Alternative Formats Manager

Job Purpose      

The Alternative Formats Manager will lead in establishing a new Alternative Formats team and service that will strive to deliver an outstanding student experience, supporting a whole university approach to accessibility. The post-holder will provide operational management and expert knowledge regarding accessibility of teaching materials, texts, and assessment materials.

The role will involve managing a team of Alternative Format Officers to deliver support to disabled students and ensure that the service provision of physical and digital accessible materials meet and exceed, where possible, statutory requirements. The post-holder will act as a leading advocate in the promotion of inclusivity and accessibility and ensure promotion and implementation across the University.

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Establish, lead, and motivate the Alternative Formats Team, with responsibility for staff development and performance management, ensuring resources are deployed appropriately to ensure service continuity.
2. Develop and oversee processes for planning, preparing, and converting required academic materials into alternate formats to be used by students with disabilities. This will include investigating the creation and management of a digital repository for accessible material.

3. Provide expert advice and guidance in relation to accessibility of teaching materials, texts, and assessment materials in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy (AILP) and supporting the University’s initiatives around accessibility.

4. Partner with Disability Services and other key stakeholders to support a whole university approach to accessibility by developing and maintaining suitable workflow processes for students and staff regarding accessible materials.

5. Implement reporting tools and internal KPIs to measure success and monitor continuous service improvement, benchmarking against other HE institutions and engaging with students and staff to gain feedback to improve future services.

6. Keep abreast of new developments in relation to legislation, research, assessment, assistive technology and accessibility, maintaining a good working knowledge of policy and practice within the HE sector and more widely, to ensure legal and contractual obligations under equality legislation.

7. Develop key partnerships with colleagues in Information Services (inc. Business Relationship Management (BRM), IT, and Library Services directorates), Academic & Digital Development, the Disability Service, and with College Learning and Teaching contacts, to support the university in meeting its strategic goals and statutory responsibilities in relation to physical and digital accessibility. This will include leadership on embedding an ‘accessibility by design’ ethos across digital services, in close liaison with the Information Office team based within BRM, and positively influencing key stakeholder groups.

8. Identify and promote opportunities to enhance accessibility amongst academic colleagues and raise awareness on reasonable and anticipatory adjustments for students with a range of needs.

9. Communicate and liaise effectively across a wide range of audiences including key internal and external stakeholders. This may include representing the Directorate on University on working groups or committees.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Knowledge/qualifications 

Essential: 

A1 Either: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar or number of different roles.

Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4), or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).

A2 Excellent IT skills including knowledge of reformatting and digitisation services and technology and of assistive technology for disabled people.

A3 An understanding of data protection compliance and working with confidential information and of copyright law in relation to accessibility.

A4 Knowledge and understanding of the Equality Act 2010, Section 6 (Disability) and its applications in Higher Education.

A5 An understanding of inclusive practice and disability support in a user or customer service environment.

A6 Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the latest iterations of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and adjacent local legislative frameworks, such as the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Desirable:

B1 Knowledge of RNIB Bookshare.

B2 Knowledge of licensing and delivery of electronic library materials and online reading lists in Higher Education.

B3 Knowledge and understanding of inclusive design in teaching and assessment.

B4 Experience of managing digital repository software platforms to deliver digital objects to users.

Skills 

Essential:  

C1 Accuracy and attention to detail with an aptitude for using own initiative.

C2 Ability to work independently to demanding project and business deadlines.

C3 Proficient in problem solving and troubleshooting with creativity, adaptability, and resilience.

C4 Ability to analyse data from multiple sources, and compile reports with clear findings and recommendations.

C5 Ability to build effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders internally and externally.

C6 Strong interpersonal skills; motivating, influencing, and engaging across diverse groups and teams.

C7 Leadership skills and the ability to work collaboratively with others and manage, coach, motivate and develop the performance of team members.

C8 Excellent oral and written communication skills.

C9 Able to evidence a pragmatic approach to decision making, ensuring appropriate risk management.

Experience

Essential: 

E1 Experience of delivering alternative formats provision and digitisation and of supporting the implementation of universal design strategies.

E2 Experience of working with and influencing senior stakeholders.

E3 Experience of managing and developing a team of staff; managing and controlling resources to meet business needs.

E4 Experience of managing performance, coaching, and motivating staff.

E5 A strong track record of supporting longer term planning of services, developing innovative solutions and identifying opportunities for improvement, facilitating delivery of strategic goals.

E6 Experience of managing change projects and implementing new working practices.

E7 Significant demonstrable experience of providing outstanding customer service in a demanding environment.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 7, £39,347 - £44,263 per annum.

This post is full time (35 hours per week) and fixed term until 31/07/2025

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.

3 A flexible approach to working.

4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University  https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.