School Manager - Uni

Hybrid Based in London 40% 60% Home working 3 - 6-month contract £40.00 per hour via PAYE To start ASAP

Main purpose of the job

The School Manager will manage the operational infrastructure of the school including research, staff, finances, health & safety, security, estates and administration. They will also ensure appropriate services are provided to the department around Education and Student Experience and Marketing and Communications in liaison with the faculty teams. The School Manager will assume full responsibility for the management and development of professional services staff and that school policies and strategies are fully implemented at all times.

Strategic Development and Planning

• To advise and assist the Director of School in identifying short-, medium- and long-term strategic objectives and priorities, providing relevant background data as appropriate to support the decision-making processes.
• To lead on the annual budgeting cycle and prepare budgetary submissions in consultation with the Director of School, senior colleagues and key faculty and School personnel.
• To collect, maintain and analyse relevant data and management information to inform the Director of School of the impact of internal and external issues on the financial and operational strategy of the school.
• To proactively develop strategic alliances with other relevant organisations.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships with key senior internal external partners.

Operational Management and Services

• To manage and ensure the provision of a professional operational service across the School in the support of teaching and research, and to apply appropriate expertise and judgement in that delivery, both through managing others and by personally carrying out key operational functions.
• To review regularly the School operational structure with a view to ensuring an efficient and effective service, and to manage changes to that structure.
• To identify additional service requirements or service shortfalls and design and manage the delivery of innovative solutions to maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity within budget.
• To plan, manage, deploy and monitor systems to implement best practices and compliance with relevant policies and guidelines.

Staffing Management

• To develop, agree and maintain an appropriate school professional staffing structure.
• To manage the operational support team for the school and to ensure the successful delivery of all support services.
• To manage and develop those staff directly responsible to the School Manager.
• To work with colleagues to ensure that all staff within the school are well managed and motivated and have opportunities for development.

Finance / Resource Management

• To set budgets, monitor in-year expenditure and communicate positions within the school to ensure that annual financial performance targets are met.
• To manage the School’s estate footprint.
• To provide oversight on research, consultancy and philanthropy for the school.

Research and Teaching Support Services

• Leading the teaching allocation process in collaboration with the Director of Education and School Director.
• To ensure the provision of effective undergraduate and postgraduate teaching support within the School through close working relationship with members of the Faculty Education and Student Experience team.
• To ensure maximisation of the School’s research funds.
• To ensure the provision of effective support for external funding applications and administration of research awards, coordinating with Research and Innovation Services on contract administration, including pricing and other complex contract issues.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Relevant experience or Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Knowledge of the current national and international Higher Education sector context including developments in funding, quality assurance and immigration.
• Proven track record in administration and management within a HE or similar complex organisation.
• Experience of promoting and providing excellence in areas of administration and the provision of support services, including the setting of service standards and monitoring of performance.
• Experience of change management.
• Demonstrable experience of effective budgetary management and control, including financial reporting and analysis.
• Proven success in business planning and in the development and effective implementation of corporate aims and objectives.
• Advising on employment issues at a senior level.
• Recruiting, managing and developing individuals effectively.
• Experience of institutional systems for HR, student administration, finance, etc.
• Experience of leading on strategic activities for an area of an organisation (e.g. school / division).

Skills and abilities

• Financial skills (financial management, budgeting, financial reporting and analysis).
• Excellent IT skills (Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, databases, email, etc.).
• High level of literacy and numeracy.
• Ability to organise and prioritise a varied and demanding workload.
• Ability to demonstrate effective negotiation skills to work with and through others.
• Record of successful recruitment, line management and development of staff with proven team leadership and motivational skills.
• Excellent communication skills including ability to present key messages effectively to internal and external audiences.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion and display a professional attitude towards colleagues, students and others.
• Experience of leading on strategic activities beyond the level of an academic school (or equivalent), i.e. institutional, faculty, intra-school, cross-institution or at national level.