Deputy Director (Policy)

Grade: Senior manager/ Adviser

Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00 as standard. Flexible arrangements will be considered. The US office is in central Edinburgh. Staff are currently working on a ‘hybrid’ basis between the home; office; and attending meetings in the sector and with government.

Application Closing Date: Please note to apply for this role you should submit a CV and cover letter (maximum two pages) by noon on 5 February 2024. The cover letter should provide evidence of how you meet the person specification.

Interview Dates: 20 February 2024 in Edinburgh 

Universities Scotland is the representative organisation for Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions (HEIs). We are highly influential in ensuring that politicians, government and its agencies make decisions that promote higher education and its contribution to our economy, culture and society. 

The Deputy Director (Policy) will be a key member of Universities Scotland’s senior team.  They will lead a range of our work to develop and influence policy affecting universities in areas including research & knowledge exchange; international policy and promotion; and universities’ response to key societal challenges such as the climate emergency and student mental health.  The role is likely to expand in 2025 as a result of planned change in the staff team.  The postholder will initially lead the work of a team of 4 staff and will work collaboratively with colleagues across Universities Scotland and the wider Universities UK organisation.

We are looking for a collegial and persuasive public policy professional who can quickly become an influential adviser to Scotland’s university leaders, a trusted voice in negotiations with government and its agencies, and an inspirational leader of able staff. Experience in managing higher education policy issues will be an advantage.  

JOB DESCRIPTION 

POST TITLE: Deputy Director (Policy) 

RESPONSIBLE TO: Director

Main Responsibilities and Desirable

To ensure that Universities Scotland has coherent insight and response to the policy challenges and opportunities facing the sector, including:

• Maintaining an up-to-date overview of the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector in several key policy areas including research and innovation, governance, international and health.
• Co-operating with members and officers to ensure that Universities Scotland’s policy propositions are a coherent, agile and persuasive response to these challenges and opportunities.
• Working constructively with stakeholders to achieve Universities Scotland’s intended policy outcomes. 

To collaborate with the work of Universities Scotland colleagues on a cross-policy basis so that the collective effort achieves US’s intended policy outcomes.

To collaborate with the public affairs team on impactful outward-facing campaigns and media engagements in order to achieve US’s intended policy outcomes.

To manage directly the work of the US policy teams responsible for research & knowledge exchange; international issues; and health professions student/ workforce issues.

To oversee the work of colleagues’ work on policy issues connected to the governance and operation of institutions, including efficiencies; response to the climate emergency; and provision of mental health and other services.

To ensure that there is effective engagement from US’s member institutions in the development of policy positions in these areas including through engagement with Principals, US committees and short-life working groups as required.  

To ensure that Universities Scotland has effective influence on relevant UK policy, principally through co-ordination of policy positions with colleagues in Universities UK.

Through management and oversight of colleagues’ work, the postholder will be responsible for the business of Universities Scotland’s:

• International Committee
• Mental Health Group
• Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee
• Universities Scotland Secretaries Group
• Universities Scotland Efficiency and Climate Emergency Committee 

They will also be responsible for the team’s delivery of the work of the Connected Scotland network for international promotion of Scottish higher education and the Scottish Medical Schools Board, which are funded partnerships with external organisations.

The postholder will be responsible for seeking and securing external funding to support some elements of US activity. Such funding currently covers US work on international and provision of secretariat to the Scottish Medical Schools Board.

As part of the senior leadership team of Universities Scotland to contribute to the effective management of the organisation including:

• Co-ordination of operational planning.
• Informed contribution to decision-making about the allocation of roles, resources and workload across US.
• Management of delegated budgets to ensure effective and proper use of resources. The postholder will have direct responsibility for the US research budget.
• Such tasks and organisational management responsibilities as the Director may delegate.
• Approving the payment of invoices and expenses following approval of expenditure by the Director. 

To deputise for the Director as required.

To undertake any other such duties or general tasks and hours of work as may reasonably be required and to work occasionally in other locations.

This job description will be reviewed and amended in the light of changing professional demands. A job description is not a rigid or inflexible document but acts to provide guidelines to the duties expected while in post. 

Skills and experience 

Essential:

• An Honours degree or equivalent experience (SCQF level 10)
• Senior experience in policy development and influence
• The ability to understand complex evidence, data and stakeholder perspectives, and to draw key inferences from this complexity.

Based on this, the ability to decide on the best policy option to recommend, in a complex environment where multiple options are possible. 

• The ability to develop a persuasive ‘story’ using evidence, data and argument to create and sell a compelling policy proposition.
• Demonstrable experience of working successfully with multiple stakeholders to achieve outcomes.
• Experience of working successfully in a membership organisation (desirable), or clear understanding of the dynamics of working in a membership organisation (essential)
• Proven experience of successful line management to achieve outcomes and develop staff.
• Ability to plan and manage one’s own time and several projects at at once, and to deliver these on schedule.
• A willingness to learn, to be flexible and to be a positive exemplar to colleagues.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure. 

Desirable:

• Knowledge of university policy issues in Scotland.
• Experience working in a campaigning or influencing organisation or environment.
• A demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Competent user of tools for data analysis and presentation. 

Person specification 

The Deputy Director (Policy) will have a crucial role in leading Universities Scotland’s work to influence public policy-making in Scotland so that it supports higher education institutions’ success, and higher education’s contribution to the common good. 

The Deputy Director (Policy) will directly manage a small team and will develop policy positions with the advice and support of Universities Scotland institutions and the expertise of the wider Universities Scotland staff team. 

The role will particularly suit a person with experience of engagement in areas of policy development and political/stakeholder influence relevant to higher education.  

Within US’s current structure, the postholder will lead the work of a team of 4 staff (1 of them working across portfolios) and will collaborate closely with other senior managers with policy responsibilities and with the head of public affairs.  This structure is likely to change as we take forward implementation of an organisational review, and the post-holder should expect their role to change, with the likelihood of additional policy and staff management responsibility. 

The postholder will report to the Director.