Job description

​The Department of Chemistry is looking to appoint a full-time Programmes Manager who will be responsible for the operational management of taught programme provision (both face to face and online) across the department.  

The Programmes Manager works as part of a team to ensure consistent management and delivery of taught programmes by providing high quality and effective administrative support, in accordance with university and Faculty priorities, timelines and policies. Providing leadership and line management to a Senior Programme Officer and a Programme Officer, you will be responsible for allocating staff resource to ensure consistent and effective service delivery. You will lead and enable the team to provide a high level of customer support to relevant stakeholders.

There will also be opportunities to represent the Faculty in wider university activities and committees, in support of the Faculty’s interests, and to work collaboratively with university functions. You will also ensure that staff are aware of their purpose and are engaging with a shared vision for the university and the Faculty. 

Successful candidates will have a proactive approach to leadership with experience of creating motivated teams that strive for continuous improvement. With a background of programme administration in Higher Education, they will be equipped with excellent planning, stakeholder management and communication skills.  

Information on the Department of Chemistry and the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences can be found at the following links:  

kcl.ac.uk/chemistry

kcl.ac.uk/nmes  

Working at Kings

Kings offers a range of benefits ​and is committed to supporting a healthy work/life balance. This includes Professional Services roles operating on a hybrid working basis.  Further information can be found at: kcl.ac.uk/work at kings

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

• Support Programme Professional Services Staff in managing students’ pastoral care needs, ensuring teams are aware of signposting students to relevant services and that processes and policies are kept up to date 
• Ensure key activities, such as assessment and progression processes, are completed in accordance with university timeframes and policies and to liaise and engage with stakeholders and programme boards as required 
• Manage resources on a day-to-day basis to ensure consistent service delivery (e.g. timetabling) across the academic cycle. Contribute to resource planning when new programmes and courses are in development. 
• Working with Deputy Head of Education to ensure that quality assurance requirements and, where required, accreditation requirements are met for all courses. Providing updates and advice to colleagues. To service committees as directed by the Department Manager. 
• Have oversight of, investigate and respond to formal and informal complaints within agreed timeframes. Utilise information gathered to inform improvements to services and systems at both a local and a university level 
• Contribute to and inform the development of student systems, including online learning platforms and SITS, and supporting improvements to and implementation of other systems within the university. 
• Contribute to and initiate process improvements, eliciting and responding to service user feedback, ensuring training and support is provided to the Senior Programme Officer/Programme Officer roles. 
• Represent the Faculty’s interests in university wide service improvement projects, engaging with relevant stakeholders, groups, and committees across the university to influence change. Working closely with the Senior Programmes Manager to develop and implement service improvements and new ways of working. 
• Produce management information data to meet the needs of a wide range of stakeholders, including utilising data to monitor completion and quality of work undertaken by the team and analysing and providing reports on data from numerous sources such as module evaluation processes. 
• Monitor and review service delivery on a continual basis to ensure compliance with agreed timeframes, expectations, key performance indicators and service level agreements, providing feedback to team members and setting clear expectations. Address contemporaneous and medium-term issues and flag longer term issues to relevant colleagues. 
• To ensure all work is carried out in a professional and timely manner, with appropriate confidentiality and sensitivity. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the Data Protection requirements and to support Freedom of Information and subject access requests. 
• Work flexibly as part of a team, supporting others in times of high-volume activity, and reporting on resource issues to the Department Manager/Senior Programmes Manager in a timely manner. Organising new starter inductions. Covering staff absence and deputising for the Department Manager as and when required 
• Undertake local line management life-cycle processes, from recruitment, through induction, probation, performance management, enabling development and training activities and completing exit processes. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post. 

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience 

2. Excellent communication skills, including ability to draft documents and correspondence, lead and contribute to meetings with a range of stakeholders 

3. Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and delegate tasks appropriately and work to tight deadlines 

4. Strong numeracy skills and ability to extract, analyse and present complex numerical data 

5. Effective, data driven decision-making ability, and able to exercise independent judgement 

6. Strong understanding of user-focused, end-to-end service ethos and familiarity with frameworks for effective delivery 

7. Experience in the use of databases such as student records systems (e.g. SITS) to provide management information data to a high level of detail and accuracy 

8. Experience of leading a team of staff, and experience of managing change, setting standards and developing high performing teams with a development focused and proactive style. 

9. Experience of addressing complaints and service setbacks in a professional and efficient manner 

10. Experience of stakeholder management, and ability to work with a broad range of stakeholders in a professional and assured manner – to understand their needs and facilitate discussion. 

11. Strong commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace through inclusive management practices 

 Desirable criteria

1. Experience of having a longer-term view of service provision, and the ability to plan for both the immediate future and the longer term where developments may be in progress 

2. Experience of using virtual learning to improve the education experience of staff and students 

Further information

Applicants should complete the application form and submit a statement evidencing with examples how they meet the requirements for the job.

Interviews are scheduled to be held in the week beginning 10 July 2023 and may be in person.