Please send a CV, with a covering letter setting out why you feel you are suitable for this role, to arrive by 12 noon on Monday 8 April 2013, to:

Transcription

1 VACANCY: DOMESTIC BURSAR Wolfson College is one of the 31 Colleges in the University of Cambridge and provides an academic home for over 900 students aged 21 or above, 200 Fellows, 300 senior members and 100 staff. There are more than 450 residential units on site, housing over 500 residents. The College is the most cosmopolitan in Cambridge which, together with its egalitarian ethos, helps to create a very friendly working environment. Full information about the College is available at HOW TO APPLY Please send a CV, with a covering letter setting out why you feel you are suitable for this role, to arrive by 12 noon on Monday 8 April 2013, to: Mrs Sheila Betts (ref. Domestic Bursar) College Secretary Wolfson College Barton Road Cambridge CB3 9BB or by to: college-secretary@wolfson.cam.ac.uk Please include the names and contact details of two referees who know you in a professional capacity. References will not be taken up without the permission of the candidate. Short-listed candidates will have the opportunity to visit the College and be shown around by the Bursar in the weeks commencing 15 & 22 April Interviews will take place on Friday 26 April TERMS & CONDITIONS Salary: Benefits: Hours: Probation: 40,044-43,275, depending on experience Membership of the USS pension scheme ( 25 days holiday per year, plus public holidays Free meals on duty when the College kitchens are open Free parking Use of the gym Use of the Library 40 hours per week, or as required for this senior management role. There will be a need to attend events in the evening and at weekends. The appointment will be subject to an initial probationary period of six months during which the appointment may be terminated by one month s notice on either side. Following the successful completion of the probationary period, the period of notice would be three months on either side. Wolfson College is an Equal Opportunities Employer

2 JOB DESCRIPTION Job title: Reporting to: Responsible for: Hours: Holidays: Domestic Bursar Bursar Catering, Accommodation and Housekeeping departments* 40 hours per week, or as required for this senior management role. There will be a need to attend events in the evening and at weekends. 25 days holiday per year, plus public holidays. Of the 25 days holiday, the College schedules 3-4 days in December. Attendance is sometimes required on public holidays which occur in term time, such as the May public holidays, for which alternative days holiday are given. * An organisational chart showing the reporting lines to the Domestic Bursar is attached. This is a new role and the organisational structure changes with this appointment. The current overall staff structure is shown at: This job description summarises the main duties and responsibilities of the post and is not comprehensive: the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties of similar level and responsibility. JOB PURPOSE To lead the management of the College s hotel functions, specifically the catering, accommodation and conference functions; to generate increased revenue from these areas, while controlling costs; to manage the staff working within these departments; and to ensure the delivery of excellent customer service. BACKGROUND TO THE ROLE Most of the Cambridge Colleges have a Bursar and a Domestic Bursar, although the division of responsibilities between the two roles can differ from college to college. Wolfson College has had the role of Domestic Bursar in the past, but not since This is therefore effectively a new role, specifically to manage the hotel functions on behalf of the Bursar. There is currently an Executive Chef responsible for the Catering department and an Accommodation Manager responsible for the Accommodation and Housekeeping departments. These two roles currently report to the Bursar, but will now report to the Domestic Bursar. A major aim of this role is to bring together the two departments which between them deliver the hospitality side of the College s operations and develop a customer service focus as the basis for increasing external income from conferences, dinners and other functions. The appointment of a Domestic Bursar has been planned to ensure a smooth transition on the eventual retirements of the Executive Chef and the Accommodation Manager. THE CATERING DEPARTMENT The Catering department produces 17 cafeteria meals per week: three meals a day, Monday to Friday, and lunch (or brunch) at weekends, although the Domestic Bursar will be asked to investigate the case for increasing the provision of meals at weekends. In addition Formal Hall is served every Tuesday, and on Fridays in Full Term (68 Formal Halls in total in the year). The maximum capacity for Formal Hall is 150, and many Formal Halls reach this capacity. There are many other formal College meals throughout the year for which a high standard of catering and service is required, including: Guest Nights (4), Governing Body Dinners (4), Council Dinners (8), Matriculation Dinners (3), Fellows Night, Foundation Day Dinner, Commemoration of Benefactors Dinner, Alumni Reunion Dinner and Congregation/Graduation lunches (8).

3 There are a number of private dinners and lunches, and this represents a source of income to the College. The catering department also provides refreshments for a wide variety of functions and meetings, both College events and private events. The Domestic Bursar is charged with maximising the contribution to overheads from these various strands of catering service by controlling costs firmly and setting prices appropriately. The Domestic Bursar is expected to analyse the business of the catering operation very closely and on a regular basis, and to make any changes necessary to ensure the contribution to overheads is maximised. Whereas currently the Butler and the Cafeteria Supervisor report to the Executive Chef, with this appointment all three roles will report directly to the Domestic Bursar. In total there are 14 permanent staff, and a number of casual staff who are used in the cafeteria and for serving at formal meals. There is also a Student Bar Manager, who organises the staffing by students of the Bar. The Domestic Bursar will be responsible for the Bar, and for ensuring it is run profitably. The Domestic Bursar will need to hold a Personal Alcohol Licence. THE ACCOMMODATION AND HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT The head of this department is the Accommodation Manager, who is responsible for a total of 38 staff, many of whom work part-time. The College occupies a single nine-acre site, with the following accommodation: 412 units of accommodation for students, accommodating up to 432 in total 38 units of accommodation for visitors, accommodating up to 71 in total 5 family flats The residents range from short-stay visitors staying for as short a period as just one night, through to students staying in the same room for three years. The renting of rooms is a key source of income to the College, providing just under half of the College s total income. In addition to bedrooms, the College has a number of public rooms that can be hired for functions and meetings, and a major priority for the Domestic Bursar will be to maximise revenue from the hire of such rooms. There is also an opportunity to control the costs in this area further, including salary costs, not least by reducing the level of absenteeism in the Housekeeping department. KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Team leadership and management Lead, manage, mentor and motivate the Catering/Accommodation/Housekeeping staff; Recruit new staff; Undertake annual staff reviews of direct reports, and oversee the staff reviews of all staff under their management, ensuring staff have measurable objectives and that schemes for personal development are in place; Develop professional service standards, encouraging the application of best practice and ensuring that staff are contributing to high quality service delivery; Ensure that each department delivers an effective, efficient and economic service; Measure and improve staff productivity. Cost control Analyse and monitor all catering and housekeeping costs in detail; Analyse and monitor the use of casual staff in the Catering department; Review long-term supplier contracts; Make changes in working patterns that enable the reduction of costs.

4 Income generation Review all prices and adjust as appropriate; Attract conference-style business and deliver excellent service; Maximise room occupancy; Increase the commercial income to the College; Market the facilities and services available at the College. Financial management Create detailed budgets for each area of responsibility; Review performance against budget on a monthly basis and provide 12-month forecasts; Identify needs for, and make cases for, capital expenditure. College committees Play a leading role in the following College committees: House committee (Secretary); Catering committee; Health & Safety committee (Secretary); Staff Communications & Consultation committee (Chair). Other committee responsibilities may be added. Regulatory responsibilities Take on the following roles: Health & Safety Officer; Fire Safety Officer; Licensee for the College. In addition, work within the various regulatory requirements, e.g. relating to food hygiene and the provision of student accommodation. Other responsibilities, including: Main staff contact for the Wolfson June Event; Enable student Green initiatives; Sponsor various staff social events; Assist or deputise for the Bursar in any matter as required. NETWORK OF CONTACTS Wolfson College: All Catering/Accommodation/Housekeeping staff; College Officers, in particular President, Bursar, Development Director and Senior Tutor; Heads of Department, in particular Head Porter, Clerk of Works and Personnel Officer; Members Steward and Wine Stewards; Members of College committees; WCSA Committee; June Event Committee.

5 Other Cambridge Colleges: External: Domestic Bursars in other colleges; Catering and Conference Managers in other colleges, including participating in the Cambridge Colleges Committees for Conference Managers and for Catering Managers; Conference Cambridge (a central organisation run by and for the Colleges. See: Conference customers; Catering suppliers; Cleaning suppliers; Providers of agency staff. PERSON SPECIFICATION Set out below are the qualifications, experience, skills and knowledge that are minimum essential requirements for the role or are desirable additional attributes. Knowledge and Experience: Essential Desirable Significant experience gained in working in at least one of the following sectors: hotels, catering, hospitality, conferences; Substantial experience of leading and managing teams; Evidence of having contributed positively to the financial success of an organisation. Experience of budgeting, accounting and reporting in a complex environment and up to board level; Experience of leading and delivering process improvement and change projects. Skills, Abilities and Competencies: Essential Entrepreneurial, with a flair for marketing; High level of numeracy and financial literacy; Excellent communicator, both orally and in writing; Excellent problem-solver; Highly developed interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels and engage and influence others; Strong leadership and management skills with a proven ability to develop and motivate a team; Strong organisational and planning skills to manage diverse and conflicting priorities proactively; Ability to work under pressure and deliver to specific deadlines Ability to work on own initiative, work with limited supervision and to take the lead in dealing with issues to a satisfactory conclusion; Proven ability to manage change; A high degree of business acumen combined with empathy for the values of the College as an academic institution; The ability to deal appropriately with material and information of a personal and confidential nature.

6 Please note: candidates are asked to set out clearly in their application how their knowledge, skills and experience meet the requirements of this role. HEALTH AND SAFETY Wolfson College strives to ensure the health and safety of all its staff. Individuals are also responsible for their own health and safety. All staff must adopt a responsible attitude towards health and safety and comply with any procedures required by the College in order to ensure the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues and any other persons who may be affected by their actions. They must be prepared to undertake any training provided in relation to health and safety.

7 Domestic Bursar s Team DOMESTIC BURSAR Accommodation Manager Executive Chef Cafeteria Supervisor Butler Accommodation Administrator Housekeeper Assistant Housekeeper 35 Cleaners Head Chef Second Chef 2 Assistant Chefs Breakfast Chef 3 Kitchen Porters 3 Cafeteria Assistants Casual/Agency Staff Casual/Agency Staff