IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: / Althea-Imperial Programme ManagerJOB FAMILY AND LEVEL / Professional Services Level 4
DEPARTMENT: / Enterprise
REPORTING TO: / Director of Enterprise Strategy
INTERNAL LIAISON: / Enterprise Division, Faculty Principals and senior Faculty & Departmental representatives, College's senior management in particular Provost and Vice Provost (Education), Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships), President and Vice President (Development & Innovation), Business School, Imperial College Student Unions, Education Office, Research (IP) Office, Development Office, Alumni Office, Careers Service, Communications, Student body;
EXTERNAL LIAISON: / Alumni; Philanthropic, Charitable and other supporters; Imperial Innovations; Industry; Professional services organisations; Public bodies; Government; other HEIs;
HOURS: / 18 months, fixed term (0.5 FTE)
SUMMARY OF POST:
The Althea-Imperial (AI) programme is a pioneering strategic partnership between Imperial College London and the Althea Foundation, designed to inspire a new generation of innovative and enterprising women in science and technology. The 3-year strategic initiative focuses on Imperial’s world-class multidisciplinary population of women students, creating a dynamic enterprising culture that will encourage and support their growth as leaders in the future.
It is designed to inspire, incentivise and support the transformation of their innovative ideas into real economic and social impact in society through a personalised development programme delivered in co-operation with world-leading academic and industrial experts and mentors. At the end of the programme, students have the opportunity to compete for the Althea-Imperial prize.
Following a highly successful launch year in 2014, the primary purpose of this role is to provide a dedicated resource to manage the next phase of operational delivery of the programme in 2015/16 and 2016/17 with a view to establishing it as a core part of Imperial’s enterprise support eco-system.
The AI Programme Manager will have executive responsibility for the delivery of all programme content, events and communications, including the sourcing and oversight of both participants and contributors. The person will work closely with the division’s Enterprise Development Manager for students, to enhance and expand the programme with support from corporate and other partners, in line with the College’s broader strategic objectives and to ensure its future success and sustainability.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Management
· Lead and manage the operational delivery of the AI programme, and identify, engage and oversee internal and external expert resources required for its successful delivery
· Build and sustain a dynamic, stimulating and professional AI programme for a growing, stable and satisfied female membership group of past, present and prospective students
· Develop and manage a communication platform, including on and off-line, to support knowledge and experience exchange, utilising contemporary social media where appropriate, and overseeing all materials for the programme, ensuring a globally recognised and respected brand experience
Liaison and Influence
· Act as the key point of contact for past, present and prospective AI programme participants, providing a proactive and responsive interface
· Develop communication strategies and initiatives to influence not only student engagement and participation, but also to attract support from internal experts and external organisations
· Inform and influence strategic planning and changes to the programme’s structure, shape and value proposition through the development and presentation of novel or new proposals
· Maintain close liaison with the division’s Enterprise Development Manager for students to develop coordinated external alumni, corporate and philanthropic engagement
Planning and Organising
· Lead the development and production of a creative AI programme and high quality content to attract the very best applicants, cognisant of the needs and priorities of the College, the Althea Foundation and future sponsors or strategic partners
· Support the timely identification, engagement and attraction of globally renowned inspirational thought leaders relevant to the AI programme’s themes designed to support entrepreneurial self-efficacy in participants, planning their contributions within a broad annual experiential framework
· Identify, engage and oversee expert suppliers, both internal and external to the College, to develop and deliver complex intellectual content and events
· Develop a management process and manage the pipeline of incoming AI programme enquires and applicants and outgoing opportunities for programme alumni
· Deliver strategic changes to the programme developed with the Enterprise Development Manager for students and the buy-in of other key stakeholders
Finance and Resource Management
· Be responsible for the planning of an agreed AI programme budget and deliver the AI programme within financial, resource, time and quality parameters, including the provision of financial information and reporting
· Determine the outputs required and manage all sub-contracted service providers (internal and external), select providers, following appropriate procurement procedures, and ensure delivery in line with expectations
· Deliver fair value for money for both Imperial College, Althea Foundation and other contributors
· Ensure a sound financial management system, managing the Althea Foundation’s cornerstone donation and other contributions, invoicing and administration in a timely and professional manner
Analysis and Reporting
· Review the AI programme, membership engagement and College support on a continuous basis, seeking feedback in order to improve and develop the AI programme offer and keeping abreast of current issues of interest to both staff, students, alumni and external partners
· Analyse and regularly report progress or challenges to the Director of Enterprise Strategy and other key stakeholders as determined in co-operation with the Althea Foundation
· Identify, collect and manage timely, appropriate and detailed management information conducive to supporting longitudinal monitoring of student and alumni profiles, performance and outcomes
· Work closely with the Enterprise Development Manager for students and Director of Enterprise Strategy to evaluate how the AI programme can optimally evolve, strategically complementing other activities designed to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system at Imperial
Customer Service
· Establish personal relations with current and potential students and ‘go the extra mile’ to ensure student satisfaction and value from the AI programme by being proactive as well as responsive to the needs of past, current and prospective members
· Build deep relationships with key stakeholders, taking exceptional care of relevant academic champions at Imperial and the interests of the programme’s strategic partners, to ensure the highest level of institutional support and the widest possible community supporting the programme
· Establish a regular informal debriefing rhythm with participating students, contributors and collaborators, obtaining in depth feedback from current and prospective AI programme participants, monitoring their satisfaction, and responding quickly to operational challenges and arising needs or concerns
Continuous Improvement
· Continually review the external landscape and competitor offers and consider the applicability of any other approaches to the benefit of the AI programme
· Identify opportunities for change and continuous improvement to the design, shape and structure the AI programme, as well as determining evolving student need and College priorities, proposing, securing buy-in for and adjusting the annual programme to reflect these quickly and noticeably
· Create an atmosphere of excitement, implementing and delivering continuous improvement to retain a fresh and relevant programme that remains attractive and grows in perceived quality among current and prospective participants
· To observe and comply with all College policies and regulations, including the key policies and procedures on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, Data Protection, Equal Opportunities, Financial Regulations, Health and Safety, Imperial Expectations, Information Technology, Private Engagements and Register of Interests, and Smoking
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in its Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy, Promoting Race Equality Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks.
IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Applicants are required to demonstrate that they possess the following attributes:
Imperial Expectations
These are the 7 principles that Imperial leaders, managers and supervisors are expected to follow:
· Champion a positive approach to change and opportunity
· Communicate regularly and effectively within, and across, teams
· Consider the thoughts and expectations of others
· Deliver positive outcomes
· Encourage inclusive participation and eliminate discrimination
· Support and develop staff to optimise talent
· Work in a planned and managed way
Education and Qualifications
Essential
· A good undergraduate level degree, or equivalent in science, technology or business
· Evidence of appropriate continuous professional development
Advantageous
· Masters level degree, or equivalent qualification, in science, technology or business
· Membership of a relevant professional body
Experience and Knowledge
· Expertise in at least one area of innovation and entrepreneurship support at a level suitable to facilitate credibility and positive relations with staff, students, alumni and external partners
· Project management experience at a level conducive to delivering a high quality education and professional development programme in a world-class institutional setting
· Experience in managing people and influencing the successful delivery of outputs engaging and directing complex groups of suppliers, colleagues, and collaborators
· Designing, planning and delivering both student oriented and senior executive engagement activities successfully, e.g. small (10 person) and large (100 person) events
· Experience of working in large and complex organisations
· Experience of contemporary higher education and corporate marketing and communications models including on-line, web and social media exposure
Skills and Attributes
· Strong relationship building skills from entry-level student to board level, with the ability to interact in a manner that builds sustainable trust and confidence in the person and the AI programme
· Ability to conceive, plan and own operational delivery strategies over multiple years to deliver near, mid and longer term College objectives
· Strong, independently driven delivery focus, with the ability to manage multiple programme initiatives to completion through well-developed organisation, coordination and facilitation skills
· Successful at working both in an informal team environment, as well as to provide leadership in or work within a formal structure
· Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, to ensure clear and effective contact at all levels in academia and industry to produce high quality communications with significant content for a contemporary student and alumni audience, briefings and executive summaries suitable for academics and senior representatives in industry
· Outstanding interpersonal skills, charisma, maturity and credibility, capable of quickly building rapport with staff, students, alumni, philanthropic and corporate stakeholders
· Excellent listening skills, with the ability to draw out in depth feedback from past, present and prospective AI programme participants, monitor their satisfaction, and relay detailed intelligence from remote client interactions to interested parties within and beyond Imperial
· Understanding of the academic and STEM teaching, research and innovation environment, preferably gained through previous experience of working in a world-class HEI
· Understanding of the international business environment, preferably gained through previous experience of working with corporates, professional services or charitable foundations
· Creative thinking, especially in the context of identifying compelling subject areas and event formats to maintain an engaging AI programme and identify activities and processes that can improve events and enhance relationships
· Dynamic problem solving skills, with the ability to respond quickly and effectively to participant, contributor and partner needs and requests, maintaining composure under pressure