Director of Academic Planning at The Admiralty University of Nigeria

Job Type: Senior Managerial/Administrative and Support Staff
Department: Registry

Overall Purpose

• The Director of Academic Planning will support senior Academic and Administrative management in pursuit of distinctiveness and competitive advantage through embedding the University Strategic Objectives of: excellence, sustainability, internationalisation and equality and diversity within learning and teaching, research and knowledge transfer, academic leadership, management and citizenship
• The Director of Academic Planning will play a pivotal role supporting the Dean and working closely with the other Associate Deans in delivering the vision of the Faculty
• The focus of the role is to support faculty planning and resource development, and to coordinate the engagement and delivery of the academic priorities across all Faculties and Schools
• This is a senior and key role, as it will involve transformational and transactional skills and experience of leading and coordinating change across large disciplinary groups and will will maintain close links with to the University’s marketing, admissions, planning and research offices
• The Director for Academic Planning will need excellent motivational and communication skills to ensure the academic delivery agenda aligns to the University Strategy that promotes the development of engaging new and innovative programmes, international academic partnerships, developing and expanding commercial links to support our mission, vision and values
• The post holder will be an accomplished and active academic at Associate / Professorial level, with success in research and knowledge transfer, as well as an innovative and creative approach to teaching. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities
General Duties:

• The ideal candidate must have sound knowledge that will drive the administrative processes of a private university for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. He/She should be capable of:
• Promoting effective and efficient implementation of policies approved by the Governing Council
• Developing functional policies/plans, and presentation of sound and well researched proposals to the Council
• Maintaining an efficient administrative system; installing an efficient system of handling university records, and carrying out routine administrative matters
• Identifying and implementing learning and development needs for administrative staff
• Handling materials management, including maintenance of all university’s property and equipment, supply and control of stationery and consumables
• Liaising with appropriate government organs, including JAMB. NIJC and other bodies.

Leadership and Management:

• Contribute to developing and leading the implementation and evaluation of the Faculty’s strategic plan and coordinating contributions from the Deans
• In coordination with the Deans, lead on developing plans/business cases for the investment / disinvestment of Faculty Strategy
• Coordinate Faculty improvement strategies and detailed resources on, for example, positive student outcomes, effective and improved retention, innovative assessments, ensuring effective monitoring, reporting and improvements.
• Contribute to performance improvements against institutional KPIs and Faculty benchmark standards related to KIS data sets
• Oversee Faculty recruitment strategies that lead to a coordinated experiential recruitment (at open and applicant days) and conversion strategy
• Support the Annual Planning Cycle in respect of student numbers and income targets
• In conjunction with Deans, Student Registry Services and other Professional Services ensure the efficient and effective delivery of University resources support the delivery of Faculty strategies
• Support and enable the Faculty with compliance issues such as Risk Register, Data Protection and Freedom of Information etc
• Provide support and guidance across the Faculty in the implementation of change within the respective strategic portfolio
• Responsible for the strategic and academic leadership of excellence, including setting and assessing individual and team performance targets, carrying out staff performance reviews and proactively addressing and resolving performance and conduct concerns
• Develop others through identification of training needs, mentoring and encouraging personal development
• Lead teams, as identified and providing support and guidance in the implementation of change
• Disseminate information about developments within the Faculty through the University newsletter, seminars/ briefings, Faculty website and other communication channels
• Represent the Faculty and deliver on actions, including to chair appropriate Faculty and University committees (including appropriate working groups).

Learning and Teaching:

• Ensure distinctiveness and competitive advantage are embedded within the academic offering and demonstrate the University strategic objectives
• Responsible for academic issues such as institutional/Faculty review, reporting as necessary to the Deans through appropriate University committees
• Maintain distinctiveness through ensuring quality and standards satisfy the University’s assurance framework (including Regulations and Codes of Practice) and enhancement objectives
• Ensure excellence in learning and teaching, and full alignment with NUC and international accreditation standards
• Lead the development of mechanisms within the Faculty to implement University wide strategies and policies for enhancing learning, teaching, assessments, employability, research and knowledge transfer
• Work with students and their representatives to build and develop enhanced student engagement and a distinctive student community
• Ensure the highest ethical standards are maintained by staff and students. Lead the effective management of complaints and student appeals.

Research and Knowledge Transfer:

• Ensure distinctiveness and competitive advantage of the academic provision through ensuring excellence in research and relevance is embedded within all academic offerings
• Responsible for ensuring the Deans develop pathways to impact through a distinctive student community and/or research and knowledge exchange with the University’s stakeholder community
• Work with the Deans and other key academics across the Faculty to identify and evaluate opportunities and build effective international partnerships which support and enhance the Faculty’s learning and teaching and research and knowledge transfer agenda
• Coordinate the development of sustainable networks, relationships and connections with the objective to develop sustainable research and teaching opportunities that contribute to the distinctiveness of the Faculty.  

Further Information

• Accountability in undertaking these responsibilities the post holder will clearly be able to delegate specific functions, but not accountability for them, to other individuals
• Hours: This is a full time post. The nature of the post is such that the post holder will be expected to work flexibly and for such reasonable hours (minimum 40) as are necessary in order to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the post
• Leave: 25 days per annum.

Person Specification (Experience & Knowledge)
Candidates for the role will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following knowledge, skills, and attributes:
 
Qualifications:

• Ph.D (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area Honours Degree

Experience, Skills and Knowledge:

• Minimum of fifteen years post graduation experience, out of which ten years should be in a management position
• Proven record of academic achievement, with evidence of performance improvements at subject, department or School level
• A track record of publishing in leading journals
• Academic leadership and management and/or relevant industrial/professional experience. Relevant staff management experience, including staff development and performance management
• Management/administrative skills relevant to leading academic and industrial/commercial collaborative research/teaching programmes
• Knowledge of institutional KPIs and methods of improvements
• Experience of developing business cases and/or plans and implementing and monitoring through to achievement
• Understanding/awareness of the importance to Universities of International collaborations and, underlying QA.

Job Specific Requirements:

• Budget responsibility
• An understanding and awareness of the importance to Universities of International collaborations
• Undertake frequent international travel to represent the Faculty
• To represent and promote the interests of the University, nationally and internationally.

Personal Attributes:

• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills
• Ability to lead, motivate and manage academic groups
• Ability to persuade, influence and motivate a range of stakeholders
• Results-driven orientation, with a dedication to achieving targets and goals
• Willingness to participate in appropriate administrative processes and Governance structures
• Excellent communicator and good interpersonal skills
• Flexible and receptive to change.