Director of Education Technologies and Learning Environments - 104201 - Academic Services

Position Details

Academic Services

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time

Competitive Salary

Permanent

Closing date: 11 November 2024

Background

The Director of Education Technologies and Learning Environments is a new role for the University of Birmingham that will provide critical leadership and service delivery expertise in developing our teaching and learning physical and digital infrastructure. In line with the University’s ambition to be ranked as a top 50 institution globally by 2030, the Director of Education Technologies and Learning Environments will be responsible for delivering an innovative and cohesive approach to the development, maintenance and optimal utilisation of technologies supporting education delivery. This will include helping to shape how technology is used in education delivery, and responsibility for defining how we develop and use our teaching and learning spaces across the University.

This appointment provides an exciting opportunity at the heart of the University, working closely with the Pro-
Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Academic Registrar and their teams, along with a variety of key academic and professional services stakeholders. As a new appointment in a strategic priority area, the post-holder will be visible to the University Executive Board (UEB) and Council members. To succeed, the Director must be able to influence at an executive level and have impact on strategic decision making, as well as leading effective service delivery.

Role Summary

The Director will join the Libraries & Learning Resources Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Director of Libraries & Learning Resources. They will also be a member of the Academic Registrar’s Senior Leadership Team and will be expected to engage with this peer group and beyond to contribute to ongoing collaborative work and strategic development across the University. While the Director will have deep knowledge in the fields of education and relevant technologies and infrastructure, they will also have experience of successfully delivering service transformation and change, as well as a successful record of programme and project delivery. Intellectually confident, and with the personal qualities to succeed in a highly complex University, the Director will have the influencing and relationship skills to build rapport and trust with diverse groups and individuals across the University. While specific HE experience is not essential, experience of working in the education field, in the context of learning technologies and environments, is required.

As with all senior roles at Birmingham, the Director is expected to be active and influential nationally as well
as locally, acting as an effective ambassador for the University and bringing back to the University best practice.

Main Duties

• Work with relevant stakeholders to develop a vision and roadmap for education technologies and learning environments at the University of Birmingham including equipping staff to utilise
  these optimally. This vision will be presented at Executive level and to Council. Given the strategic importance of this area, presentations and engagement at these levels are to be expected from an early stage.
• The creation of a new team, bringing together existing services and co-ordinating education-relevant technical and digital functions across IT Services and Academic Services. This will involve developing a cohesive and innovative approach to the management and maintenance of our education technologies and teaching & learning environments and ensuring excellent standards of support.
• Act as a trusted and respected leader within the University, providing strategic contributions to the University’s digital education strategy and, working with colleagues from IT Services, Estates and other relevant professional services divisions, providing leadership in the definition and delivery of capital projects which deliver new teaching
  and learning spaces.
• Demonstrate credibility as a senior ambassador for the University, driving relationships and purposeful interactions with the wider sector and relevant partners, including in the commercial realm.
• Accountable at senior level for the delivery of high quality, efficient and effective education technology support and space management services.
• Offer experience and commercial acumen in order to optimise contract negotiations with suppliers utilising networks across the sector and beyond to ensure maximum benefit for the University and alignment with institutional strategy.
  Lead the new team and develop the expertise and capabilities of the staff within it, as well as managing the service budget and resources efficiently and effectively, including institutional budgets for the maintenance and management of teaching & learning spaces.
• Articulate an identity for the new team which is clearly communicable and understandable across the breadth of relevant stakeholders within the University, including a clear remit and service standards, with effective on-going communication. This should place students very much at the heart of service delivery.
• Work collaboratively and collegiately with colleagues and peers in Libraries & Learning Resources and wider Academic Services, and all UoB Professional Services and Colleges, to ensure operational and tactical decisions support overall institutional strategic priorities and delivery of a high quality student and academic experience.
• Establish an effective service operational plan aligned with established academic priorities, and occupy a supportive, as well as critical challenge, role in overall collaborative Compact and 5-year planning processes, working closely with Academic Services SLT peers.
• Bring expertise and experience to institutional decisions about education technology acquisition where relevant, including new and/or complex education-related equipment installations, software or hardware purchases and renewals.
• Promote the University’s commitment to equality and diversity and ensure that the service supports the University’s ED&I strategy and fosters an environment in which diversity and inclusion is valued and inappropriate behaviour is challenged.

Person Specification

• A strong and adept leader and team player, who is naturally collaborative.
• Substantial experience in, and knowledge of, the education sector. While Higher Education experience would be desirable, transferable experience of other education sectors is also very welcome.
• Substantial experience in, and knowledge of, teaching and learning technologies both in the context of the tools and systems used in supporting education delivery, and the management and development of spaces and infrastructure to support learning.
• Commercial acumen and the ability to understand sector context and ensure success in contract and license agreements, ensuring that opportunities for optimal outcomes in line with institutional strategy,
  are identified and leveraged.
• The ability to lead successful transformation change and development, and delivering business change, using different approaches dependent on the context.
• The ability to influence positively both internally and externally, to promote the interests and development of the University and to forge collaborative and productive working relationships across the sector. This includes the executive presence to present and influence at Board level up to the equivalent of the University’s Council.
• A proven track record of programme or project leadership and delivery, ideally including experience
  of project and performance management. A relevant qualification would be desirable but is not essential.
• The ability to think and act strategically and develop and communicate a compelling vision for the future of the new unit, identifying what is most critical to delivering the University’s objectives and to prioritise effort and resources accordingly.
• A flexible and authentic leadership style geared to motivating, collaborating and achieving consensus, including uniting disparate teams around common goals, and a track record of leading and supporting professional and personal development within a large and diverse team.
• Significant experience of managing substantial budgets and resource planning, with sound financial acumen. Making the most out of the resources available and driving efficiency and effectiveness.
• The ability to work effectively with senior colleagues, leading through persuasion and negotiation and working collaboratively as a team member and colleague.
• Strong technical awareness and a track record of success in interacting and collaborating with technical departments both internally and externally.
• Evidence of excellent judgement with an ability to evaluate conflicting viewpoints and demands, make decisions and apply effective solutions.
• Resilience and ability to take tough decisions and maintain a clear, well evidenced position in the
  face of disagreement and challenge, alongside demonstrable evidence of an ability to engage with
  others in a manner which builds support for change when this is necessary.
• A commitment to continuous improvement in service delivery, retaining a clear principle that students should be at the heart of what we do.
• A commitment to the University’s values, and the desire to model these as a senior professional, as
  well as embedding these across the new service.

Further details can be found here

Informal enquiries to Diane Job ( d.m.job@bham.ac.uk ), Director of Libraries & Learning Resources, or Dr Emma Robinson ( e.robinson.1@bham.ac.uk ), Academic Registrar

Indicative interview dates - Monday 18 November - Monday 25 November 2024 (inclusive)

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.