Brief for the position of Director of Campus Services September 2019 Candidate Brief n Director of Campus Services birmingham.ac.uk Contents The University 3 Person Specification 11 Background 4 Professional Services at Birmingham 12 Campus Services at the University Additional Information about of Birmingham 6 the University 13 Investing for the future 7 Science, Technology, Engineering The Role of Director of Campus Services 8 and Medicine 15 The Team 9 How to Apply 17 New Sports and Fitness Centre odgersberndtson.com 2 Candidate Brief n Director of Campus Services birmingham.ac.uk The University We have a long and proud history of firsts at the University of Birmingham; we were the first – and are now one of the largest – civic universities in the UK. We were also the first UK university to, amongst other things: n Be built on a campus model n Establish a Faculty of Commerce n Incorporate a Medical School n Welcome women to take medical degrees More recently, we were the first university to establish a and the top 20 in all domestic league tables, the quality of fully comprehensive secondary school, and we opened our what we do at Birmingham is widely recognised. We were new campus in Dubai in 2018, becoming the first Russell awarded Gold in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework Group and Global Top 100 university to do so. and in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2014), more than 80 per cent of our research was Our heritage as the original ‘redbrick’ is combined with one rated as internationally excellent or world-leading. In 2014, of the most compelling and ambitious agendas in Higher the Times and Sunday Times named us University of the Education. Quite simply, at Birmingham we make things Year in recognition of our bold, ambitious strategy and happen. Birmingham is a leading member of the Russell innovative approach to the challenges facing the sector. Group and a founder member of the Universitas 21 global In 2016, they named us University of the Year for Graduate network of research universities. Employment – recognising our sector-leading employability Home to world-class researchers, we count 11 Nobel programmes and outstanding rates of graduate employment. Laureates among our staff and alumni, including three Thinking differently is in our DNA. Led by our Vice- prizes awarded in 2016 for Physics and Chemistry. We have Chancellor, Professor Sir David Eastwood, the University been integral to some of the greatest scientific discoveries is structured for swift decision-making, enabling us to of recent times, such as the Higgs Boson and Gravitational capitalise on our academic range and financial strength as Waves, and are pioneering new approaches to tackling well as the opportunities that emerge in the fast-changing some of the biggest global challenges facing society; global HE environment. Many of our initiatives, such as our from antibiotic resistance and maternal health to conflict ‘Birmingham Fellows’ programme, which has so far seen resolution and access to education. over 150 of the world’s best early career academics join us, With more than 8,000 staff, 36,000 students and 300,000 our widening participation activities, and our unconditional alumni across the globe, we think, recruit, and compete offers strategy for exceptional students, have been much worldwide. Ranked in the top 100 universities globally emulated within the sector. odgersberndtson.com 3 Candidate Brief n Director of Campus Services birmingham.ac.uk Background Leading a function of c.1,100 staff with a turnover of over £59m, the Director of Campus Services is accountable for a portfolio including: the University’s 5000 bed student residential villages, sporting facilities, retail and catering outlets, a new on-campus hotel and conference centre and three day nurseries. A number of campus-wide services fall under the remit and strategic people leadership capability to effectively of Campus Services including: cleaning, security and manage a large, diverse team. The successful applicant will emergency planning, portering, post, visitor services, possess a commercial outlook, excellent influencing skills, the transport, waste disposal and recycling. The role also ability to lead high quality, high volume services for students, has responsibility for conferencing and events and staff, and external partners in a research-intensive University. managing University attractions such as Winterbourne The Director of Campus Services must be able to operate House & Gardens. confidently and successfully across the University, command the respect of both Academic and Professional Services The role of Director of Campus Services is of strategic colleagues and to be able to empathise with students. importance for the University. The postholder provides strategic leadership for the University’s campus services In recent years, the University has opened a number of new with a specific focus on delivering service excellence, facilities that have greatly enhanced the student and staff identifying innovative and sector-leading opportunities experience including: a £55m Sport and Fitness Centre for income generation, and aligning the department’s with the City’s only 50 metre swimming pool, Bournbrook vision with the University’s 2026 strategy https://www. Pavilion which includes 178 student accommodation birmingham.ac.uk/strategic-framework/Overview/ rooms, the 172-bed, c.£40m Edgbaston Park Hotel and birmingham-2026.aspx. Overall, this is one of the largest Conference Centre, and a new nursery. Following a period and most exciting roles of its kind in the HE sector, of rapid expansion in response to changing customer requiring a combination of commercial ability with a strong needs, the department’s immediate focus is to deliver on service ethos. service effectiveness and income generation. That is not This is an opportunity to join the senior leadership of a to say that there are not further significant new initiatives global Russell Group University with a c. £700m turnover, to manage including: playing a key role in the development 36,000 students, and 8,000 staff. A university on the rise – and implementation of new strategies for Catering, Birmingham has a well-earned reputation under Professor Sport, and Student Residences; a major new on-campus Sir David Eastwood’s Vice-Chancellorship for its ambition, student accommodation development at Pritchatts Park; innovation and success; its financial power to invest; and its the University’s first Design, Build, Finance and Operate sector-leadership. This remit requires a blend of strategic, (DBFO) project; and The Exchange, our new city centre entrepreneurial and commercial acumen, academic empathy, facility which is scheduled to open in 2021. The Exchange (computer generated image) odgersberndtson.com 4 Candidate Brief n Director of Campus Services birmingham.ac.uk The Director of Campus Services reports to the Registrar Services as well as across the University. Intellectually and Secretary, Lee Sanders, who is the University’s Chief confident, and with the personal qualities to succeed in a Operating Officer, and works closely with the University highly complex, research-intensive University, s/he has an Provost, Professor Tim Jones, along with members of the ability to build rapport and trust with diverse groups and University Executive Board (UEB) and the wider senior individuals across the University and to empathise with leadership in Professional Services and the Colleges. academic endeavour. The Director meets with Professor Sir David Eastwood, the Vice-Chancellor to discuss strategy. The post holder The Director is responsible for events on the University is also part of the University’s wider leadership team and Campus, including those arranged by student societies and is expected to be an active member of the Registrar’s external parties. This includes overseeing the University’s Leadership Group, the Senior Officer Group, and the processes for risk assessing events, ensuring appropriate University Leadership Forum (ULF). arrangements and security are in place and for ensuring the University’s Code of Practise on Freedom of Speech and The Director brings the skills and attributes to meet External Speakers is upheld. This requires a combination of both strategic aspirations and the operational requirements political tact, sensitivity and resolution to lead across the breadth of the Campus Services portfolio. They need to be an excellent leader of people, being able As with all senior roles at Birmingham, the Director is expected to get the best out of teams of senior professionals and to be active and influential nationally as well as locally within have the ability and desire to contribute to a wider range Birmingham, acting as an effective ambassador for the of leadership and management issues within Professional University and bringing best practice back to the University. odgersberndtson.com 5 Candidate Brief n Director of Campus Services birmingham.ac.uk Campus Services at the University of Birmingham The Director of Campus Services leads one of the largest hospitality organisations in the West Midlands. HAS has evolved significantly over recent times and now HAS/Campus Services operates in an environment of spans a broad range of commercial activity and services. change and increasing expectations and its future direction It has, therefore, been decided to change the Director’s title will be influenced by the following factors: to Campus Services to reflect better the portfolio. The title of HAS will be changed when the Director is appointed. Changing size, mix and spending behaviour of the University customer base. The HE sector is facing a Campus Services provides round the clock services across number of unprecedented challenges in the UK as a result diverse areas and plays a unique and significant role in the of the range of potential BREXIT outcomes, the impact quality of the student, staff and visitor experience at the of significant political uncertainty, and the growth of the University of Birmingham. student as a ‘consumer’, as well as the increasing global competitiveness of the higher education market.