At the University of Warwick, we are proud of the journey we have been on to transform our education in a way that is inclusive, interdisciplinary and international – building on strong foundations of disciplinary excellence. Our students tell us we have been moving in the right direction through strong National Survey Results, and we were delighted to be named University of the Year for Teaching Quality in the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
Our Education Policy and Quality (EPQ) Division is at the heart of the University’s Education Group: our purpose is to support the delivery of our education strategy; develop educational policy; and to assure and enhance our educational provision in order to contribute positively to our student experience. We are a friendly team of 20+ colleagues, working in a hybrid manner supported by an agreed structure to help us make the best of opportunities to come together. We work supportively to deliver a demanding and dynamic portfolio of projects and business as usual.
In appointing to the role of Head of Education Policy and Governance, we are searching for a leader to provide a vision for good academic regulation, policy and governance across our university, and to lead a long-term programme of change and reform to implement that vision. You will own the policy framework overall and ensure a coherence of approach across policy areas, including those policy areas owned and maintained by subject matter experts in other teams.
In tandem with the change programmes, you will work closely academic and professional services leaders across the whole university, including through your team of Senior Policy Advisors, to provide authoritative advice on implementing currently regulation relating to students, programmes and assessment where our team are the subject matter experts. You will additionally operate as Deputy Director of Education Policy and Quality with a remit for the smooth day-to-day running of the Division and oversight of our Operations Team who provide administrative, project and communications support across our teams.
As the ideal candidate, you will bring a sound technical knowledge of developing academic policy and supporting academic governance, with a sound grasp of good practice in policy relating to student registration, progression, assessment and support. We particularly welcome candidates with experience of delivering change and modernisation of academic policy across a range of policy areas, but we are happy to support the development of leadership and change management skills for a candidate with potential step up into a leadership role.
Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be made to Dan Derricott, Director of Education Policy and Quality (dan.derricott@warwick.ac.uk).
You will lead the development and institution-wide implementation of the University’s Academic Regulations and supporting policy and guidance overall, with a particular focus on those relating to taught students, education and assessment. You will also lead the delivery and continuous improvement of EPQ services supporting academic governance, faculty business partnering, and the provision of information, advice and guidance.
As Deputy Director, you will be the principal and designated deputy to the Director of EPQ, acting in their absence to ensure business continuity. You will additionally lead the smooth operational running of the EPQ Division day-to-day, including the delivery and continuous improvement of the shared services support provided by the Operations Team. As a senior leader in the Education Group, you will contribute to and lead aspects of a joined-up approach to service delivery and operational support across divisions.
Duties & Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Provide high-level advice and advocacy across the University on the implementation and continued evolution of the University’s Academic Regulations and supporting policy, including as a point of escalation to resolve matters that are complex or lack precedent.
- Lead the provision of a business partnering service to faculties in the form of advice and support on education policy, projects, assurance and governance.
- Lead the design and development of a coherent and consistent approach across EPQ to the provision of information, advice and guidance to the University community – including through a unified approach to enquiries management – that complements the publication of the Academic Regulations.
- Lead EPQ staff in the provision of effective secretariat support to academic governance bodies and support the Director of Education Policy and Quality in developing an effective system of academic governance overall.
- Lead the development of the University’s approach to assessment governance, including the policy framework, the use of External Examiners, the operation of Exam Boards and award conferral approaches, and upholding academic integrity.
- Oversee and develop the provision of pooled operational support to functional teams in EPQ – namely administrative, project, committee, HR, finance, PA and communications support – to ensure it is fit for purpose, efficient and responsive to changing business needs.
- Support the Academic Registrar and their Senior Management Team by fostering and leading aspects of a joined-up approach to service delivery and operational support across divisions in the Education Group – especially between EPQ, SAS, FOLD and the Academic Registrar’s Office.
- Provide high-level management and delivery capacity for significant and/or sensitive outputs required to assure or enhance the quality of education – such as complex change or delivery projects (e.g. academic governance reviews), new policy development or investigations into concerns about compliance.
Education Policy Development and Engagement
- Design the overall structure and principles of regulation, policy and guidance concerning taught students, education and assessment
- Lead EPQ staff in providing specialist policy development and drafting support to policy owners and governance bodies.
- Provide leadership and advice to policy owners and drafters in order ensure a consistency and fairness of approach.
- Proactively horizon scan and engage with developments in relevant national and international policy and practice, ensuring these are translated into internal policy and practice that secure regulatory compliance and a high quality student learning experience.
- In collaboration with leaders of teams responsible for staff, student and educational development (e.g. ADC, IATL, FOLD, OD, Students’ Union), develop the University’s support for staff, students and externals to effectively fulfil their responsibilities for quality assurance, quality enhancement, academic governance and education management.
Divisional Leadership
- Provide inspirational leadership and management to teams of staff assigned by the Director of Education Policy and Quality, including full delegated responsibility for recruitment, staff development, performance management, absence management and managing the allocation of resource flexibly to meet changing demands and maintain service continuity across the Division.
- Actively contribute as part of EPQ’s senior team to the leadership and management of the Division, including developing and delivering divisional strategy, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, planning and making prudent use of resources, ensuring business continuity, and securing compliance with the University’s operational policies (e.g. financial regulations, data protection, health and safety).
- Be the designated deputy to the Director of Education Policy and Quality, supporting them to lead the Division and ensuring that business continuity is maintained in their absence.
Leading the academic policy making process
- Lead the development and implementation of the University’s processes for organising and publishing its academic regulations, academic policy and supporting guidance – in close collaboration with the Secretary to Council’s Office to ensure a coherent approach across academic and non-academic policy
- Embed an institutional culture and ways of working that balance adaptability with a planned, predictable approach to publishing, implementing and maintaining academic policy.
- Coordinate policy owners – including executive and senior leaders – across the University in agreeing and delivering to a schedule for reviewing and updating academic policy.
Vacancy Type/Job category: Management & Professional
Vacancy Overview: Permanent position, 1.0 FTE.