Executive Dean: Higher Education
Hours: 37 per week / 52 weeks Per Year
Reference Number: 2815
Salary Grade: Up to £75,000
Responsible to: Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality
Responsible for: Management of Staff, Students, Curriculum and resources within the
University Centre.
The Position
The core responsibility of the Postholder will be to ensure the overall academic health of the
University Centre at Blackburn College (UCBC). Coupled with this will be the requirement to
deliver a First Class Student Experience; and an environment in which staff can flourish and
continue to deliver academic excellence in teaching, learning and assessment. As the Executive
Dean of the University Centre at Blackburn College (UCBC) you will be a member of the
College’s Leadership Team (CLT). You will lead by providing strong academic, strategic planning
and operational leadership to the UCBC Management Team and across the University Centre to
deliver an excellent student experience by generating an academic culture that blends
education, research and professional practice. You will ensure the achievement of strategic
objectives, business planning and managing the resources for the Centre and meeting related
financial targets identified in the College and University Centre plans.
You will be accountable to the Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality and be supported by the
UCBC leadership team who will work alongside you to manage the delivery of full time, part
time, commercial and international provision within the Centre. Crucially, this will include
ensuring student recruitment against College targets, maximizing student progression from
Further Education to Higher Education and effectively managing the relationship between
UCBC and awarding bodies.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategy
1. To serve as the Executive Dean of Higher Education and a member of the College’s
Leadership Team ensuring a high performing academic culture and community able to
deliver the strategic aspirations of UCBC and the College.
2. To contribute to the broader academic and corporate leadership of the College and
undertake academic, ambassadorial and other roles as required.
3. To Chair the Centre’s management meetings and prepare reports for a range of
Committees including Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee - HE, Academic
Board and the Curriculum and Quality Committee. In addition, you will be required to Chair
College wide committees, working groups or project boards.
4. To act as an ambassador building a strong external profile in order to build and promote
the reputation, impact, student experience and the work of UCBC.
5. To develop a clear and succinct Education Strategy for Higher Education at Blackburn
College that is responsive to Government policy, LEP strategy, Employer needs and is
aligned to the Educational Character of the College.
March 2015
Performance, Planning and Resource Management
6. To further align, deliver and evaluate the UCBC Academic Plan in order to meet
Government Policy, LEP objectives, Employer needs and improve employability for UCBC
Graduates.
7. To produce an annual Business Plan.
8. Promote and lead a high performing team within UCBC with a clear and deliberate focus on
student recruitment, retention, achievement, success rates and employability in line with
agreed College targets.
9. To ensure a strong, well communicated and effective Student Admissions Plan is in place
and executed effectively.
10. Ensure the management information systems (MIS) reflect real time student and financial
activity; and take timely and appropriate intervention to maximise student and financial
performance within UCBC.
People
11. Within the University Centre you will champion and lead the engagement of staff in all
aspects of academic life leading by example, to ensure a strong and entrepreneurial culture
which supports excellence in teaching, learning and assessment and secures new and
sustainable income streams.
12. To provide leadership to the Centre management team, oversight of staffing of the Centre
and co-operation with other Curriculum Centres.
13. To undertake appraisal of staff in direct report and ensure overall, the timely and effective
implementation of staff appraisals across UCBC. In so doing you will promote a challenging,
positive and supportive approach to staff development which is directly aligned, resourced,
and measured against curriculum research and scholarship objectives of UCBC.
14. To ensure resources are deployed efficiently and effectively.
Curriculum Development
15. To lead on the development of a high quality curriculum and progression offer to ensure
that the Centre meets the needs of students, employers and the national priorities as well
as the needs of the local community. This curriculum offer must have direct relevance to
the knowledge, skills and innovation needs of the geographical area served by the College.
16. To build strong and sustainable business partnerships which result in increased student
recruitment, employment, and sustainable income streams against agreed targets.
Research and scholarly activity
17. To foster and develop research, scholarship and professional practice to assure the
effective delivery of education with particular attention to the enhancement of the quality
of the student experience and employability.
18. To undertake personal and institutional research that underpins and informs the
curriculum offer.
19. To develop a track record of publications and / or evidence of esteem in a professional
context.
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Learning, Teaching and Assessment and the Student Experience
20. To lead in the development, implementation and evaluation of learning, teaching and
assessment strategies which encourage and support the delivery of an outstanding student
learning experience throughout the Centre.
21. To work closely with the Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality and Director of Higher
Education Quality, to enhance the quality of teaching and learning through, for example,
the peer observation procedures.
22. To promote and ensure an excellent student experience and the development of initiatives
to broaden the academic appeal and footprint of UCBC to future students. Innovation,
creativity, and pedagogical excellence must underpin the student experience within and
across UCBC.
23. To draw upon and adopt a range of innovative delivery platforms to promote and assure
effective teaching and learning across UCBC.
Quality Assurance and Enhancement
24. To ensure areas of best practice and enhancement are brought together and coordinated
within and across UCBC; and take steps to disseminate and share best practice so as to
promote continuous quality improvement.
25. To lead on quality assurance within UCBC in order to ensure that the Centre is always in a
state of readiness for external audits and review.
26. Ensure UCBC’s curriculum offer is clear and current; and work closely with the marketing
department and others so as to promote effective student recruitment.
27. Undertake regular external benchmarking across the full range of provision and business
activity with and against “best in sector” Educational Institutions.
General
28. To be responsible for appropriate procedures for student recruitment, support and
discipline in accordance with College policies. As Executive Dean undertake and Chair
disciplinary activity in accordance with College policy.
29. To ensure the promotion of equal opportunities, to challenge discrimination and to
promote the development of an inclusive curriculum.
30. Positively contribute to a safe learning and work environment ensuring compliance with
Health and Safety and Safeguarding Policy and procedure.
31. Any other duties commensurate with the post.
You should note that this job description is intended as a general guide to the duties attached
to the post and is not an inflexible specification. It may therefore be altered from time to time
to reflect the changing needs of the College, always in consultation with the post holder.
March 2015