Head of Business

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Study Group is looking for a dedicated and dynamic individual to join our team as Head of Business.

This role involves leading a team of subject leads and tutors, ensuring that all courses are delivered to agreed standards, follow the agreed curriculum, and utilize agreed assessment modes, resulting in the best possible outcomes for students and the best possible student experience.

The successful candidate will ensure that support structures are in place to maximize student outcomes and their long-term success.

Additionally, the role includes designing and managing the delivery of an agreed collection of courses in a specific subject area, assuming responsibility for the delivery and teaching of Business, and contributing to the leadership and academic management within the Centre.

The candidate will also participate in Senior Management meetings when requested and deputize for the Head of Centre Program (HoCP) or Head of Centre (HoC) on occasions if necessary.

Key Responsibilities:
Leadership, management and personal development

• Lead and motivate a team of Tutors/ subject lead to contribute to ensuring the best possible student outcomes and student experience at present in the areas of Business.

• Provide effective performance management of direct reports, including: setting personal objectives and KPIs; regularly reviewing performance of direct reports; and conducting formal performance reviews according to company policy and procedures driving continuous improvement to the people experience and development of the team.

• Recruit new academic staff for subject area as required and according to Study Group policies and procedures.

• Facilitate, encourage, and support staff to ensure participation in continuous professional development activity, as well as providing regular informal feedback on their performance.

• Participate actively in the Centre Management Team, taking a solution-focused approach to challenges, taking responsibility as a manager and being a key driver of enhancement activity within the centre.

• Plan and undertake regular personal development as agreed with line manager.

• Pro-actively seek out feedback from colleagues and actively engage with this in order to improve performance and grow as an academic leader.

• Strive to maintain a high standard of professionalism at all times, including in challenging situations showing the emotional resilience to work and manage under pressure.

• Pro-actively build effective working relationships with colleagues both in Centre and in the wider network.

Academic and Operational Management

• Prioritise and organise independently, effectively & efficiently managing own time and workload.

• Plan and oversee the design and delivery of all courses in the subject area, ensuring the best possible student outcomes and student experience.

• Allocate teaching resources in subject area according to scheduling guidelines, ensuring that teaching and learning activities are planned and resources allocated according to set deadlines; and are planned and delivered within agreed budgets and meet operational margins balancing the need for Centre efficiency against teaching requirements.

• Oversee the production of documentation for subject area including course outlines, module handbooks, schemes of work and teaching material

• Lead the design and implementation of appropriate, fair and secure assessment activities aligned to the centre assessment strategy on all courses within remit, and ensure all students receive effective assessment feedback.

• Teach modules and/or sessions in agreement with the Head of Curriculum and Progression ( usually up to 10 hours but you may be required to teach more on occasion).

• Work with the Student Experience Team to ensure lessons are appropriately covered when Tutors are absent.

• Oversee the recording and reporting of teaching and assessment activity, including ensuring data is submitted accurately and within deadlines.

• Work in partnership with the Head of Curriculum and Progression to design and introduce new courses, products and methods of delivery and assessment.

Academic Standards, Quality Assurance and Enhancement

• Ensure that the design and delivery of all courses in subject area are conducted with reference to and according to Study Group’s and relevant external agencies’ quality frameworks, policies, procedures and codes of practice.

• Plan, oversee and monitor the implementation of actions from the Centre Action Plan relevant to subject area.

• Liaise with External Examiners for subject area, providing information to External Examiner as required.

• Analyze, respond to, plan and implement actions as a result of External Examiner feedback and recommendations.

• Ensure high levels of teaching and learning in subject areas, working with colleagues to monitor and observe teaching and learning activity, and supporting Tutors with continuous improvement of teaching and learning practices.

• Ensure high levels of automatic progression are achieved for students across all modules in subject area.

• Analyze data and feedback from a wide variety of sources and monitor progress towards progression targets, working with the Head of Progression and Support to plan and implement remedial actions where necessary.

• Contribute to the production of the Annual Monitoring Report, Centre Action Plan, and other evaluative and reflective documents

• Engage with, lead working groups within and promote engagement with center governance and formal quality enhancement activities.

• Liaise with Link tutors and faculty colleagues.

Course approval, changes and program oversight

• Prepare new courses in subject area for approval and existing courses for re-approval.

• Drive enhancement by proposing course changes to the relevant committees or groups.

• Ensure that new courses are designed to meet existing program academic requirements.

Partnership Management

• Lead on developing and maintaining effective relationships with key academic contacts for subject area, ensuring a full understanding of relevant curriculum content, assessment modes, education strategy and quality policies and procedures.

• Ensure effective interaction between staff in subject area to facilitate the best possible transition for students.

• Attend and represent the ISC subject area at meetings as agreed with the Head of Centre/ Head of Curriculum and Progression, providing presentations, information and data analysis.

ABOUT YOU:
Qualifications & Training:

• A Bachelor’s degree

• A Master’s or higher degree in an appropriate discipline (desirable)

• Teaching qualification (desirable)

• Leadership and management training (desirable)

Experience Required:

• Leadership and management experience in a teaching and learning environment

• Experience of leading a team to achieve high levels of student academic performance and outcomes against agreed targets

• Experience of teaching international students in UK higher or further education

• Experience of planning and running complex education courses in subject area

• Experience driving change and building a continuous improvement culture

• Experience of teaching in subject area

Experience of partnership working in the education sector

Knowledge/Skills:

• Ability to operate within quality assurance frameworks or to quality codes

• Knowledge of relevant standards and benchmarks applicable to academic program and courses in HE

• Knowledge of best practice in teaching in the subject area in FE and HE

• Ability to analyze data and identify areas for improvement from the data

• Ability to lead a diverse team of academic professionals

• Flexibility and willingness to work to tight deadlines

• Student-centered approach to planning and delivering educational services

• Knowledge of how to manage change and systems promoting continuous improvement

• Enthusiasm and motivation to be a performance driven team leader