Senior Quality & Partnership Manager

Fixed Term

Contract:

End Date:
Not Applicable

Welsh Language:
Not Applicable

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to You Tube by clicking this link).

The Open University has seen significant growth of validation partnerships with Further Education (FE) Colleges in Northern Ireland in recent years and expects to see these partnerships thrive and continue in the future. Development of this partnership approach with the FE sector is a strategic priority for The Open University and the post holder will play a critical role in developing new partnership opportunities, and maintaining existing, partnerships.

You will provide support for the management, implementation and development of the University’s arrangements for assuring and enhancing the quality and standard of its validated provision in Northern Ireland, and in other locations as directed. You will also lead on the OU’s support and guidance to a number of the University’s partner institutions and liaise with academic colleagues in this work.

While you will report to a Portfolio Lead, OU Validation Partnerships, you will be expected to engage with The Open University in Ireland, working in partnership to meet University objectives.

Senior Quality & Partnerships Managers are expected to work as members of various project or functional teams. Examples include: the management and organisation of approval and reapproval activity; working with colleagues in partner institutions or elsewhere in the University on quality enhancement led activities; leading and being responsible for the work of a project team;

Senior Quality & Partnerships Managers are expected to organise a schedule of activities and visit institutions, attend meetings and conferences across and outside the University;

Senior Quality & Partnerships Managers should expect to spend time away from home at a variety of events. There may be a requirement for international travel including long-haul trips, but it is expected that this post predominantly involves UK travel.

Each Senior Quality & Partnerships Manager will work closely with administrative and support colleagues; and with academic colleagues across the University.

Duties may vary, but the core activities will include:

• To be a nominated contact for a group of partner institutions, primarily in Northern Ireland;
• To be responsible for the provision of authoritative advice, support and guidance to partner institutions, University colleagues and external peers on the University’s requirements and expectations in respect of the quality assurance of collaborative provision;
• To support and guide partner institutions in the development of their own arrangements for the management of quality and enhancement of the student experience;
• To participate in, and prepare University reports about, institutional and programme approval and reapproval in conjunction, where appropriate, with other members of University staff;
• To evaluate, offer feedback, and report to the University on partners’ annual monitoring outcomes;
• To contribute to the University’s understanding and awareness of emerging strengths and weaknesses of its validated provision;
• To liaise with partner institutions, OU academics and other university staff in agreeing annual programmes of enhancement-led engagements for each institution;
• To foster and encourage academic dialogue between partner institutions and between the University and its partners;
• To service University committees or working groups that may from time to time be assigned, including the preparation of policy papers, agenda and minutes;
• To liaise with other OU Validation Partnership staff, working in a variety of OU Validation Partnership teams to support and deliver the Unit’s responsibilities;
• To supervise, as appropriate, the maintenance of records and correspondence provide accurate information…