Academic Head of Sunderland Online

To support the Academic Director for Educational Partnerships to provide academic

leadership for Sunderland Online and Independent Distance Learning provision, in
line with University of Sunderland’s Strategic Plan and related supporting plans, to
deliver an outstanding experience and outcomes for students studying at a
distance, and to support the financial growth and sustainability of the provision.

**Key Responsibilities**
**and Accountabilities**:

- Provide strategic academic leadership for all of the University’s online

provision, ensuring it delivers on ambitious targets for student experience and
outcomes, maintaining exceptional quality across a range of online student
provision, and informing financial sustainability
- Ensure that effective mechanisms are in place to meaningfully capture and
- respond to the online Student Voice in a timely manner.- Working with the Sunderland Online Manager, lead and manage academic

operations across Faculties and services (including working with
Programme Leaders, Module Leaders, Academic Registry and other
professional services), for example, responding to student feedback,
timely and smooth processing of assessment outcomes, progression
decisions and awards, and effective external examiner support.
- In collaboration with Schools, Faculties, professional services and external

partners effectively lead and manage high quality programme and module
development and enhancement, adhering to specific timelines.
- Work with Faculties and Schools to ensure online provision is effectively

designed and delivered in line with the University of Sunderland

Curriculum principles, and embedding current best practice in online
learning across the provision.
- Work with internal stakeholders and external partners (including Higher Ed

Partners) to develop systems, policies and procedures which support the
effective management and delivery of online provision.
- Ensure University strategies, priorities, policies and procedures are
- implemented effectively to support online provision.- Utilise available data to recognise trends of programme success and high

performance, along with data indicators of areas requiring development
and action.
- Implement effective change to manage regulatory framework implications.
- Manage the programme review process to address issues, enhance
- provision and support success in key performance indicators.- Work with other internal stakeholders to foster a positive and effective working

relationship with Higher Ed Partners (HEP) in relation to the Sunderland Online
provision.
- Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in the Sunderland Online

community, for staff and students.
- Work with internal and external stakeholders, to design and deliver effective

staff development packages to enhance the delivery of distance learning
provision.
- Be aware of the external landscape in relation to Higher Education and

online, international, and transnational provision and advise internal
stakeholders on associated opportunities and risks.
- Ensure up-to-date knowledge of current progress and trends in online,

international, and transnational learning as relevant to the provision and apply
this knowledge to enhance the provision.
- Work with the Academic Director for Educational Partnerships, internal

stakeholders and external collaborators if relevant to develop impactful
programmes of research relevant to the provision, for example, in online
learning, transnational education, collaborative provision, internationalisation
and sustainability.
- Support and deputise for the Academic Director for Educational Partnerships

as and when required to support academic leadership in partnership provision.

**Special**
**Circumstances**:
University of Sunderland
**Role Profile**
Part 2

**Part 2A: Essential and Desirable Criteria**

**_Essential_**
**Qualifications and Professional Memberships**:

- Relevant Postgraduate (or higher) qualification or equivalent professional

qualification.
- Higher education teaching qualification / membership of the Higher Education

Academy.

**Knowledge and Experience**:

- Proven record of successful academic leadership in a large/complex organisation.
- Demonstrable experience of effective people management within an academic
- environment.- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written, presentation, oral) and

demonstrable ability to communicate effectively with a variety of internal and
external stakeholders.
- Experience of effectively chairing university meetings and Boards.
- Significant experience of higher education teaching, quality assurance and

enhancement, curriculum design and review.
- Experience of the design and delivery of effective online programmes of study.
- Demonstrable understanding of evidence-based and current pedagogy and
- Demonstrable understanding of effective curriculum design and support for

international students.
- Good knowledge and understanding of the higher e