About
The
Job.
Department of Sociological Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
Departmental Manager
About
The
Job.
Pursue the extraordinary
Overview
The Faculty of Social Sciences is a large and diverse grouping of thirteen departments that
offer professional education alongside more traditional social science disciplines. This rich
and exciting disciplinary mix encompasses both world-leading academic research and
education and a strong practitioner focus in particular areas. It uniquely positions the
Faculty among Sheffield's peer institutions.
About the Department
The Department of Sociological Studies is internationally renowned for its research
excellence and teaching quality. It offers a broad portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate
taught and postgraduate research degree programmes and has a distinguished record in
the delivery of world-leading, cutting-edge research.
It is also a major provider of
qualifying social work education and training with an extremely strong national reputation.
Its business is diverse and complex, and this as well as the ambition of its strategic goals
make it a vibrant and stimulating environment in which to work.
Job Role
Working in close collaboration with the Head of Department and other academic staff, you
will make a major contribution to the strategic leadership, management and further
development of the department. You will have overall managerial oversight and
responsibility for all of the department’s administrative processes and resources including
staff, budget, infrastructure. You will also be responsible for business planning, Human
Resources processes, communications and other activities.
You will represent the
Department on the Faculty Managers Group, chaired by the Faculty Director of Operations
(FDO), to whom, in addition to the Head of Department, you will also report, and be
expected to make an active contribution at a Faculty level through the delivery of discrete
projects or initiatives.
You will possess strong leadership and management skills in order to support the
department in its strategic planning, delivery of a complex range of activities, and
continuing enhancement of its business processes. You will have excellent interpersonal
skills and the capacity to build effective working relationships and networks within the
department, the Faculty and with the University’s central professional services, and to liaise
with external stakeholders including collaborators. You will lead a team of administrative,
technical and clerical staff, comprising of staff that support Learning and Teaching, Research,
and the technical services which underpin these activities in this discipline area.
Job Description
Main Duties and Responsibilities

Executive support for the Head of Department and other academic staff as appropriate,
including the Director of Teaching and the Director of Research, in policy development,
strategic planning and associated activities.

Management oversight and co-ordination of the administration of all the department’s
business processes, and development and enhancement of these in line with
departmental policies and strategies, including: financial planning and budget allocation;
provision of statistical information and modelling in relation to financial performance
and business/academic plans.

Management oversight, coordination and development of all administrative procedures
and information systems relating to learning and teaching, including admissions,
examinations, teaching quality assurance and review, curriculum development, student
internships/study abroad, careers support, monitoring for compliance with University
policy and procedures and drafting of relevant reports;

Management oversight, co-ordination and development of all administrative procedures
relating to research, including: support for staff seeking external research funding; the
employment of research contract staff; monitoring of research budgets; all relevant
information systems, including for Research Excellence Framework submissions and
reporting to Faculty and University and the drafting of relevant reports.

Management oversight, co-ordination and development of communications, including
departmental website, annual report and other promotional/marketing material;
customer relations management and marketing; alumni relations activity and external
stakeholder liaison.

Management oversight and co-ordination of the administration of all the Department’s
Human Resource activity, including contract monitoring, compliance with University
procedures and regulations, the annual Staff Review and Development Scheme process,
staff recruitment and promotions; coordination of advice on personnel issues and
procedures.

Management of non-staff resources, including the use and enhancement of space for
teaching and research, and the provision and renewal of computing and other
equipment.

Team leadership, management, development and motivation of all Geography
administrative, clerical and technical staff, and other groups of staff, as appropriate.

Membership of School Executive and other senior committees as required.

Working collaboratively with the Departmental Manger in Town and Regional Planning
in order to support cross and joint departmental activities and processes.

Leadership of cross-Faculty projects or initiatives, to be determined by, and in support of,
the FDO and where relevant other Faculty officers which may require liaison with
Professional services in areas of Faculty responsibility as appropriate.

Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post, as agreed by Head of
Department and/or the FDO.
Person Specification
Applicants should provide evidence in their applications that they meet the following
criteria. We will use a range of selection methods to measure candidates’ abilities in these
areas including reviewing your on-line application, seeking references, inviting shortlisted
candidates to interview and other forms of assessment action relevant to the post.
Criteria
Essential Desirable
Qualifications and experience
1.
A good honours degree in a relevant discipline.
X
2.
Experience of financial management, and management of other
X
relevant processes and activities (marketing, customer relations,
stakeholder liaison, etc.)
3.
Good understanding of the current strategic context of UK
X
higher education, and of the business processes of an academic
department.
Management skills
4.
Experience of operating at a managerial/strategic level within
X
the Higher Education sector or similar complex environment.
5.
Experience of the development and delivery of operational and
X
strategic plans.
Communication skills
6.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including oral
X
and written communications.
7.
High level influencing, negotiation and networking skills.
X
8.
Ability to manage and build excellent relationships with internal
X
and external stakeholders.
Team working and collaboration
9.
Ability to lead and manage a diverse and complex team, and to
X
work collaboratively to achieve objectives.
Supporting staff performance
10.
Ability to encourage, support and manage the high performance
X
of others.
Problem solving and decision making
11.
Ability to tackle and resolve complex problems.
12.
Experience of participation in high level strategic decision
X
X
making.
Project management
13.
Experience of managing complex projects within a Higher
X
Education setting or in a similar environment.
14.
Experience of utilising project management approaches of
X
relevance to the Higher Education environment.
Personal effectiveness
15.
Ability to maximise opportunities and exploit challenges.
X
16.
Capacity for successful innovation and ability to lead its delivery.
X
17.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-moving environment with a
X
track-record of efficient delivery to tight timescales.
18.
Ability to work effectively in a collegial environment.
X
Further Information
This post is full-time with a start date of {date} or as soon as possible thereafter.
This role has been identified as a full-time post, but we are committed to exploring flexible
working opportunities with our staff which benefit both the individual and the University.
Therefore, we would consider flexible delivery of the role subject to meeting the business
needs of the post. See www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/wellbeing/info/wlb.html for more
information.
Benefits
Terms and conditions of employment: Will be those for Grade 8 staff.
Salary for this grade: £37,382 - £44,607 per annum. Potential to progress to £50,186
through sustained exceptional contribution.
More details on salaries, terms and conditions and our wide range of benefits for staff are
available at www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/reward/structures
Closing date: TO BE CONFIRMED BY HR
Informal enquiries:
For all on-line application system queries and support, contact:
e-Recruitment@sheffield.ac.uk .
For informal enquiries about this job and department, contact: {Name, job title} on
name@sheffield.ac.uk, or ext. {Tel}.
Criminal records check:
Please note that due to the duties of this post, the appointee will be required to obtain a
satisfactory Basic Check - Disclosure Scotland.
Selection-Next Step
Following the closing date, you will be informed by email whether or not you have been
shortlisted to be invited to participate in the next stage of the selection process. Please note
that due to the large number of applications that we receive, it may take up to two working
weeks following the closing date before the recruiting department will be able to contact
you.
It is anticipated that interviews and other selection action will be held on XXX. Full details
will be provided to invited candidates.
The University of Sheffield is committed to achieving excellence through inclusion.
The University of Sheffield is proud to be a Two Ticks employer
www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/equality/support/twoticks/