Head of Discipline: Diagnostics and Clinical Interventions

at  University of Derby

JOB DETAILS

College
College of Health, Psychology and Social Care
Responsible to
Head of School of Allied Health and Social Care
Location
Kedleston Road, Derby Campus
Salary
£57,427 to £71,784 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £82,552 per annum)
Closing date
Wednesday 28 August 2024
Contract type
Permanent
Post type
Full-time
Adaptive working type
Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.
Reference
0281-24

QUALIFICATIONS

• Academic/professional qualifications (at a minimum of a postgraduate level) and substantial experience in discipline area
• Registered with a professional regulator HCPC, NMC or SWE as examples.
• Hold or commit to working towards a PhD/Professional Doctorate or alternatively demonstrate equivalent standing in professional practice or expertise
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (to be achieved within 3 years of commencement date in post)

EXPERIENCE

• Leadership experience within an academic and/or healthcare context
• Significant teaching experience in HE
• Current personal scholarship and research in a relevant field of endeavour
• Extensive curriculum development experience in a relevant area
• Substantial experience of quality systems and quality assurance

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• A comprehensive understanding of external HE sector and current issues
• A strong commitment to the institutional mission and strategic objectives
• Understand the importance of setting and meeting stretching targets and objectives relating to organisational aims and goals
• Demonstrable skills in academic leadership and management with proven ability to deliver through people
• Strong business / commercial acumen to identify opportunities for growth and the ability to manage budgets and interpret financial information
• Ability to generate income, including via 3rd stream income with industry
• Ability to develop impactful research profile and external academic enterprise activities for self and others
• Proven ability to foster effective communication and collaborative working within a School
• A commitment to demonstrate and promote the University core values
• Flexible and adaptable, demonstrating good time management/planning skills and commitment to meeting deadlines

BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS

• Contribute to the wider leadership of the School and College
• Ability to travel abroad for business
• Availability to work, when necessary, at weekends and during the evenings to attend Open Days and other University activities in other external activities

ABOUT THE ROLE

This post offers the right candidate the opportunity to lead and shape the newly formed discipline. Building on the success of established healthcare educational provision at the University of Derby, the Diagnostics and Clinical Interventions discipline has expanded to incorporate a wider range of professions and clinical roles. The discipline incorporates an undergraduate and post-graduate teaching portfolio, research and industry engagement across Advanced and Enhanced Clinical Practice, Diagnostic Imaging, Non-Medical Prescribing, Operating Department Practice, Paramedicine and Physician Associates.
As Head of Discipline you will be responsible for ensuring the overall success of the Discipline working closely with the Heads of School and others in the School Leadership Teams within the College, thereby contributing to the wider leadership of the College and University. Working across professional boundaries to facilitate change and continuous improvement is an essential component of this post.
You will maintain high standards of teaching, learning and assessment in all its forms ensuring teaching excellence, student success and an outstanding student experience. You will be responsible for the development of scholarship and research activity in the Discipline, maximizing people potential and engagement across the full range of academic, research and industry engagement activities. You will provide strong and collaborative leadership that is both supportive and challenging, undertaking sector horizon scanning, and benchmarking performance against competitors. Working with the school leadership team you will identify opportunities and agree stretching but achievable goals that enable the university’s strategic aims to be met.
You will work collaboratively with the Head of School, the other Heads of Discipline as well as the wider College and central units of the University to support and develop the work of staff, students, and partners in the context of the University’s values and behaviours. In addition, you will initiate and encourage activity in professional and industrial engagement to enhance academic enterprise and innovation that impacts positively on the wider community.
This role will be based at our Kedleston Road campus when on onsite

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provide strong, inspiring, and collaborative leadership, create a positive team spirit, maximise people potential and engagement across the Discipline area and wider University, to foster a vibrant and innovative academic community.
• Enhance the full range of academic activities in the Discipline area, including teaching and learning, impactful research, professional development, academic enterprise, and scholarly activity.
• Undertake sector horizon scanning and benchmarking performance against competitors to enhance the strength and performance of the Discipline area.
• Support and challenge staff to achieve excellent metrics and outcomes in Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Research Excellence Framework (REF), National Student Survey (NSS), Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) and other key performance indicators.
• Work closely with the Course Director to cultivate the academic development, review and teaching of course provision within the Discipline area.
• Actively foster collaborative relationships with the College Registrar and other professional support service colleagues to ensure the needs of the College are being supported.
• To lead teams and activities and work closely with the Course Director to ensure a challenging and supported student experience which inspires them to achieve academically and in their career to their highest potential.
• Take the lead in ensuring the professional accreditation of programmes is achieved in the Discipline area where appropriate.
• Ensure the commitment to and development of academic enterprise, collaborative partnerships, and consultancy and commercial activities and manage these within staff workloads.
• Promote and embed the University’s core values with specific emphasis on quality, employability, and social mobility.
• Represent the Discipline area or School externally as necessary.
• Actively contribute to the School Leadership Team to provide effective academic leadership.
• Lead by example in ensuring staff work collegially in the College and engage with university-wide departments and activities to achieve College and University objectives.
• Manage and support staff within the Discipline area with respect to academic workload planning, undertaking development and performance reviews, coaching, and mentoring as required.
• Utilise management information to monitor achievement of objectives, setting clear performance targets and addressing issues of underperformance in an objective and supportive manner when necessary.
• Work proactively with the Head of School to ensure the effective planning and management of resources within an agreed budget and engage with College planning and budgeting.
• Engage in UK and International student recruitment activities by, working effectively with recruitment & marketing colleagues and course leaders to develop the profile of the Discipline (s), including its promotion through marketing and the media.
• Ensure all new staff in the Discipline area receive comprehensive and effective induction and support during their probationary period.
• Manage staff in ways consistent with the University’s core values and behaviours.
• Ensure that staff in the Discipline area engage with staff development opportunities to gain and continuously enhance their skills and contribution, leading by example.
• Ensure compliance with institutional performance expectations within the Higher Education (HE) sector, including regulatory requirement of e.g. the Office for Students (OFS), Designated Quality Body, Competition and Market Authority, and other Regulatory standards and agencies
• Proactively support the Course Director and other colleagues to maintain and enhance quality assurance standards and the reputation for excellence in teaching of the Discipline area.
• Proactively support the Course Director in portfolio and curriculum development/ review for the Discipline area, ensuring curriculum content and delivery is both academically excellent and inspiring, as well as sustainable in resource terms.
• Actively participate in College and University Committees as appropriate.
  For full details please see the attached job description