Comfortable with budget oversight and the financial management associated with a large service function. Personal characteristics Attitude and commitment to drive towards new high standards and a focus on the quality of the customer experience, coupled with an eye for detail and the ability to anticipate customers needs. Confidence in decision-making and a natural inclination to solve problems with the ability to maintain the long view and to sustain relationships in the face of conflict and/or challenge. A flexible and optimistic approach to the management of change, ever-fluctuating demands and challenging situations. Strong presence coupled with a mature and empathetic personality, and natural tact. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT The appointment will be on Grade ALC6 and the starting salary of the successful candidate will be fixed according to experience. The appointment will be subject to a twelve-month probationary period. This is a full-time post equivalent to 37.5 hours per week, the actual distribution of those hours to be agreed. The appointment of the nominated candidate will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire. The post holder will be entitled to 38 days holiday pro rata (inclusive of public holidays), three of which are to be taken at Christmas when the School is closed

8 The policy and practice of the University of Oxford requires that all staff are afforded equal opportunities within employment and that entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of his or her sex, marital status, sexual orientation, racial group, disability or age. All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the University's Data Protection Policy. Applicants should have evidence of their eligibility to work in the UK. This post does not meet the minimum requirements for work permit employment; therefore only accept applications from those who can prove their eligibility to work in the UK can and will be accepted. RECRUITMENT PROCESS Overview Saïd Business School has retained Heidrick & Struggles to support and advise on the appointment of the Director of Student & Programme Services, in the identification of the most diverse and talented range of candidates possible and in the assessment of candidates. How to apply Applications consisting of a full curriculum vitae and a covering letter (containing the names and contact details of four referees) should be sent to said@heidrick.com or 40 Argyll Street, London W1F 7EB. To arrange a conversation in confidence with Alex Acland or Sarah James-Bryan of Heidrick & Struggles, please said@heidrick.com or contact Ivy Panesar on Key dates September/October 2014: interviews with Heidrick & Struggles in London. October/November: interviews with the Appointment Committee in Oxford

9 CONTACT DETAILS Alexander Acland direct line +44 (0) mobile +44 (0) Sarah James-Bryan direct line +44 (0) Ivy Panesar direct line +44 (0) Heidrick & Struggles (UK) Ltd 40 Argyll Street London W1F 7EB telephone +44 (0)