Operations Manager

Job Summary

Robert Gordon University means dynamic leadership, multiple awards, a stunningly beautiful campus, and a well-established reputation as an innovative, friendly and thoroughly modern university.

The School of Pharmacy & Life Sciences (PALS) provide a range of undergraduate and specialist postgraduate courses with flexible modes of study, and our mission is to offer students forward-looking, relevant, supportive, and where appropriate, professionally-recognised education in the subjects of pharmacy, analytical, forensic and life sciences. 

RGU is an innovative, inclusive and professional University, focused on the impact of its demand-led teaching and research. We are the Scottish University of the Year in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Awards for 2021 and ranked Top modern university in the Complete University Guide. We also have a Gold Rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework, placing us in the top 20% of the best universities in the UK for the quality of our undergraduate teaching and learning.

The Operations Manager operates as a key member of the School’s Senior Management Team and reports directly to the Dean of School to work in partnership with their academic colleagues, students, and other schools and central departments across the University.

This is an exciting opportunity to directly contribute to the strategic priorities and operational decisions, and to support core activities by leading an administrative team to deliver a quality service. With a strong business focus, you will strive for continuous improvement and will ensure full compliance with University policies and procedures.

You will bring experience of working as part of a senior management team along with a successful record of delivering highly effective business solutions at a senior level. You will have led on creating and delivering a front-line administration support service, which ideally included digital transformation. Your highly developed communication and interpersonal skills will be central to the role, as well as your sound financial and budget management expertise. You will be an excellent people manager with an understanding and experience of how to deal with difficult situations and confidential matters.

Informal enquiries are welcome to Susan Duthie at s.j.duthie@rgu.ac.uk

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits. 

RGU's ultra-modern campus, located on the outskirts of the vibrant and prosperous city of Aberdeen, offers a superb place to live, work and develop your career. A relocation package is available to assist with your transition to RGU, where you’ll enjoy working in one of the most impressive university settings in the UK, with first-class educational infrastructure and outstanding sporting and leisure facilities, all set against a stunning rural backdrop on the banks of the river Dee.

Salary on first appointment is normally to the bottom of the scale, although in exceptional circumstances an appointment further up the scale may be considered.

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of School

RESPONSIBLE FOR: School Administration Team

PURPOSE OF POST: Working in partnership with key stakeholders to lead the implementation of an effective and customer focused operational management service that maximises productivity for the School.

The Operations Manager will report to the Head of School and will be responsible for administering and implementing key policies, priorities and procedures that support the effective running of the School. Key aspects of the role will be to strive for a consistent service, continuous improvement and ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures from the various stakeholders that the role holder and their team are expected to support.

As a member of the School’s senior team, the Operations Manager will take responsibility for the design of the School’s administrative service and the development of the operational plan that supports the business of the School and University. The role holder will work with representatives from the university’s Academic Administration department to ensure university wide standards are applied and that standard processes are applied across the 11 Schools.

The Operations Manager will take an ‘all RGU’ approach and provide resource to support core university activities and other Schools as required and agreed with the Director of Academic Administration.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE ROLE:

- Strategic Contribution

- Communication

- Line Management

- Course Administration

- Finance

- Research/Commercial Activity Administration

- Marketing

- Customer Service

- Workload Management/Timetabling

- Placements/Study Abroad/Employability

Please see attached PDF for full version.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Degree or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuous professional development to maintain a broad knowledge within other areas

Knowledge and skills

• Sound knowledge and understanding of financial management systems with ability to interpret data
• Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal
• Excellent active listening skills
• Ability to deal with difficult situations and confidential matters
• Numerate
• Ability to clearly articulate messages to a variety of audiences
• Organised with a natural inclination for planning strategy and tactics
• Ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, students, customers and stakeholders
• Problem solving and root cause identification skills
• Must be a team player and able to work collaboratively with and through others

Experience

• Experience of operating as part of a senior management team, contributing to strategic projects and key business decisions
• Experience of developing a business focussed administration service to a range of stakeholders, ensuring it meets their needs and effective processes are in place
• People management, team development and recruitment and selection of an administrative team
• Experience of disseminating high level information to different groups ensuring that key messages are highlighted and understood
• Co-ordination and analysis of data for internal/external customers
• Experience of identifying and delivering standard business solutions through the use of technology, integrated systems and processes
• Experience of managing a budget
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures at an operational level, including staff training
• Understanding and experience of successful change management processes
• Experience of prioritising workload, planning and scheduling for yourself and a team in a busy environment
• Experience of production of written materials for internal and external audiences (e.g. procedures, handbooks and reports)

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

• Subject area business administration/management
• Relevant professional body membership

Knowledge and skills

• Good understanding of the business of School based academic administration in Higher Education
• Familiarity with relevant areas of legal and policy compliance, g. data protection, freedom of information and UKVI student immigration
• A solid understanding of how people go through change and the change process

Experience

• Experience of workforce planning and development
• Experience in the use of HE systems such as SITS Tableau/Oracle Discoverer or Cedar Financial System

Special Requirements

• Flexible approach to working hours when the occasion demands
• Attendance at external meetings

 

 

Behaviours

Team Development - Experience of providing advice or guidance to new starts, delivering training or instruction to others on specific tasks or activities and identifying the training and development needs of the team and carrying out performance appraisals

Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards

Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others