Head of Operations

Position Details

College of Life and Environmental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,485 to £55,295 with potential progression once in post to £62,098

Grade: 8

Full Time, Permanent

Closing date: 11th March 2025

Interview date: 28th March 2025

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Background

The College of Life and Environmental Sciences (LES) is home to around 5,000 students studying more than 100 undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research programmes. It has c350 academic and c150 professional services FTE, and an annual budget of £70m. The College is one of 5 colleges in the University and consists of 4 schools: Biosciences, Geography and Earth and Environmental Sciences, Psychology and Sport and Exercise and Rehabilitation.

We are dedicated to exploring the diversity and evolutionary challenges of life in all its forms. Across the breadth of life and environmental sciences, we discover, apply and translate science, forging major advances in human and environmental health. From exercise, biomedicine and mental health to climate change, food security and resilience we combine original thinking and real-world experience with clear focus and rigour. Together, we are developing solutions to ensure a healthier and a more sustainable future.

Role Summary

The Head of Operations is a senior management role in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, responsible for actively leading and overseeing the efficient delivery of daily operational activities within one of the four Schools (Biosciences; Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences; Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences; and Psychology). The Head of Operations contributes to strategic planning, resource management, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the School's performance and thereby the College's operational efficiency and effectiveness.

The Head of Operations role is a College role, based locally within a School, and part of a team of Heads of Operations, reporting directly to the Deputy Director of Operations (College Operations). Flexibility is a key aspect of this position, with occasional cover and support to other Schools within the College based on operational demand and business need.

The Head of Operations will shape and influence the strategic direction of the Schools to align with the College vision and aims. In line with these responsibilities, the Head of Operations will devise objectives, plans and strategies to respond to School, College and University aims, initiating and contributing to School, College and University projects, leading on these where appropriate. You must therefore be able to demonstrate effective negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to balance competing agendas and priorities to reach an effective outcome. A strong analytical background is important, as is an ability to initiate and lead change.

You are expected to have a broad knowledge of the developments and challenges within the Higher Education sector, a solid understanding of good practice in delivering professional administrative and financial support and the ability to balance academic considerations as well as external drivers and priorities.

Main Duties

• Strategic Planning and Leadership: Develop and implement strategic operational plans that align with the College's vision, strategy and objectives, and ensure that current and future needs are met. Plan and implement a five-year School strategy in conjunction with the Head of School, School Executive Team and College colleagues. Provide leadership and direction to the operations teams within the Schools, Centres and College, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability, reviewing workloads, resources, and training needs, and addressing performance management issues. Collaborate with the College's Professional Services senior management team to drive continuous improvement initiatives and embedding service excellence and coordinate with other College Heads of Operations to minimise duplication, maintain consistency of process and share best practice.
  • Operational and Financial Management: Oversee day-to-day operations within the School, including facilities management, security, maintenance, and administrative services. Develop and manage the operations budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources to inform future forecasting and implement financial controls and monitor expenditures to maintain budgetary discipline and identify efficiencies. Ensure compliance with all regulatory and university policy requirements. Streamline operational processes to enhance efficiency and service quality.
    • Human Resources Management: Recruit, train, and supervise operational staff, promoting professional development and high performance. Conduct regular performance reviews and address staff concerns. Foster a positive and collaborative working environment within the School and across the College. Lead School HR processes by liaising with internal colleagues and external stakeholders, managing staffing requests, drafting business cases (CPAG) and job descriptions, and overseeing fixed-term contract staff activities in partnership with HR.
      • Technology and Innovation: Utilise technology to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery. Oversee the implementation of new systems and processes. Stay informed about sector trends and best practice to drive innovation.
        • Collaboration: Foster collaboration with various departments to support College and University-wide initiatives. Ensure seamless integration of operational services across the College. Lead on specific projects or workstreams within the College as required.

Additional Information

• Any other duties appropriate to the grade of the role as required by the Director of Operations, Deputy Director of Operations (College Operations) or the Head of School.
• This role may require occasional flexibility in working hours to address urgent operational issues and possible reassignment to other Schools based on operational demand and business need.

Person Specification

Experience:

• Educated to degree standard and/or evidence of sustained continuing professional development appropriate for the capabilities required for and contribution from this role.
• Extensive experience in operational management, preferably within a higher education setting.
• Strong leadership and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent financial management and budgetary skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in using technology to improve operational processes and service delivery.
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements in the higher education sector.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term operational strategies.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills to inspire and manage a diverse team.
• Problem-Solving: Proficient in identifying issues and developing effective solutions.
• Communication: Excellent communication skills.
• Adaptability: Ability to navigate and adapt to changing environments and demands.
• Collaboration: Strong ability to work collaboratively with other university departments and stakeholders.

Informal enquiries to Gregg Arrand, email: g.w.arrand@bham.ac.uk

View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.