Student Education Service Educational Engagement

Higher Education Access, Rewarding, Transforming (HEART) Partnership

HEART NNCO Skills Plan Project Manager

Part time, 0.5 fte, fixed term until December 2016

Secondment opportunities will be considered

The is the managing partner for the Higher Education Access, Rewarding, Transforming (HEART) partnership. The partnership comprises twelve higher education providers in , namely , College, College, , Leeds College of Art, Leeds College of Building, , , , University of , University of Leeds and College. HEART aims to support the ongoing development of partnership approaches to both outreach/widening participation in higher education and engaging successfully with employers.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to join the partnership following our successful application for additional project funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for (HEFCE) as part of the National Network for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO). HEART is the West Yorkshire Single Point of Contact as part of the NNCO and is working, via our partners, to remove gaps and reduce duplication of provision of outreach activity to schools.

You will lead the development, delivery, successful conclusion and dissemination of a discrete project aimed at embedding the NNCO in local and regional skills plans, seizing opportunities to secure additional funding where these exist.

You will be a key and active member of multiple communities including HEART, our partners, schools, local authorities and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. With an undergraduate degree or relevant work experience you will also have excellent interpersonal, communication, organisational skills and experience of managing complex projects. Experience of working with local authorities, the LEP and Universities/Colleges will be advantageous.

University Grade 7 (£31,656 - £37,768 p.a. pro - rata)

Informal enquiries may be made to Louise Banahene, tel +44 (0)113 343 2047, email [email protected].

Interviews are expected to be held on Week commencing 2 January 2016

Ref: SESAR1034

Click here for further information about working at the University of Leeds www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20025/university_jobs Job Description

The role holder will report to the HEART Manager.

Main duties and responsibilities

To deliver the outcomes required of the NNCO Skills Plan Project and contribute to local and regional skills plans and contribute to the National Network of Collaborative Outreach (NCO)

 Provide overall project management including: o Initial establishment of the project plan including liaison with HEART partners and securing support required for establishment and operation of a steering group. o Securing full cooperation of the five West Yorkshire Local Authorities employment and skills managers and the LEP Employment & Skills manager in supporting the project aims and outcomes o Consultation with all stakeholders including the local authorities, LEP, HEART partners, HEFCE and neighbouring NNCO partnerships o Dissemination of learning and outcomes locally and nationally in accordance with the requirements of the HEFCE NNCO scheme.  Develop effective collaborations and appropriate communications to engage with internal and external partners including West Yorkshire local authorities, LEP officers and HEART partners.  Quickly assimilate the needs of key partners and adapt approaches to best suit those needs, negotiating and influencing to gain buy in as appropriate.  Liaise specifically with HEPP (the South Yorkshire/North Derbyshire NNCO) to ensure that the HEART and HEPP projects relating to embedding the NNCO in local and regional skills plans are complimentary and that learning can be shared in a coordinated way with all other NNCO partnerships.  Actively participate in meetings and events across West Yorkshire and lead communications with stakeholders on the benefits of embedding the NNCO in the LEP and LA Skills Plans. Including meeting with local authority employment and skills managers and attending the LCR Skills Network.  Report outcomes and progress to HEART partnerships via the Board and Planning groups.  Through connections with local authorities and the LEP, seeking out opportunities for securing additional funding to support the wider work of the HEART NNCO scheme.

Monitoring, evaluating and reporting outcomes and impact  Capture and report as appropriate information and data relating to skills plans reporting to your line manager, partners and other agencies as and when required.  Produce timely and appropriate reports for the HEART Board, HEART Manager and HEFCE, with updates on progress and spending.  Identify any potential barriers and propose solutions to ensure the project remains on track.  Plan for and deliver dissemination events for local and national audiences, to include the LEP, Local Authorities and HEFCE NNCO partnerships as a minimum.

Develop multi-disciplinary partnerships and responsibility  To play a key role in developing further the existing relationships that exist between HEART and the local authorities, LEP and HEFCE ensuring that HEARTs reputation is enhanced as a ‘Single Point of Contact’ for schools and for business.  Actively contribute to HEART Board and Business Engagement Planning Group meetings and actions and specifically in relation to activities carried out under the auspice of the NNCO skills plan project.

Other  To ensure a level of professional expertise and understanding is maintained across the NNCO Skills Plan Project which may also include elements of marketing, data- protection and event management.  To demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional development.  The job description provides a framework for this role and should not be regarded as a definitive list of duties and responsibilities. These will develop and change over time according to the evolution of the NNCO Skills Plan Project and changes to the outreach and skills landscape.

Career Expectations

The University of Leeds is committed to developing its staff. All staff participate in the Staff Review and Development scheme and we continue to work with individuals, supporting them to maximise their potential.

Progression to a higher grade is dependent on an individual taking on an increased level of responsibility. Vacancies that arise within the area or across the wider University are advertised on the HR website - http://jobs.leeds.ac.uk - to allow staff to apply for wider career development opportunities.

University Values

All staff are expected to operate in line with the University’s values and standards, which work as an integral part of our strategy and set out the principles of how we work together. More information about the University’s strategy and values is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/comms/strategy/.

Person Specification

Essential Personal qualities/skills  Ability to develop a ‘one team’ ethos in addition to working on own initiative (I).  Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage internal and external relationships to meet objectives (A/I).  Tact and diplomacy and the ability to secure commitment and cooperation from others (A/I).  Working across organisational boundaries and developing partnership approaches (A/I).  Proactive and able to assume responsibility – taking appropriate action, when required (A/I).  An ability to communicate across a wide ranging stakeholder group, from Local Enterprise Partnership officers and Local Authority Employment & Skills teams to senior managers in universities and colleges (A/I).  Outstanding communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to tailor communication relevant to the audience and address issues in a succinct manner (A/I).  Well developed administrative and organisational skills with excellent attention to detail and ability to prioritise and deliver against deadlines (A/I).  An ability to contribute effectively to team objectives and monitor progress against plans (A/I).  IT literacy including the Microsoft Office suite and database usage (A/I).  Ability to continuously review and enhance quality standards of personal and team outputs (A/I).  Ability to research and analyse information, summarise key findings and make recommendations based on this (A/I).  Capacity to be flexible and adaptable to a changing external environment (A/I).

Knowledge, expertise and qualifications  Project management skills and experience, ideally holding a project management qualification and with a track record of successful project delivery (A/I).  Have knowledge and experience of working with Local Authorities and/or Local Enterprise Partnerships (A/I).  An undergraduate degree/relevant professional experience (A).

Special requirements  A willingness to travel throughout West Yorkshire (I).

Desirable  Knowledge of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership existing skills plan.  Knowledge of the widening participation and outreach agendas (A/I).  Experience of collaborative/partnership working (A/I).

Additional Information

The University offers generous terms and conditions of employment, a wide range of benefits, services, facilities and family friendly policies. Full details are available on the Human Resources web pages accessible at www.leeds.ac.uk/hr

The Partnership

The Partnership has been developed by students and staff and describes the mutual expectations of us all as members of the University of Leeds community. More information about the Partnership is available at http://partnership.leeds.ac.uk

Disclosure and Barring Service checks

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check is not currently required for this position. However, applicants who have unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, including any pending criminal proceedings must indicate this in the ‘other personal details’ section of the application form and send details to the Recruitment Officer at [email protected].

Due to the possible future nature of this role, Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) may be required for this position. The successful applicant may be required to give consent for the University to check their criminal record status through independent verification (from the DBS). Information will be kept in strict confidence. Your continued appointment will be subject to the University being satisfied with the outcome of these checks.

Disabled Applicants

The post is located in the Educational Engagement offices and currently in 18 Blenheim Terrace although an office move is pending. Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional information may be sought from the Recruitment Officer, email [email protected] or tel + 44 (0)113 343 1723.

Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered by the Equality Act once their disability becomes known.

Further information for applicants with disabilities, impairments or health conditions is available in the applicant guidance.