Apprenticeship Scheme Manager - Human Resources - 53833 - Grade 8

at  University of Birmingham

POSITION DETAILS

Human Resources
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £46,485 to £55,295 with potential progression once in post to £62,098
Grade: 8
Full Time Permanent
Closing date: 13th February 2025

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE

• A first degree (First or Upper Second or equivalent)
• Experience of managing an apprenticeship scheme in a large and complex organisation
• Strong HR knowledge ideally based on both professional experience and a relevant qualification e.g. CIPD
• Able to carry out a range of HR processes including recruitment and job evaluation
• A full understanding of government apprenticeship policy and as far as possible the upcoming changes to be delivered through Skills England
• Ability to understand complex funding rules and regulations
• Experience of developing strategies and delivering on implementation plans
• Relevant professional experience of developing and managing an apprenticeship scheme in a complex organisation
• Demonstrable experience of managing a range of projects
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. The post holder is expected to produce papers for an expert stakeholder steering group and present to audiences up to and including University Leadership Group level
• Ability to manage budgets effectively
• Understanding of procurement and experience of contract management
• Able to understand different work settings across the University and identify how each area could benefit from apprenticeships
• Experience of planning and running events
• Ability to support the development of effective marketing and communication tools
• Be able to exercise discretion regarding the handling and management of sensitive information
• Good IT skills
• An ability to work simultaneously and effectively to progress several different tasks
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills
• A good team worker with the ability to work effectively with staff at different levels of the organisation
• Experience of coaching and mentoring

The University is one of the largest employers and educators in the City and is committed to a number of initiatives to enhance this position, this commitment is supported by the HR Strategy which articulates the need to recruit, develop and engage excellent people at every level. As a large employer the University has a substantial growth and skills levy, generating approx. £2.2 million per year that can be utilised to fund apprenticeship training for new or existing staff. Apprenticeships can be beneficial to the University in a number of ways including:

• Supporting the Universities civic mission, ensuring the University plays an important role both locally and nationally
• Bringing in and developing talented ‘new entrants’ to the workforce from a diverse background
• Linking in apprenticeships to workforce planning and proactively solving emerging skills gaps
• Supporting staff retention and talent management through higher and technical apprenticeships
• Increasing the technical, management and leadership knowledge and skills of professional services staf

ROLE SUMMARY

The University is one of the largest employers and educators in the City and is committed to a number of initiatives to enhance this position, this commitment is supported by the HR Strategy which articulates the need to recruit, develop and engage excellent people at every level. As a large employer the University has a substantial growth and skills levy, generating approx. £2.2 million per year that can be utilised to fund apprenticeship training for new or existing staff. Apprenticeships can be beneficial to the University in a number of ways including:

• Supporting the Universities civic mission, ensuring the University plays an important role both locally and nationally
• Bringing in and developing talented ‘new entrants’ to the workforce from a diverse background
• Linking in apprenticeships to workforce planning and proactively solving emerging skills gaps
• Supporting staff retention and talent management through higher and technical apprenticeships
• Increasing the technical, management and leadership knowledge and skills of professional services staff

The post reports to the Strategic & Global HR Business Partner and works closely with colleagues in the People and Organisational Development Department (POD). In addition, the post holder reports to an expert Steering Group of University stakeholders. The post holder is responsible for both the ongoing strategic development and implementation of the University’s Apprenticeship Scheme and in addition is accountable for effective utilisation of its levy funds. This includes providing an efficient and effective ‘new entrant’ scheme for departments to recruit and develop talented entry level staff as well as providing expert advice and guidance on how the levy can be used to upskill existing workforce both through either technical or leadership and management higher apprenticeships. The post holder is also responsible for ensuring the University is compliant with all funding regulations as set out by the Department for Education (DfE).

MAIN DUTIES

The post holder will be expected to:

Manage ongoing development of a ‘new entrant’ apprenticeship scheme, this will include :

• Promoting the scheme to stakeholders at all levels internally by presenting to management groups and running annual events – this will include attending divisional and leadership group meetings
• Maintaining and managing an efficient and effective apprenticeship recruitment service, in line with funding regulations and University policies, including providing advice for hiring managers on apprenticeship standards and job design, job evaluation and selection methods
• Developing and managing the annual events cycle for new entrant apprentices, that includes team building, guest speakers, careers advice and redeployment support
• Providing regular support to new entrant G5 (and above) apprentices to ensure they are being supported by both their line manager and training provider including support with CVs, job applications and the redeployment process
• Providing line managers with HR advice on any issues arising with their apprentice, this may include conduct issues, safeguarding, performance, or absence and occupational health issues. Where necessary referring on to the specific team in HR. This requires close liaison with the HR Advisory team
• Contract managing the relationship between the University and the training providers, this includes leading contract management meetings and addressing any quality issues
• Leading on a regular ‘best practise’ forum for line managers, line manager training and overseeing the Apprentice Advisory Group (AAG)
• Updating Steering Group on a regular basis with the schemes progress, including production of annual KPIS and managing the apprenticeship ‘non-pay’ budget of approx. £17,000
• Line management of the Apprenticeship Scheme Officer, supporting their development and being a point of escalation for any complex issues e.g. employee relations issues, training provider contractual issues
• Ensuring resources on the intranet and internet are easy to use and updated regularly
• Working with managers to identify the best training providers and apprenticeship standards
• Working with the HR Systems Team to make sure all system is compatible with apprenticeships processes, adapting these if necessary and escalating any issues with the Systems Team
• Developing and managing an effective outreach programme, in line with the University Outreach teams’ policy and guidance
• Promoting the University’s civic commitment around apprenticeship through marketing and promotional activities, for example college open days.
• Represent the University as required at external events and networks e.g. The West Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. Coordinate the University’s input into the development of new apprenticeship standards that could be utilised internally. For example, the HEI Technician trailblazer
• Sharing best practise with other Universities and exploring where partnership working can generate benefits