Interim Change Director Recruitment pack

Interim Change Director Recruitment pack

JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Salary: Hours: Contract: Interim Change Director 50, 000-60, 000 (depending on experience) 37.5 hr (additional hours may be required). Fixed for 9 months with an immediate start Key summary of the role: The University of Westminster Students Union (UWSU) promotes the interests and welfare of University of Westminster students by representing, supporting and advising them. You will be helping us to achieve this by providing leadership and direction to the University of Westminster Students Union in managing a process of strategic change. We are looking for an exceptional leader to help us to reach the next stage of our development. During the fixed term of appointment, we want to build the best metropolitan university students union in London, engaging with our diverse pool of students. Applications are requested from change leaders across sectors; the successful applicant need not be a current senior director of a student association, but they must be brilliant! Location: The postholder s normal place of work will be the Regent Street campus of the University of Westminster, located at 309 Regent Street, W1B 2HW. They will be required to attend meetings at several locations within Westminster in addition to occasional duties at our Harrow campus. Line management details Reports to : UWSU Turnaround Board (TAB) UWSU Trustee Board Page 2

Responsible for: People, governance and strategic development and the development of an effective turnaround plan to further build the UWSU in consultation with the TAB. To design a new Strategic Plan in consultation with all relevant stakeholders including UWSU members and the university. This will take into account the key recommendations of the NUS diagnostic report dated 30th June 2017 and the deliberations of trustees in subsequent board meetings. Through a process of turnaround management ensuring the Students Union has the appropriate staff, operational and financial structures and processes in place. To position the Students Union as a credible and independent partner with the University of Westminster across all levels. Purpose of Job: To keep UWSU moving forward and leading change alongside the Senior Management Team. To ensure the effective governance and to develop the strategic direction of the organisation. To plan long term and deliver change in regards to UWSU strategic development and new initiatives. General Responsibilities: Strategic Development Support the leadership team in developing the Union s strategic direction with a 3-year strategic plan for the Students Union in line with the objectives for this exercise set by the Trustee Board. To develop a comprehensive Turnaround Plan for the Students Union with clear objectives and KPIs and present this to the Turnaround Board. To ensure that all stakeholders are involved, as appropriate, in the development of the UWSU strategic plan and corresponding annual operating plan. To deliver consensus on key strategic decisions from key governance bodies and critical partners. To ensure that the all services and facilities of the Students Union are fit for purpose. To regularly communicate with appropriate university staff and other key stakeholders, with the objective of developing constructive, strategic relationships and valuable partnership initiatives. To work closely with the senior management team, and provide leadership, direction and coaching as appropriate. To agree objectives and key performance indicators with the management team and Trustee Board. To work alongside the management team in developing a culture of excellence and embedding a positive and professional working culture within the Students Union. To produce a comprehensive report including options for the future management structure to deliver the new strategy. To work with the senior management team to develop in accordance with key changes in the student market, underpinned by the Union wide Service Standards. Staff management and leadership To inspire staff to be motivated and part of the UWSU Strategy. To create a high performing team environment amongst our staff and services, sharing best practice and supporting each other to develop. To provide leadership, direction and coaching working alongside the Senior Management team and relevant members of the UWSU. Page 3

To contribute performance and development reviews in line with UWSU policy and to identify individual training needs in accordance with the Unions approach. To ensure the ongoing development of staff by leading a strong learning and development culture and championing continuous professional development. Governance To lead on governance planning and delivery across the charity, including the Board of Trustees. To advise the Trustees of their duties under charity law, in particular in accordance with the 1986 and 1994 Education Acts and 2006 Charity Act, and on constitutional matters. To co-ordinate a comprehensive induction programme for incoming trustees during the 2017/18 academic year. To co-ordinate meetings of the Turnaround Board (as regularly as the board and trustee board deem appropriate), and provide a full written report to each meeting on progress to date with each objective and KPI, and recommendations for further action. To advise the Turnaround Board and trustees on all matters and source information as requested. To attend meetings of the trustees, in an advisory capacity, and to attend other Students Union committees and meetings as appropriate and/or requested by the Trustees. To develop and implement diplomatic and political protocol to ensure that student and officer relationships are consistent with the organisation s articles of governance. Finance Create and lead a culture of business and budget planning created by the wider Union and evaluated by the leadership team and the Board of Trustees. To provide insights and advice on budgets and management information with the Finance Manager as required by the Turnaround Board. Application Information : Applications should comprise the following: 1. A cover letter (max 2 sides of A4) addressing how the applicant meets the requirements of the Person Specification and list of responsibilities. 2. A short written presentation responding to the question, How can improvements in organisational culture positively impact the beneficiaries of membership charities? This should include citations or references to appropriate literature (max one side of A4). 3. An extended resume or CV detailing all relevant employment and consultancy work (this must be concise but need not be limited to a certain number of pages). It is anticipated that the recruitment will entail a two-part process taking place during November 2017. Page 4

o o The first interview will feature a written task and an initial oral assessment by a panel of UWSU Turnaround Board members. The second interview will feature a presentation and an in-depth, interrogative conversation with the Turnaround Board members and trustees. The closing date for applications is 3pm on 31 October 2017 NOTE: Completed applications should be sent (along with all attachments saved as.doc,.pdf or Google Suite) via email (with the subject line Interim Change Director Application to jobs@su.westminster.ac.uk Page 5

Person specification Qualifications Educated to degree level or equivalent Management qualification or relevant experience Project management qualification or relevant experience Experience Significant practical and senior operational experience Significant financial management experience including responsibility for budgets over 1M and demonstrated evidence of achieving challenging financial objectives Practical HR Experience Demonstrated project management experience Experience of working in a senior management team and developing strategic objectives and practices Proven record in developing and managing successful partnerships with stakeholders (both internal and external) to the organisation Demonstrated record of leading, motivating and managing a large and diverse team of staff towards achieving outstanding results Knowledge A comprehensive understanding of customer service and operations management Understanding issues faced by organisations in development from innovation to implementation Skills and Abilities Essentia l Desirable Tested at application Tested at Interview X X Page 6

Able to operate in a complex environment with political and strategic skills and good judgement Sound IT skills for improved communication and efficiencies through the use of technology Able to develop effective and productive relationships with a range of stakeholders to gain engagement and results through partnerships Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills and with an ability to relate with a diverse group of people at all levels. Values, Attitude, Personal Style Demonstrated commitment to CPD A champion of diversity and equality A positive role model who is resilient Additional Requirements Must be eligible to work in the UK without a permit X Page 7

15 September 2017 Dear applicant, Thank you very much for your interest in UWSU. The people who are involved in the union are our greatest asset. This is an exciting new opportunity as the union progresses its work to engage in dialogue with the students and staff so that we can truly understand and support the student experience. We have made great gains in this area and now want to further expand and develop our efforts. All of the information you need is included in this pack. You should have: An introduction to the SU Job Description Application Form Equal Opportunities and Monitoring Form If any of this is missing or incomplete then please request additional documents via email from Michael Abiodun Olatokun, Chair of the UWSU Trustee Board (jobs@su.westminster.ac.uk) Applications are due in by email to jobs@su.westminster.ac.uk and should reach that address by 3pm on 30 October 2017. We wish you luck in your application. Please get in touch if you have any questions. Sincerely Michael Abiodun Olatokun Chair of the UWSU Trustee Board Page 8

Page 9

About the Students Union This is a turbulent time in the Higher Education sector. In a similar fashion to other Students Unions, UWSU faces challenges both internal and external that require a moment of reflection. We seek to address those issues so that we can make the step change in the demonstrable impact that we have, whilst maintaining the focus of the organisation and ensuring that change is sustainable and that the organisation is well managed. Charitable Objects The primary object of the SU is the educational advancement of the students at the University of Westminster for the public benefit by: Promoting the interests and welfare of students at the University of Westminster during their course of study and representing, supporting and advising them; Being the recognised representative channel between students and the University of Westminster and any other external bodies; and Providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities and forums for discussion and debate for the personal development of its students. The UWSU exists to improve the student experience for all students at Westminster. We will engage with all of our members to create a safe and encouraging community, support student welfare, sponsor student led activity, and push for the highest standard of education to allow our members to grow and achieve. Strategic goals We will achieve our mission statement by: 1. Developing a strong Westminster community that is proud of its diverse identity (and heritage) a. A community that accepts and understands where our students have come from b. Communities that are based around our student s lives and experiences c. Enabling our students to celebrate diversity and explore their differences 2. Establishing a single union championed and empowered by ambitious and capable student leaders a. Raising student aspirations and providing opportunities for all students to explore their potential b. Ensuring all members are informed about the opportunities available to them c. Developing our leaders and celebrating their successes Page 10

3. Supporting students to work with the University to provide the highest standard of education a. Giving students a voice b. Empowering students to negotiate change Values We act professionally, whilst remaining student orientated. We are a student led organisation and act as a sponsor for student led activity. We work in partnership with the University but are not afraid to challenge when we feel students are being disadvantaged. We are tenacious in ensuring that our members are heard and represented effectively. We conduct ourselves from a standpoint of inclusivity and both understand and embrace diversity. We accept, understand and respect that others may have views that differ from our own. We are a safe space for our students to learn, grow and understand who they are. We are here to guide and inspire our members. We ensure that involvement with the SU is fun and worthwhile. A strong and stable organisation In order to continue to deliver and ensure we make a real impact on the student experience we have to focus on being a strong and stable organisation. The organisation needs to be appropriately funded and financially well managed. There needs to be good governance and oversight. The staff team need to be well managed and capable of supporting this strategy. Key projects for the next three years Embedding accountability processes. Developing the student voice function. Expanding and supporting course based societies. Supporting and ensuring consistency within our sports teams. Focusing on student employability and enterprise. Identifying how UWSU can support the University s global strategy. Implementing a student engagement strategy. Ensuring financial and organisational stability. Developing pro-active diversity, tolerance and understanding between our members. What do we do? Page 11

Student Engagement and Activities Research Representation and Welfare We provide a professional advice service at each of the main sites with those roles also supporting student representation through the sabbatical officers, the School Students' Associations and course reps. Sports We support over 50 different sporting clubs with around 600 students actively involved. We provide regular fixtures in formal leagues and recreational sporting opportunities. Societies We have over 100 different student societies which allow students to meet, engage and socialise around particular interests. This could be based on culture, nationality, faith, academic study or hobbies and personal interests. Over 2000 students engage with our societies and their activities. Friends of Arriving New Students (FANS) We train current students to provide a personal welcome to students and they are integrated into the academic welcome programme. Course Representatives and Liberation Officers These provide representative lead events and campaign programmes that are directly relevant to the students. They also support the Sabbatical officer. Trading and income The Undercroft Bar The bar is based on the Harrow campus and provides a social focus for the 2,500 students based at the site. It is a 300-capacity space that offers a bar and food service. It includes a small performance area, bar and outside garden space. It provides general bar services and also events that both entertain and showcase musical talents. The bar also provides opportunities to work with the entertainment and music based courses that are run on the campus. Retail outlets We have retail outlets such which provide a range of grab-and-go food, snacks, essential equipment and branded goods. Our shop at Harrow also liaises with the art and design courses to provide equipment and supplies specific to the individual courses. Our events programme We do not have our own bars in central London but have managed to successfully build relationships with bars and venues to deliver an entertainment programme for our students. We have successful feature events at the start and end of the academic year and other events throughout. Page 12

Sponsorship and fundraising We currently attract sponsors for our Arrivals fairs and some ad-hoc advertising in our communications however this is the area we seek to grow. We are a leader in online communications and A/V content for students generating relatively large volumes of content and high viewing rates. We have an active social media presence and significant website traffic. Central Support and Communications Communications We have a media brand called Smoke and run a TV platform on Youtube, a radio station supported by the School of Media, Art and Design and a printed magazine. We have a newspaper style publication called The QH which is an outlet for ordinary students to have a voice. We look after our website, Facebook and Twitter profiles internally. Finance We process transactions, report and manage all our finances internally. Our total income is over 1m and we manage to a break-even budget to ensure students receive maximum benefit from the money. Further information For more information please contact Mr Michael Abiodun Olatokun (jobs@su.westminster.ac.uk) www.facebook.com/westminstersu @westminstersu http://www.youtube.com/user/westminstersmoketv Page 13

UWSU Recruitment 2017 End Information Page 14