THE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FURTHER PARTICULARS
Closing date: 20 August 2017 Job reference: 5049
Director of Residential and Environmental Services
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Contents
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1. Role summary
2. The University of Birmingham – a bold and influential university
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n Excellence in education n Campus developments n Global outlook n Exceptional research n Cultural assets n The city of Birmingham
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3. Hospitality and Accommodation Services
4. Job description n Skills and abilities n Key relationships
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5. Remuneration
6. Appointment process and how to apply
Director of Residential and Environmental Services
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1. Role summary
The Director of Residential and Environmental Services is responsible for setting, constantly reviewing and delivering a cohesive strategy that meets and preferably exceeds the expectation of staff, students and other stakeholders through the quality of its products and services. The Director will demonstrate the highest qualities of professionalism in providing an excellent and efficient service within budget parameters and in line with University policies, through the training and development of the whole team, and through effective relationships with key University personnel. Specifically, the Director of Residential and Environmental Services is responsible for the delivery of a high-quality residential experience to around 7,000 students living in University accommodation and third-party nominated accommodation. The Director of Residential and Environmental Services is also responsible for overseeing and managing the interactions of the student population living in the local community. Many of the associated services are managed in collaboration with the Guild of Students, so the ability to work effectively in partnerships is essential. As a member of the HAS Senior Management Team, the Director of Residential and Environmental Services is expected to contribute to the vision and strategy of the directorate and work effectively with other members of that team to help achieve the wider ambitions of the directorate.
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2. The University of Birmingham – a bold and influential university
With more than 7,000 staff and 32,000 students, the University of Birmingham was the first civic university in the UK. Our heritage as the original ‘redbrick’ is combined with one of the most compelling and ambitious agendas in higher education. We have a clear vision for the future, ambitious leadership, world-class academic strengths, and a secure financial base. Being named The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2013–2014 recognised a transformative time in our history, characterised by innovative initiatives such as our much-emulated unconditional offers strategy for exceptional students and our highly successful ‘Birmingham Fellows’ programme for early-career academics. Birmingham is a leading member of the Russell Group and a founder member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities of which our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Eastwood, is the current Chair. In October 2015, we launched our Strategic Framework 2015–2020, Making Important Things Happen. This provides the framework for another period of development and transformation as we seek to capitalise on our academic range and financial strength as well as the opportunities that emerge in the fast-changing global HE environment. The league table rises we have secured in recent years have led to us becoming an increasingly popular destination for the best and brightest students. Our student population has increased by over 4,000 since 2009/10, and we now have over 20,000 undergraduate and 14,000 postgraduate students. Nearly 5,000 of these are from overseas, making ours the second largest international postgraduate population in the UK. Our student satisfaction levels have risen significantly to 88% for overall satisfaction, placing us as one of the best universities of our type. Our highly successful work to support our students in securing graduate-level employment after their studies with us was recognised in 2015 when we were awarded The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year for Graduate Employment. At 86.7%, our rate of graduate employability is the fourth highest in the UK, and a result of the much-copied Birmingham model for employability. Our annual turnover has grown to more than £550 million, and we make use of our financial strength to invest in the intellectual and physical future of the University. Over the past three years, some £250 million has been invested in the Birmingham campus, including a major sports centre and outstanding new student accommodation. Our state-of-the-art Student Services Hub opened in October 2015 and includes facilities for our Careers Network, Student Services and Registry, as well as a suite of one-to-one consultation rooms and a 250-seat lecture theatre. The Hub is based at the heart of campus in the Aston Webb Building and sits between the stunning Elgar Concert Hall and the magnificent Great Hall, venue for our graduations. Our new £59 million technology-rich main library opened in 2016 and provides outstanding facilities for a new generation of students and researchers. The new library houses an increased number of study spaces, flexible training rooms, and A/V listening and video editing booths. Our new £55 million sports centre, due to open in 2017, will include the city’s first 50-metre swimming Excellence in education Campus developments
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pool – an asset not only for our students and staff but for the wider community. We are currently finalising the next phase of our estates strategy, which will see a further £300 million invested into projects such as the new Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, which will bring together practical teaching activities across a broad range of science and engineering disciplines, with plans including a new state-of-the-art facility in 2018/19. This means we will not only have best-in-class teaching lab facilities for our students, but a transformed curriculum. This, and many other developments, will enrich the student experience, and continue to strengthen our intellectual environment.
Global outlook
Rated 76th in the most recent QS World University Rankings, the University has a significant international presence. As well as a large international student community undertaking courses at Birmingham, our vibrant Study Abroad programmes attract students from around the world to spend time in Birmingham. We have made a significant investment to support partnership development with leading universities and key public and private organisations in Brazil. This has created joint research fellowships, visiting scholars, and a large, vibrant community of Brazilian PhD students on campus.
Exceptional research
The University is one of the UK’s most successful institutions in terms of attracting research funding. We have a portfolio of 2,613 live projects with an award value to the University of £574 million. Our research record speaks for itself. REF2014 showed that more than 80% of all research carried out at Birmingham is rated as internationally excellent or world-leading, as well as showing that 87% of our research activity has a global impact, demonstrating our continued academic success across a broad range of areas. Supported by a major gift from a philanthropist, the University is developing a unique institute for forest research (BIFOR) which will investigate the effect of rapid climate change on tree canopy development and pathogens. Our substantive links with industry include receiving a £60 million investment from Rolls-Royce and HEFCE for the world-leading High Temperature Research Centre. In 2014, the University secured one of the four national quantum technology hubs, an £80 million initiative which focuses on technology transfer from fundamental science to application. In 2015, the government announced a £60 million investment into the Midlands Energy Research Accelerator, which is led by the University in partnership with other Midlands universities to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the global economy by transforming research and development in three critical areas of energy: Thermal, Integrated Systems and Geo-Energy.
Cultural assets
The University’s many cultural assets take in the Shakespeare Institute at Stratford-upon-Avon, which has direct working links with the Royal Shakespeare Company and enhances the educational opportunities available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students; the Ironbridge Institute in Shropshire, and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts – our own art gallery that houses works by many of the greatest artists in the western tradition.
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The Edgbaston campus also includes Winterbourne House and Garden, a unique Edwardian heritage attraction that is home to more than 6,000 plant species from around the world. Our cultural profile was significantly enhanced with the opening of The Bramall music building in 2013, funded through generous benefactions. This houses the Elgar Concert Hall, named after our first Professor of Music, Sir Edward Elgar, and is a striking venue that complements our global reputation in music, attracting some of the most talented musicians from across the world to study here.
The city of Birmingham
Birmingham is the UK’s second biggest city and a major European centre. It is a city of historical interest and contemporary vision and has a rich and diverse community that creates a vibrant, multicultural and exciting place to live and work. It is home to the internationally renowned Birmingham Royal Ballet and one of the world’s greatest concert venues, the Symphony Hall. The City Museum and Art Gallery houses the world’s finest collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, alongside a major collection of old masters, modern and contemporary pictures. The stunning New Street station redevelopment opened in 2015; this provides links to the University’s own dedicated railway station, and will be at the centre of the proposed high-speed rail network. London is 80 minutes away by shuttle service, with trains every 20 minutes. The remarkable Grand Central shopping and restaurant complex sits above the station, and is just a short walk from the iconic Bullring, one of the largest dedicated shopping facilities in Europe. Sports and recreation are also well served; the city offers international test cricket, high-level football, international championship golf and top-class rugby. As a multicultural city, Birmingham is also renowned for the breadth of its cuisine and has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other English city outside London. Birmingham is within an hour’s drive of Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds. From Birmingham Airport, more than 50 different airlines operate scheduled services to 100 destinations worldwide.
3. Hospitality and Accommodation Services
Hospitality and Accommodation Services (HAS) plays a unique and significant role in the quality of the student, staff and visitor experience at the University of Birmingham. As one of the largest hospitality organisations in the West Midlands, HAS provides round the clock services across diverse areas such as the University’s sporting facilities, catering, cleaning, conferencing, hotel operations, day nurseries, portering, post, retail, student housing, transport, waste disposal and recycling. HAS also provides the support for car parking systems, security, emergency planning, telecoms, and in addition the stewardship of Winterbourne House and Gardens. The HAS team are focused on improving services that enhance the student experience, provide support to academic staff in the pursuit of research and teaching excellence and provide exceptional facilities for visitors to the University.
Further information regarding HAS is available at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/professional/has/index.aspx
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4. Job description
1. To lead the strategic and business development of the University’s residential and cleaning service, anticipating customer needs and identifying new business opportunities in a dynamic campus setting. 2. To effectively lead the management team so that they share the strategic vision and deliver it through effective business planning, sound financial management, people management and development thereby delivering an exceptional service to staff, students and visitors. 3. To ensure the health and safety of staff, students and visitors where appropriate, with particular focus on the safe management of student accommodation in line with statutory requirements and University policy. To monitor service provision, benchmark against similar service providers and make recommendations for developing the service. 4. To work with the Learning and Organisational Development Manager to enable, co-ordinate and facilitate agreed training and development policies and programmes throughout the department. 5. To determine the programme for the continual upgrading of University residential accommodation to include redecoration, refurbishment, replacement of fixtures, furniture and equipment. 6. In consultation with the Principal Accountant to be responsible for the preparation and monitoring of all departmental budgets through the analysis of individual cost centre budgets and the setting of challenging yet realistic targets. 7. To maintain regular links with the Guild of Students, Vice-President of Housing, the Guild and other key stakeholders to ensure that the services provided for students meet their needs. 8. To maintain close communication with the other senior managers within Hospitality and Accommodation Services to ensure that the support services meet their requirements. 9. To represent Hospitality and Accommodation Services at meetings or on working parties as agreed with the Director. 10. To maintain a high profile within the University sector; promoting and sharing good practice. 11.Such other duties as may be required by the Director of Hospitality and Accommodation Services and to deputise as required. n Educated to degree level with significant senior management experience n Extensive experience of working in a high-volume and high-quality hospitality environment n Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to lead and motivate a large team of staff and build effective and trusting partnerships n Strong planning and project management skills n Knowledge and experience of managing large complex budgets n Confident in negotiating agreements with strong influencing skills to gain commitment n Experience of thinking and working at a strategic level n Cultural sensitivity, tact and diplomacy n Effective financial management with experience in driving sales and managing budgets whilst still delivering excellence in product and service n Demonstrate a positive response and adaptability to change n Ability to work effectively under pressure and deliver to targets n Ability to think strategically and formulate operational plans to deliver the University’s objectives as set out in its vision Skills and abilities
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Key relationships
The Director of Residential and Environmental Services will be expected to communicate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders at varying levels of seniority within the University. Key relationships include: Vice-Chancellor, Provost and Registrar n Providing information about performance, development opportunities and opportunities to enhance staff and student experience as required. HAS SMT n Close working with colleagues, supporting each other and acting as senior duty manager as and when required. Finance Office and HR Team n Working with the HAS Senior Accountant and members of the finance team to produce detailed budgets, monitor performance and identify actions to improve financial outturn. Working with HR colleagues to ensure that staff are well managed and that training and development needs are identified and addressed. Guild Officers and Managers n Working together to deliver a product and service that meets the needs of a diverse audience and work together to maintain the University’s Fairtrade status.
Key external contacts
Service Providers and External Suppliers n Maintaining and establishing relationships with key suppliers and partners, particularly ASK4, Host (formerly Victoria Halls), Liberty Living, Unite. Other universities n Understanding trends and initiatives across the HE sector, identifying best practice and participating fully in CUBO and ACUHO-I.
5. Remuneration
The post offers a salary level that will enable the University to attract ambitious and talented individuals. In addition to salary, the University offers a generous benefits package including:
n USS pension scheme n Access to our sporting facilities n Excellent transport links including the University station n 40 days holiday including additional closed days n Relocation package available n Other benefits including childcare vouchers, bus and rail season tickets and a cycle purchase scheme
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6. Appointment process and how to apply
For a confidential discussion please contact our retained recruitment advisor Michael Hewlett of The Management Recruitment Group on;
Michael.Hewlett@mrgpeople.co.uk or on 020 8892 0115
Applications should consist of a comprehensive CV and covering letter outlining key matching experience.
Closing date for applications is Sunday 20 August.
MRG will be holding preliminary interviews w/c 21 August.
Interviews with the University will be held on the 19 – 21September with the final interview to be held on 4 October.
The Management Recruitment Group 70 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3QS 020 8892 0115 www.mrgpeople.co.uk
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