Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid
Department: Validation Partnerships
Closing Date: 30 January 2025
Weekly Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract
Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 31st July 2025
Welsh Language: Not Applicable
About the Role
We believe that where you start in life, shouldn’t limit where you go.
The Open University is a unique institution created 50 years ago to open up education for all. We are open to anyone, anywhere, changing millions of lives across the world and always looking for new ways to help people succeed. Our pioneering use of innovative methods, such as our BBC partnership, means we reach more people than any other university.
We work across all four nations of the UK and we are the most popular choice for online, distance, flexible study.
Working within Open University Validation Partnerships (OUVP), the post holder will report into a Senior Manager.
The purpose of this role is to support both the University and a range of Academic Partnerships.
You will demonstrate knowledge and experience across a broad range of higher education administration, the ability to apply key legislation and regulations across the higher education sector and an understanding of HE quality and compliance.
You will be expected to communicate with and work collaboratively with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders and support our external reporting to bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency and the Office for Students.
With great attention to detail and strong organisational ability, you’ll be supporting the Senior Manager and Senior Management Team to work collaboratively with our partners and internal stakeholders in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Adept at assimilating information, you will have – or will gain – a thorough knowledge of our academic regulations and underpinning policies and procedures and be able to apply them to partnership activity.
Key Responsibilities
* Support the team in the development and approval of new partnerships, through the established processes and procedures as well as supporting the development of new processes and procedures.
* Undertake regular due diligence and risk assessments of partners and expert reading of their policies.
* Liaise with Faculties to enlist support for new programme approvals or major changes to existing programmes.
* Support the Approval process and undertake where required Administrative Audits and Programme Validations, formal report writing including collating the feedback of expert readers and Panel Members to determine if conditions set are satisfactorily met.
* Line management responsibility of Support Officer(s) as required.
* Act as key contact and central liaison point within OUVP with other areas of Academic Services, University Secretaries Office, Finance, Central Legal Services, Marketing, Faculties, Business Development Unit, Research Office, Quality Office and Academic Policy & Governance.
* Represent the OU at Partner institution examination boards as required.
* Finding, appointment and support of external panel members and External Examiners as required.
* Evaluating and reporting to the University on the outcomes of Collaborative Provision Annual Monitoring outcomes.
* Ensuring risk registers and issues logs are regularly reviewed and reported.
* Ensuring clearly mapped audit trails are maintained for all partnerships, new and existing.
* Support specific projects/activities/working groups to ensure that Partnership administration is managed efficiently and effectively.
* Provide support to the Senior Management Team with regards to the unit’s governance. Including co-ordinating papers to internal deadlines and following up on any actions across the organisation.
* Servicing University committees or working groups that may from time to time be assigned, including the preparation of policy papers, agenda and minutes.
* Supervision, as appropriate and required, of the maintenance of Partnership records and correspondence and provide accurate information and data in support of the Unit’s responsibilities.
* Work collaboratively with other OUVP staff to support and deliver the Unit’s responsibilities.
* To undertake such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Director, Deputy Directors, Senior Manager Partnerships or Senior Manager (Validation).
Skills and Experience
Essential
* Educated to undergraduate degree level, equivalent higher education qualification or equivalent experience.
* Experience of working in a Partnerships Team in Higher Education (HE) or similar environment.
* Demonstrate an understanding of HE administration.
* Proven ability of line management or project management experience.
* Experience, knowledge and understanding of developing, implementing and managing administrative processes.
* Self-confident, resilient and able to deal with obstacles and challenges with minimal supervision.
* Proven problem solving skills.
* Strong numeracy and ICT skills, including experience of supporting and using databases to collect, maintain and analyse data and using the information to produce reports.
* Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
* Proven ability to interpret policy and disseminate information effectively.
* Excellent inter-personal and negotiating skills, with the ability and confidence to build relationships, influence, advise and support internal and external stakeholders over whom there is no formal authority.
* The ability to work co-operatively and flexibly in a variety of team settings.
* An understanding of and commitment to Equal Opportunity and Respect for Diversity policies in the OU and partner institutions.
* Willingness to travel in the UK and overseas as required.
Desirable
* Knowledge of quality assurance and compliance in higher or further education.
Essential Requirements
As part of the application process, you will be expected to submit your CV and a Supporting Statement (maximum of 1000 words) that demonstrates how you meet the essential/desirable criteria listed above. Flexible working patterns will be considered.
It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs.
*Early Close: We reserve the right to close adverts sooner than the closing date.
If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application, please contact: Careers@open.ac.uk.
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