Roles in this family are engaged in the provision of professional and administrative support services to College staff and students and sometimes to the wider public. The work might involve administrative support, developing and implementing policy, specialist services or project management. Contacts with internal and external customers, and with external suppliers, are a common feature. All roles require an understanding of the College’s systems and processes. The higher levels often combine professional qualifications, managerial experience and a substantial impact on the running and resources of the College.
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Professional services job family levels and guidance
Level 7
Summary
Roles at this level are held by the most senior staff, typically leading and directing a team of managers and/or highly qualified professionals across a major area of activity that is of strategic importance to the College. They are responsible for developing and delivering the strategic plans for their area, securing and deploying the resources necessary to meet the current and future needs of the College. They manage performance and are accountable for ensuring that the College meets both internal and external requirements. Individuals initiate, and through appropriate consultations and negotiations, establish policy changes to tackle major issues and situations, advising the College’s senior management team as appropriate. Through their interactions with senior colleagues, they have a substantial impact on College direction and strategic objectives.
Representative work activities
Analysis & Reporting
- Review performance over time in the area of responsibility and compare it to best practice elsewhere, identifying areas of improvement in structure, practices, policies and technology, reporting where appropriate
Customer Service
- Ensure services now and in future are shaped to meet customer needs
- Ensure quality processes are in place for the College
Planning & Organising
- Lead development of strategies and plans, which support and take forward the College strategy
- Lead major projects and initiatives which have significant resources and/or strategic impact
Finance/Resource Management
- Develop, deliver and control finances, meeting approved targets within budget
- Take responsibility for management of significant financial resources
- Promote improvements in value for money
Liaison
- Interact with senior colleagues from all areas of the College, with internal and external committees and other external bodies, providing high-level input
- Represent the College externally in sector groups and in negotiations
Management
- Lead, manage and motivate staff in a major functional area or service grouping, developing them and raising their performance
Continuous Improvement
- Ensure a continuous review of quality and of external benchmarks to promote the best possible service
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Professionally qualified/relevant degree, plus substantial relevant managerial experience or in-depth experience in a specialist area OR
- Extensive relevant experience demonstrating professional development through involvement in a series of progressively more demanding, influential and broad work/roles
To Include:
- Breadth of vision gained from extensive relevant experience in field of expertise
- Proven record of developing innovative solutions and practical implementations for strategic change
- Proven record of managing and controlling substantial budget/resources/funding and an understanding of financial management procedures
- Highly developed knowledge of the principles, theory and practice of the area of responsibility and an awareness of broader developments relevant to the College
- Aware of likely effect of change in economic, social and governmental and technological environment
- Well developed knowledge of systems/services for own area and across functions and how they relate to national and international developments
- Understanding of regulations and procedures and the implications for other staff of non-compliance
- Awareness and understanding of the activities, objectives and strategic direction of the College, both current and future, in a global context
- Strong interpersonal skills including ability to negotiate, motivate, influence and build relationships
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Delivery of targets/objectives to agreed specification, time, cost and quality standards
- Quality of planning and link to strategy
- Quality and timeliness of advice and recommendations
- Proposals for policy and procedure which meet both internal and external requirements
- Effective utilisation of finance and resources
- Quality of communication to stakeholders
- Effectiveness, e.g. from feedback
- Generation of new ideas and approaches
- Quality of innovative contribution
Where relevant
- Performance of team(s) against objectives
- Development of team(s) to meet individual and College requirements
- Good image/external view of team
- Good team/College morale
- Institutional prestige
Level 6
Summary
Roles at this level are held by professional specialists with high-level expertise, exercising within their particular functional area a substantial degree of independent professional responsibility and discretion, working to broad parameters and policy guidance. Work includes significant professional expertise and/or experience to develop and implement revised or new administrative/technical/professional policies and processes. Individuals will typically be managers of functional areas or senior individual contributors tackling planning and operations over a timescale of a year or years. They are expected to set quality and professional standards and manage service delivery, and have significant influence upon the structure and development of their area of activity. The work includes developing and implementing operational plans and contributing to the longer-term plans for the area to fit with broader functional and College strategy.
Representative work activities
Analysis & Reporting
- Identify trends, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in specialist area(s) of responsibility that may have an impact on the College/faculty/division/department/work unit, to enable appropriate and timely action to be administered, reporting when appropriate
Customer Service
- Apply broad and/or deep knowledge and experience of work area or field of expertise to provide advice/guidance/specialist resources to others or to address significant problems or unresolved issues, some of which will be multi-disciplinary in nature
- Anticipate customer needs/requests, identifying opportunities and facilitating change management
- Evaluate existing service provision, keeping abreast of feedback and broader developments in the external market place, to ensure appropriate developments and innovative solutions are proposed that consistently enhance and maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity
- Answerable for the service delivery of area of responsibility in respect of compliance with current and future faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit objectives, service level agreements, regulations and national codes of practice
Planning & Organising
- Shape strategic direction of own area of responsibility, planning and organising activities of others over many months, considering the implications now and in the longer term, to support faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit objectives
- Participate in the annual faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit operational planning process, to support the faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit strategic direction
- Oversee a number of projects, to ensure each project is managed and delivered to specification, time and budget
Finance/Resource Management
- Utilise/manage allocated budget/resources effectively and flexibly and control all related expenditure to ensure delivery of targets/objectives within budget
- Contribute to planning and budgetary statements and delivery of service resources within budgetary constraints
Liaison
- Interact at senior levels within the College. Network with fellow professionals in the wider community and represent and promote own work area/activity on internal and external platforms
- Liaise with service users to establish service requirements and priorities
Management
- Manage a group of administrative/specialist/professional staff across a function, or as a significant part of a wider function, to ensure all relevant annual targets and goals are delivered within any allocated budgetary/resource constraints
- Develop/improve the capability of staff within work area, motivating and mentoring them to better meet the current and future requirements of the faculty/division/department/work unit
- Provide expert advice and guidance to other professionals and encourage them to achieve College faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit objectives
Continuous Improvement
- Propose and implement changes to work processes and develop and define proposals for changes in and the formulation of College/faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit policy, to consistently improve quality and effectiveness of service provided and take account of legislative changes
- Keep up to date with developments in own field and with College developments
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Professionally qualified/relevant degree, plus substantial relevant managerial experience or in-depth experience in a specialist area OR
- Extensive relevant experience demonstrating professional development through involvement in a series of progressively more demanding and influential work/roles
To Include:
- Experience of managing and developing:
- A significant team or number of teams OR
- A significant project or number of projects
- Experience of working with and influencing senior management
- Experience of managing and controlling budgets/resources/funding and an understanding of financial management procedures
- Experience of developing innovative solutions and contributing to strategic planning
- Highly developed knowledge of the principles and theory of field of work, and practice therein, as well as an awareness of broader developments relevant to own area
- Well developed knowledge of systems/services for own area and across functions and how they relate to each other
- Well developed understanding of relevant regulations and procedures and the implications for other staff of non-compliance
- Strong interpersonal skills including ability to negotiate, motivate, influence and build relationships
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Delivery of targets/objectives to agreed specification, time, cost and quality standards
- Quality of planning and link to strategy
- Quality and timeliness of advice and recommendations
- Proposals for policy and procedures which meet both internal and external requirements
- Effective utilisation of finances and resources
- Quality of communication to stakeholders
- Effectiveness, e.g. from feedback
- Generation of new ideas and approaches
- Quality of innovative contribution
Where relevant
- Performance of team(s) against objectives
- Development of team(s) to meet individual and College requirements
- Good image/external view of team
Level 5
Summary
Roles at this level are held by experienced professionals responsible for providing proven specialist/technical expertise, and/or managing a diverse team and/or resources. Work often involves interpreting or assessing customer needs, identifying trends, generating original ideas and testing innovative solutions where these are not obvious. Individuals are typically accountable for the quality and professionalism of service delivery and are permitted discretion provided that activities are consistent with operational policies and precedents. There will be a requirement to plan and organise individual and/or team activity to integrate and co-ordinate work across different parts of the College/faculty/division/department.
Representative work activities
Analysis & Reporting
- Advise on the analysis and interpretation of data, identify trends and test solutions, source additional related information where appropriate, and report on progress, to support the resolution of issues/problems
- Ensure appropriate records are managed, monitored and maintained
Customer Service
- Apply appropriate expertise and use judgement to make decisions where solutions are not obvious, to deliver professional services to meet the customer requirements
- Generate original ideas and innovative solutions through the provision of specialist know-how and advice as appropriate
- Identify additional service requirements or service shortfalls and co-ordinate and/or design the delivery of innovative solutions to maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity
- Ensure professional and quality service standards are maintained and applied within own area of activity
Planning & Organising
- Plan and organise individual or team activity with an appreciation of longer term issues, ensuring plans complement and feed into the broader annual faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit operational plans
- Project manage activities to facilitate major service/operational changes in their area of activity
Finance/Resource Management
- Contribute to resource and budget planning within own area
- Manage resources/budgets within allocated project/area, regularly reviewing these to ensure that maximum value is delivered
- Identify additional resource requirements or resource shortfalls
- Co-ordinate and/or design the delivery of innovative solutions to maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity
Liaison
- Represent and/or promote the section/service at both internal and external meetings/events to ensure that faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit issues are appropriately represented and acted upon
- Contact with other areas of the College to develop new/improved processes and supporting systems
Management
- Manage a diverse group of staff to ensure the successful delivery of an administrative/professional/technological service
- Act as a mentor/coach to colleagues to support their professional development OR
- Manage own time and workload on weekly and monthly basis to support the achievement of faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit objectives
- May be considered as the “specialist” in a specific area gained through a detailed understanding of the theory, practice and/or principles underpinning their particular field of work
Continuous Improvement
- Revise or develop procedures and policy for approval and contribute to their successful implementation in order to deliver appropriate benefits and ensure external (e.g. regulatory or national codes of practice) requirements are met
- Improve specialist/technical/professional/vocational capability and expertise through appropriate development and/or professional activity
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Professionally qualified/relevant degree, plus significant hands-on experience in a similar or related role(s) OR
- Substantial relevant experience demonstrating development through involvement in a series of progressively demanding work/roles
To Include:
- Experience of managing the activities of self and/or others
- Project and/or people management skills
- Authoritative knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, as well as broader sector/commercial awareness
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of systems/services in own area and their varied applications
- Understanding of relevant regulations and national codes of practice and the implications of non-compliance
- Awareness of the current and future activities of the College/faculty/division/department/ school/work unit
- Working knowledge of the work of others inside and outside the College relevant to own field of work
- Utilising a network of contacts relevant to the work unit
- Proven analytical and problem solving capability
- Proven communication and interpersonal skills
Where relevant
- Managerial skills - coaching, motivation, managing performance
- Experience of managing budgets
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Completion of work to agreed specification, time, cost and quality standards
- Compliance with procedures, regulations and national codes of practice for self and others
- Generation of new ideas and suggestions for change
- Effective transfer of skills and knowledge to colleagues and customers
Where relevant
- Performance of team against objectives
- An appropriately skilled, managed and resourced team
- Completion of work of area of responsibility within deadlines and to agreed standards
- Good team morale
- Control of budget in line with College Financial Regulations
Level 4
Summary
Roles at this level provide professional advice and/or support, directly or indirectly, to faculty/division/department/work unit based upon a full understanding of a technical, professional or specialised field. They plan and ensure progress within established procedures and clearly defined College policy. They are expected to identify gaps in information, and conduct analyses to solve/resolve problems and issues with short-term consequences. They put forward recommendations on managing more complex situations. Individuals are responsible for planning and organising their own work or that of a team of colleagues, who may be involved in different types of work. There is a need for liaison and the co-ordination of activities across a number of subsections of the College/faculty/division/department. The work involves encountering changing priorities and differing situations.
Representative work activities
Analysis & Reporting
- Assess or conduct analysis, presenting results and putting forward recommendations through the provision of briefings, presentations or written reports, to facilitate the interpretation of specific issues/problems and support decision making
- Identify gaps or shortfalls in information and source additional related information
- Monitor and maintain records/reports to meet both internal and external requirements
Customer Service
- Provide specialist/professional advice and recommendations within specific parameters/professional guidelines to support informed decision making
- Design and/or deliver a variety of service support mechanisms (e.g. training/promotional materials, system modifications) to maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity
- Deliver own work/ the work of a team to meet quality service standards
Planning & Organising
- Develop and determine appropriate team or individual workflow and activity scheduling in order to meet targets and/or turnaround times
- Lead assigned faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit project teams/projects, usually of a short-term nature, or contribute to larger College-wide projects as part of a project team, to support the achievement of project objectives
Finance/Resource Management
- Delegated responsibility, where appropriate, for a budget(s)
- Provide input into the resource planning process to ensure that the appropriate level of resources are available
- Ensure that resources are appropriately and efficiently managed
Liaison
Attend internal or external meetings to ensure that faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit issues are appropriately represented and reported
Management
- Manage/supervise a team operating within a well-defined discipline, and be responsible for the performance management and development of team members to ensure that individual contributions are maximised OR
- Operate as an individual responsible for the organisation and delivery of specialised work, to meet faculty/divisional/departmental/work unit objectives
Continuous Improvement
- Identify and make recommendations (e.g. in policies and procedures) to contribute to the operational improvement of the faculty/division/department/work unit
- Improve specialist/technical/professional/vocational capability and expertise through appropriate development and/or professional activity
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Degree qualified in relevant subject/relevant formal training, plus experience in a similar or related role(s) OR
- Significant relevant experience, demonstrating development through involvement in a series of progressively more demanding work/roles
To Include:
- Knowledge and understanding of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role, which may include broader sector/commercial awareness
- Detailed operational knowledge of systems relevant to own field of work and/or detailed knowledge of own service area and products/services available
- Clear understanding of the regulations and codes of practice set for the conduct and output of the role
- Experience of planning and progressing work activities within general guidelines, using initiative and judgement
- Working knowledge of the work and activities of other areas of the College relevant to faculty/division/department/work unit
- Utilising a network of contacts relevant to the work unit
- Effective analytical and problem solving capability
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills
Where relevant
- Effective management/supervisory skills – coaching, motivation, managing performance
- Ability to manage budgets
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Timeliness, accuracy and comprehensiveness of advice
- Completion of work to agreed time and quality standards
- Accuracy/attention to detail
- Effective transfer of skills to others
- Compliance with regulations and codes of practice for self and others
- Receptiveness to new ideas and approaches
Where relevant
- An appropriately skilled, developed and performance managed team
- Completion of work of area of responsibility within deadlines and to agreed standards
- Good team morale
Level 3
Summary
Roles at this level require detailed understanding of methods, systems, and procedures gained through significant practical experience and/or through formal training. The work requires the exercise of initiative and judgement on how to address and resolve problems with minimal guidance and instructions from senior colleagues. There is discretion to determine short term priorities and, if applicable, priorities of a team of people involved in the same type of work. Contributions include proposing and implementing improvements to current working methods.
Representative work activities
Analysis, Reporting & Documentation
- Research, collate, organise and edit material for inclusion in reports/documents
- Perform detailed and/or complex manipulation and analysis of data, highlighting and prioritising any issues for further investigation and preparing reports to support decision making
- Circulate information/findings appropriately to ensure awareness of key issues
Customer Service
- Resolve issues/problems/queries independently and provide advice on routine matters to ensure that efficient, day-to-day customer service is delivered
- Recommend alternative sources of information/courses of action where appropriate, exercising judgement in referring issues/problems to supervisor/manager
- Deliver a range of specialist service support tasks and advise and assist customers on specific aspects within own section of work where appropriate, to maximize service quality, efficiency and continuity
- Contribute to and monitor service objectives and standards within own area of work to maximise service quality and efficiency
Finance/Resource Management
- Provide input into the resource planning process where required
- Deploy assigned resources towards defined objectives and within defined limits/devolved budget responsibility, to ensure operational and cost efficiency
Liaison
- Liaison, communication and relationship building within the College as well as with outside bodies, to support/represent faculty/division/department/work unit activities
- Attend meetings as requested by manager, to support/represent faculty/division/department/work unit activities
Management
- Supervise staff, allocating and prioritising their work and monitoring individual progress and performance in line with this, to contribute to the achievement of College objectives OR
- Operate as an individual, organising and planning own work activities, to contribute to the achievement of faculty/division/department/work unit objectives and maintain and improve efficiency
- May be recognised as the main point of contact for a particular process, system or procedure
Continuous Improvement
- Maintain and improve operational efficiency and quality of service of own area through improvements in procedure and process
- Keep skills up to date and develop depth or breadth of knowledge in a particular area through learning from more senior/experienced colleagues, appropriate training and exposure to a range of activities and/or professional qualifications
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Appropriate/relevant academic and vocational qualifications with experience in a relevant role OR
- Broad experience, acquired through a combination of job-related training and considerable on-the-job experience, demonstrating development through involvement in a series of progressively more demanding relevant work/roles
To Include:
- Experience of working with relevant specialised equipment, software or procedures
- Experience of working/responding independently and dealing with unforeseen problems and circumstances
- Thorough knowledge of the work practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role
- Provision to customers of first-line advice and guidance, typically of a more technical/specialised nature
- Clear understanding of the standards and regulations set for the conduct and output for the role
- Working knowledge of the activities of other areas of the College relevant to faculty/division/department/work unit
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Understanding of relevant policy and legislation
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Quality, appropriateness and timeliness of advice in response to enquiries from customers
- Completion of work to agreed time and quality standards
- Proactive/resourcefulness
- Accuracy/attention to detail
- An ability to organise own and other’s activities to meet objectives
- Quality of customer service, e.g. from feedback
- Receptiveness to new ideas and approaches
Where relevant
- Appropriate delegation and effective performance monitoring skills
- Good team morale
Level 2
Summary
Roles at this level work within established processes and procedures, with minimum day to day supervision but clear guidance, to provide a range of support services to an agreed quality standard or specification. The role requires a working knowledge of the system/process/operating environment, and may have specific responsibility for a clearly defined section or sub-section of work. It involves dealing with less routine queries/issues/circumstances, referring conflicts or more complex situations to a manager/supervisor. Independence and initiative in the arrangement of immediate work priorities will be required to react to changing priorities.
Representative work activities
Analysis, Reporting & Documentation
- Create documents/presentations from a clear brief supplied by others, to support operational activities
- Prepare documentation that may require the use of a range of computer-based procedures and software packages, to support the accurate and appropriate presentation of materials
- Perform straightforward analysis of data or calculations, presenting findings/results accurately and appropriately to support effective reporting of information
Customer Service
- Receive and respond to enquiries from/to customers, including more complex queries, judging when to pass them on to or involve others, to provide a courteous and effective service
- Recognise/understand impact of incidents arising and raise issues of concern where necessary to ensure appropriate resolution of customer enquiries/issues
- Deliver a range of administrative and/or customer services in support of existing systems or processes to an agreed quality standard or specification
Planning & Organising
- Arrange and/or support internal and external activities/events, collating and recording relevant information/documentation as requested, to ensure activities/events are administered efficiently
- Plan and prioritise own work activities, and where necessary balance these with new requirements of the team
Finance/Resource Management
- Monitor and take responsibility for small-scale resources/cash, following established procedures to ensure adequate resources are available to meet work requirements
Liaison
- Develop a network of contacts throughout own area, knowing who key individuals are
- Communicate and liaise with service users and/or external contacts usually through established routine connections (e.g. regular suppliers/contractors) as own section of work requires
Management
- Provide guidance and support to junior colleagues through on the job training/coaching in own area to maintain operational effectiveness
- Assign tasks to others where necessary and be responsible for making sure they are completed correctly and to schedule, to ensure faculty/division/department/work unit service quality standards are maintained OR
- Organise and prioritise own work activities within established routines or procedures and subject to minimal supervision, to support the achievement of faculty/division/department/work unit objectives
Continuous Improvement
- Relay customer feedback and comments and contribute to proposals for improvements to current working methods
- Keep skills up-to-date and develop abilities and competence through learning from more senior/experienced colleagues, appropriate training and/or exposure to a range of activities
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Either appropriate, relevant academic/vocational qualifications plus some work experience in a relevant role or the equivalent in experience
- Experience of assessing and responding to non-routine work/situations
- Working knowledge of relevant systems, equipment, processes and procedures
- Understanding of the standards set for the conduct and output of the role
- Written and oral communication skills
- Familiarity with the work of the faculty/division/department/work unit, and of the College
- Understanding of relevant policy and legislation
- Analysis of data and problems
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Competence with relevant systems, equipment, processes and procedures
- An ability to plan and organise work activities/tasks
- Quality of customer service, e.g. from feedback
- Accuracy/attention to detail
- Initiative/resourcefulness
- A positive attitude to work
Level 1
Summary
Roles at this level are engaged in prescribed, reactive work, performing straightforward tasks within established routines and procedures and under regular or direct supervision. They involve responding to routine queries issues/circumstances, and referring any unusual or non-routine situations to others. The work is typically to short deadlines, providing courteous and effective service to others.
Representative work activities
Analysis, Reporting & Documentation
- Reproduce and provide customary and clearly defined documents/presentations typically using standard formats or templates to support operational activities
- Carry out routine, limited choice, record keeping, filing and data entry and update simple databases, to ensure accurate records are maintained
- Run routine reports to support faculty/division/department/work unit information procedures
Customer Service
- Receive and respond to everyday enquiries from/to customers, referring requests outside their knowledge base to the appropriate person/area, to provide a timely and effective service to others in the provision of standard information
- Provide simple administrative and/or support activities, to contribute to the effective operation of an office or work unit
Planning & Organising
- As directed make arrangements and bookings and be involved in the provision of materials to assist in the effective organisation of internal and external activities
- Arrange daily allocated tasks within a routine to ensure work is completed to time and appropriate standard
Finance/Resource Management
- Within prescribed limits follow set procedures to ensure adequate supplies/resources are available to meet work requirements
Liaison
- Receive visitors and provide/request information from internal and external contacts in a courteous and correct manner, to promote a positive image of their faculty/division/department/work unit to others.
Continuous Improvement
- Suggest improvements to current working methods
- Work with manager and /or more experienced colleagues to develop abilities and competence through learning and/or exposure to a range of activities
Knowledge, skills & experience
- Skills gained through work experience. May include short courses and other formal training
- Working knowledge of relevant systems, equipment, processes and procedures
- Numeracy and literacy
- Ability to follow instructions accurately
- Ability to convey information, written and oral, to colleagues and customers
- Awareness of the purposes of the College
Performance criteria
Evidence of:
- Working to given deadlines and to set standards
- An ability to exchange information in a courteous and effective manner
- A flexible approach to duties
- A positive attitude to work
- Accuracy and reliability
- Quality of customer service, e.g. from feedback
- Willingness to learn