Department Manager - Chemistry

The Department and role purpose   

Durham Chemistry is one of the very best UK chemistry departments with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Our research spans the range of organic, inorganic, physical and theoretical chemistry.

Find out more about our vibrant community here Chemistry Department - Durham University

The Department Manager role requires an excellent all-rounder with the ability to:

• Work at a strategic level but with an operational focus to support the development and implementation of department strategy in learning and teaching and research.
• Lead and manage the departmental professional services team both in business as usual and also in ensuring responsiveness to change, maximising administrative capacity to deliver departmental strategy.
• Act as a key channel of communication between academic staff and professional services staff, both within the department and across all academic, College and other professional services departments.

• Provide expert professional subject and/or managerial and leadership expertise.
• Manage and develop service, infrastructure and people performance across the professional support team of the department, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
• Provide feedback on team and individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff ADR and performance reviews.
• Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members.
• Help to shape the skills and expertise of future team members and design work structures to meet operational and strategic goals.
• Handle the vast majority of welfare issues within a team, referring more complex welfare issues to appropriate support services/senior management.
• Liaise with key stakeholders and engage in internal and external networks to inform service development.
• Contribute to the implementation of strategic planning and development of the department across a range of activities, making recommendations to the Head of Department and Senior Management Team.
• Within agreed University frameworks, lead on the design, implementation and monitoring of departmental policy and quality standards, procedures and systems to ensure effective working and continuous improvement.
• Promote and develop a deep understanding of organisational policy and external developments, providing high level advice.
• Devolve responsibilities to team members to ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development.
• Monitor all activities and processes to ensure an effective level of service is maintained and all transactions are accounted for accurately and promptly to meet regulatory and professional service and policy standards.
• Ensure all stakeholder-facing staff provide an accessible, friendly and professional service by shaping processes for inducting and developing staff.
• Implement processes to manage the integrity and security of all commercially and professionally sensitive and personal data.
• Take an active role in departmental and University business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at operational service level to influence governance, organisational policy and standards for the service.
• Effective administrative resource management to include allocating and monitoring financial budgets, staff and non-staff resources.
• Analyse stakeholder feedback, implementing and reviewing service provision.

• Manage quality and regulatory audit process for student and staff services over-arching systems and procedures.
• Work with team members and stakeholders to build and maintain excellent working relationships.
• Provide professional guidance to stakeholders regarding welfare, employment and wellbeing.
• Produce communications for promotion and reporting purposes, designing and structuring information and fact, applying creative and innovative principles to influence and engage.
• Deliver professional expertise with investigative and service methodologies, make recommendations and identify priorities to achieve business outcomes and objectives.
• Maintain an oversight of the service and performance metrics to provide analysis of management information and reports for higher level managers and committees, working in collaboration with the Faculty Office and Strategic Planning Office.
• Represent the service and University at promotional events and contribute to the delivery of presentations at conferences.
• Develop external relations, identify and develop opportunities for communities of practice, employers, alumni and donors via extra-curricular activities and increased levels of participation.
• Manage administrative priorities and monitor their successful completion ensuring that the teaching, research and other activities of the department are effectively underpinned by appropriate support provision.
• Develop strong relationships with other departments, in particular the Faculty Office and central administrative departments, with a view to forging an understanding of organisational policy and operational issues and developments.
• Provide information, costings and analysis of statistics to make written recommendations to support strategic decision making.
• Deputise for more senior managers as required.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Working Arrangements

At Durham we recognise that our staff and students are our greatest asset and we want to support the health and wellbeing of all.  Hybrid working supports this ethos and provides many benefits to our colleagues, including empowering people, where their role allows, to work in a manner which is more suitable for them, whilst encouraging our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Depending on the needs of the business and the job role, Durham University is piloting hybrid working for all Professional Services colleagues in the academic year 2021/2022, which may include the opportunity to work both on and off campus and to flex working hours.  If appointed to the post, your line-manager will discuss the specific arrangements with you.  Any hybrid arrangements are non-contractual and may change within the pilot and when the pilot ends.

Reward and Benefits

To support the delivery of the University's People Strategy to attract, retain and reward the very best, we offer a fantastic range of rewards and benefits to our staff, including:

• 30 days annual leave, plus 4 customary days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata for part time) and the option to purchase additional leave;
• Automatic enrolment into a pension scheme;
• Corporate and local discounts;
• Wellbeing resources and discounted health benefits;
• Health discounts on sports and activities at Maiden Castle Health and Activity Centre;
• Reward and Recognition Schemes;
• Personal and career development;
• And SO much more, with further information available here

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/  which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What You Are Required to Submit:

• 
  

  A CV;

  
  

• A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and gives examples of how you meet all of the criteria in the Person Specification below. 

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

As a University we foster a collegiate community of extraordinary people aligned to the University’s values .  Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do.  At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive, and in doing so, recruit the world’s best candidates from all backgrounds and identities. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

The essential criteria for this role are:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience).

• Professional practitioner with specialist knowledge and expertise used to influence events and activities within the organisation. 

• Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.  

• Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.

• Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels.

• Demonstrable people, leadership and management skills.

• Experience of developing and leading significant organisational change.    

• Experience of being able to network effectively and develop strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University.

   

• Track record of management and development experience and/or an enhanced management qualification applied across a large service team or teams.