Pro Vice-Chancellor (Access & Widening Participation)

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Access & Widening Participation)

Staff are rightly proud of the excellent work they have done over many years in ensuring that a wide and diverse community of students has equal opportunity to access and succeed in Further and Higher Education, moving into very successful and rewarding careers. It is a passion and belief that they hold very dear and to which they have proudly taken ownership of. This approach has not simply taken place because of Government or regulatory direction, rather it has been at the heart of the University’s mission for decades, as a fully embedded part of a rich and diverse city and region. Major investment has been made to support that ethos, reflected in our approach to Human Resources and in our additional curriculum support. From initial interest in the University, following through the student journey to completion of studies and entry into the world of work or further study. In the future, we want to go much further.

The whole-hearted commitment of all staff and the work we do on our curriculum and support services is evident in our ambitious Access and Participation Plan. In support of our aspirations, we have created a new and exciting role on the Executive Management Team of the University. You will design, implement and strategically lead on measures to monitor and assess student performance, effectively addressing any areas of underperformance to ensure that every student can thrive, regardless of their background. You will drive the implementation of our Office for Students Access and Participation Plan, embedding initiatives in everything that we do. These will continue to eliminate gaps in non-continuation between the most and least represented groups and those from less well-off backgrounds, reduce the gap in degree outcomes between white and black students, ensure equal progression to high paid careers, and parity of achievement for disabled and non-disabled students. Our staff have undertaken very impressive work in this field over many years, with the outcomes and success celebrated and the envy of many other universities and colleges. You will ensure that our teaching and support community are fully supported in their efforts and that we serve as an exemplar for others to follow.

You will have a strong teaching and learning academic profile, with executive and Board level experience and possess significant understanding of post-16 education and training with authoritative knowledge and an impressive track record of successful strategic and ‘hands-on’ implementation of initiatives in the area of Access and Participation. A practical and purposeful leader, you will have a thorough understanding and experience of working with related data and metrics and how these can be used to inform the need for improvements, linking closely to the TEF assessment. The university is a proud holder of TEF Silver but with strong ambition to achieve TEF Gold and you will support all staff in their aspiration to achieve this.

All posts are part of the University Executive Management Team.

Following the studying of job details, informal enquiries are welcome through the Vice Chancellor & Principal, arranged through appointment via Nicola Baker on 0121 232 4034 or n.baker@ucb.ac.uk

A competitive salary and benefits package will be offered together with Teachers or Local Government pension scheme enrolment as appropriate, generous holiday entitlement and private medical insurance.

The University Executive Management Team is currently under-represented with both females and staff from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. Applications are particularly encouraged from females and those applicants from a black and minority ethnic background. All applications will be assessed strictly in adherence with the person specification, experience, qualifications, skills and abilities required for the respective role.

Application deadline: Monday 30 September 2019 at noon

First stage interviews: 29 or 30 October 2019

Final stage interviews: either 6/7 or 7/8 November 2019

Application method: CV and covering letter submitted to n.baker@ucb.ac.uk (further details as per recruitment pack).