Head of Operations
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
Job purpose
Reporting to the Deputy Director of SUERC, this position holds accountability for the coordination of strategic planning, policy development, health and safety, risk management, resource allocation, and infrastructure management. The postholder will lead a team of professional services staff, ensuring the effective delivery of services that align with SUERC’s key strategic objectives.
As a key member of SUERC's leadership team, the Head of Operations will represent SUERC within the broader University of Glasgow community and external agencies. The role will have direct management of the professional services staff and will work collaboratively with the wider professional services teams at the University, contributing to the continuous enhancement of operational practices across both SUERC and the University.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Contribute to the development and execution of SUERC's strategic vision through accelerating the transformation and optimisation of operations to enhance efficiency, research capacity, and impact.
- Oversee the operational business of SUERC, by strengthening engagement with key internal and external partners, scientists, and external stakeholders, including the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, the British Geological Survey, the Natural Environmental Research Council, Counter-Terrorism, Police Scotland, Colliers to cultivate a thriving ecosystem for research and innovation. Leverage partnerships and networks to enhance SUERC’s reputation at local, national, and international levels, positioning the Centre as a leader in its field.
- Drive the operational delivery of the Centre’s Strategic Framework, ensuring resources and services align with the broader goals of the College and University. Work in partnership with the Centre Executive Group, SUERC’s academic and technical staff, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless implementation of strategic initiatives.
- Responsible for the strategic oversight of the operational management of SUERC including ownership of policies and procedures, roles and responsibilities of staff members and ensure effective delivery of SUERCs priorities, achievement of KPIs and, where appropriate, integration with other support teams in the College and wider University. Line management of staff in these functions, fostering professional development, performance excellence and career progression.
- Strategically manage the Centre’s estate to ensure efficient use of office and laboratory space while maintaining high standards of infrastructure management and compliance. Develop short- medium- and long-term strategies for maintenance and improvement of the SUERC infrastructure.
- Manage health and safety across the Centre’s activities. Develop and maintain an effective health and safety management system, implement proactive solutions to mitigate potential risks and chair the SUERC Health and Safety Committee. Ensure full compliance across SUERC with University of Glasgow policies and legal requirements.
- Oversee radiological protection including data reporting and referencing, site security, and compliance with legislative requirements, working in tandem with SUERC research and technical teams, as well as the University of Glasgow and the processes within.
- Identify, assess, and manage risks associated with the Centre’s infrastructure and operations. Develop and maintain an effective risk management system, including a comprehensive risk register, and implement proactive solutions to mitigate potential risks. Ensure full compliance across SUERC with University of Glasgow policies and legal requirements.
- Drive and lead key change management initiatives across SUERC’s operational teams, with a focus on performance improvement, efficiency gains, and enhanced service provision. Develop and implement action plans to address operational challenges and optimise services for internal and external stakeholders. This may involve contributing to College/University-wide initiatives.
- Proactively network and develop strong collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders, both within the College and across the University to share best practice. Lead working groups, build interdepartmental relationships, and broker collaborations to drive the Centre’s strategic and operational goals.
- Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the Director/Deputy Director, contributing to the overall success and operational efficiency of SUERC.
Knowledge and qualifications
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management skills in a similar or number of different specialist roles.
- Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9,10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in relevant discipline, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s).
- Broad understanding and awareness of business operations, specifically within academia.
- Ability to provide comprehensive governance and reporting, including strategic engagement with senior management for development and delivery of critical strategy.
- Knowledge and understanding of research project delivery involving a variety of stakeholders and understanding of business drivers.
- Knowledge of Health and safety in the workplace.
Desirable
- A working knowledge of University policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of health and safety in research laboratory settings.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent leadership and management abilities.
- An appropriate level of gravitas, technical insight and credibility to represent the SUERC at a senior level, to drive projects to deliver ambitious targets and secure new partnerships.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate at all levels.
- Ability to delegate, motivate and develop team working.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, including influencing, negotiation and diplomacy.
- Excellent organisational skills with ability to manage multiple competing programme activities across a multi-year basis, whilst working to tight deadlines.
- Ability to proactively engage with senior managers and partners with an effective and solution-focussed collaborative approach.
- Effective negotiating skills and diplomacy skills to negotiate a way forward in a collaborative environment and securing agreement from the partner level teams.
- High level of competence with a range of computerised systems, databases and data sources to support project management; improve team communications, information and data dissemination.
- Proven ability to solve problems creatively working in a technically complex area and working across a range of management functions.
Experience
Essential
- Proven ability to manage multiple collaborative projects.
- Significant project management experience managing multi-disciplinary collaborations with domain experts and academic/industry research functions.
- Experience of providing high calibre leadership and direction within a complex multi-stakeholder high profile context.
- Experience of managing and leading teams.
- Experience of senior ambassadorial role, promoting an organisation or service to internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience in analysing data and providing management information with a high degree of accuracy.
- Demonstrable experience of managing large teams across a range of business operations.
- Project management experience.
Desirable
- Experience in managing industry-academia operations and collaborative projects.
How to apply
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
The closing date for applications is 2 December 2024.
Terms & Conditions
Salary will be Grade 8, £49,250 - £56,921 per annum pro rata.
This post is part-time (21 hours per week), and open ended (permanent).
As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/), benefits and discount packages.
A flexible approach to working.
A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/).
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/).
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/) and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website [https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/) for more information.
World-Changing Campus
We have delivered one of the most significant expansions of a UK university city campus for over a century.
Over the last decade, the University of Glasgow has invested in its estate to expand its world-class campus and facilities.
An area covering 14 acres of land next to our magnificent Gilmorehill campus has been redeveloped to build a mix of modern research, teaching and public spaces.
Our new buildings will mean the University remains a centre for world-changing research, as well as a vibrant community hub and centre for public engagement.
The development will transform our teaching, learning and research spaces. It will allow us to bring together the best minds of today and tomorrow within world-class interdisciplinary research spaces that offer flexibility and stimulate collaboration, and modern study spaces that will combine study and social learning space with technology enabled teaching.
- The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is changing the way research is conducted at Glasgow. The ARC is the creative and collaborative heart of research at the University of Glasgow, bridging the boundaries between research, cross-subject collaboration and true societal impact . The ARC brings more than 500 world-leading researchers from a range of disciplines together in a building specifically designed to break down organisational structure and facilitate collaboration and interdisciplinary work.
- The James McCune Smith Learning Hub is an inspirational and diverse learning space. The flagship building was the first to be completed as part of our campus development, and provides a creative environment, combining flexible study and social learning space with multi-styled and technology-enabled teaching. It can accommodate more than 2,500 students, and includes a lecture theatre with capacity for 500 students. State-of-the-art teaching facilities, with flexible study spaces and interactive teaching for students, help to create a more immersive learning experience.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created two guides to aide you in the decision making process.
Find out more on relocating to Glasgow at the below link:
- Relocating to Glasgow
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth
- We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
- We share our work widely and generously
- We do the right thing, not the easy thing - or we don’t do it
- We take responsibility
An Inclusive Community
- We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
- We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
- We champion education as an engine for social progress
- We practise and advance sustainability