The role of departmental managers

Page contents > Context and purpose of job | Principal responsibilities and duties | Legal duties

Context and purpose of job

Working closely with the head of department to ensure the efficient management of departmental human, financial and accommodation resources. Playing a key role in the identification and implementation of strategies to provide a high quality service
Acting as the key interface between the department and a wide range of academic and administrative staff across the School
Taking overall responsibility for the smooth day-to-day running of the department. Assisting in the development and implementation of wider administrative policies within the department and the School. Participating in integrated strategic thinking by working closely with the convenor to ensure that departmental plans and policies are considered within the context of the School's core strategic themes

Principal responsibilities and duties

Planning and management of departmental resources

Managing the department's minimum staffing level (MSL) resources: keeping MSL resources and expenditure under close review (particularly occasional teacher (OT) costs) and providing projections to assist the head of department in determining future MSL resource deployment
Managing and monitoring the department's cash budgets, including: advising the head of department on proposed expenditure; setting up and maintaining procedures to ensure the efficient administration of departmental expenditure in line with the School's financial management regulations; and presenting financial accounts to the department annually
Planning and monitoring the department's teaching programme in liaison with the convenor and in accordance with School regulations and departmental decisions, including: ensuring the accuracy and consistency of departmental staff calendar and timetabling returns; discussing individual teaching loads with full-time staff members; anticipating gaps in the teaching programme in light of staff leave and fluctuations in student numbers/ course changes; initiating arrangements for the selection of OTs (see also 'Personnel' below); and monitoring teaching needs as the session proceeds, taking appropriate steps to meet unexpected student demand and/ or changes in staffing
Working closely with the head of department to facilitate the management of academic staff leave
Managing the department's IT budget for staff and students
Allocating departmental space and advising the head of department on the strategic needs of the department

Human resources responsibilities

Taking key administrative responsibility for the appointment of OT staff
Producing induction material for OT staff and working with the head of department on monitoring their performance
Recruiting support staff
Managing support staff in their areas of responsibility and ensuring continuing professional and personal development
Reviewing and developing support staff working practices and administrative procedures to ensure academic staff and students receive a high quality administrative service, taking disciplinary action, if necessary
Where appropriate, taking part in the recruitment and mentoring of other support staff within the School
Supporting the head of department on matters relating to academic staff and advising when appropriate, including assisting with management issues and the procedures of annual review and recruitment

Committee membership

Sitting as an advisory member on a range of departmental committees, thereby contributing to the decision-making of the department
Servicing departmental committees, delegating where appropriate
Overseeing the flow of information between committees, the department and the School as necessary
Actively participating in the decision-making at School committee level through membership of committees, IT cluster groups, ad hoc working parties and focus groups

Student administration

Taking overall responsibility for the administration of the graduate admissions process, including the initial direction for the selectors and, where appropriate, support staff
Ensuring the smooth operation of the induction programme and subsequent social programme, including weekend conferences
Taking editorial responsibility, in liaison with relevant academic staff, of handbooks for registered students and, where necessary, creating new publications for use by the department based on policy-making on a School and departmental committee level
Ensuring the development of the department's teaching programme and its implementation in accordance with School regulations and decisions taken by departmental committees, with particular reference to timetabling and Calendar entries
Orchestrating the examination process at departmental level, from the production of examination papers to the final results, in liaison with external examiners, exam board chairs and, where appropriate, support staff
Giving support, guidance or pastoral care where standard procedures do not always exist, and judging when to refer the individual for professional help

Quality assurance (reviews)

Reviewing and revising working practices in accordance with: the requirements of internal and external audit assessments; the department's best practices; and School regulations relating to student and course administration
Contributing to and preparing departmental assessment reports for the various teaching and research assessments both at the departmental level and across units of assessment, where appropriate

Public relations

Establishing effective liaison with the School's administration
Taking overall administrative responsibility for departmental conference organisation and delegating as appropriate
Participating in the marketing of the department through the projection of its image to external bodies and prospective students through electronic and other media

Legal duties

1. Employment law:

Ensuring that selection and recruitment of support staff is undertaken in accordance with School procedures and employment law
Undertaking counselling and discipline of support staff in accordance with School procedures and employment law
Acting as a point of reference for the head of department regarding academic appointments to ensure that the department follows School procedures in accordance with employment law
Being proactive in seeking assistance from the Human Resources Division on matters of employment law where these are unclear

2. Race Relations Amendment Act (RRAA)

Assisting the head of department to ensure that the RRAA 'local plan' is adhered to

3. Special Education Needs Disability Act (SENDA)

Being familiar with staff responsibilities under SENDA, including consulting the student disability advisor where appropriate

4. Data Protection Act (DPA)

Acting as a reference point to the department regarding the relevant sections of the DPA

5. Health and Safety Act (HSA)

Ensuring that the relevant provisions of the HSA are implemented, in liaison with the head of department

Please also see: Heads of department responsibilities: an overview