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Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 12 months from start date
Job Description:
About the Role
The Partnerships Manager will support and develop a range of initiatives to enhance The Open University (OU) in Wales’ external engagement work. You will engage with schools, colleges, employers, regional partnerships, representative organisations, other education providers, government, community partners, and public, private and third sector organisations across the learning and skills-based landscape in Wales. You will play a key operational role, building on the OU’s reputation as the premier provider of high quality flexible and distance learning.
You will be required to take lead responsibility for a specific portfolio of work with the schools sector across Wales. You will also be required to oversee the tasks of project officers/support staff/assistants (as required), ensuring projects are monitored in accordance with team priorities and funder specifications and reporting information is submitted accurately and timely.
You will be expected to use your skills and expertise to develop and co-design initiatives with a range of existing and new external and internal partners, assessing skills and future learning needs and developing research, innovation, knowledge exchange and civic mission opportunities to grow the reach of the OU in Wales’ offer.
As a member of the Marketing, Communications and Partnerships team, you will be required to support a portfolio of work within the Partnerships team that includes:
* Working with schools and further education colleges to develop learning pathways and opportunities for students to undertake OU study in familiar places.
* Working with academic staff to enhance research, scholarship and innovation opportunities to secure societal impact or commercialisation.
You will also be required to support colleagues across portfolios of work within the Partnerships team that includes:
* Working alongside community and third sector organisations, housing associations and Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities of interest to widen access to higher education and to work collaboratively in designing learning solutions.
* Developing our partnerships with employers and trade unions, including innovative approaches to address skills and workforce development needs.
You will be expected to innovate and be creative, and to utilise the OU’s extensive curriculum and unique methods to service the needs of learners and organisations.
Key Responsibilities
* Support the strategic planning and implementation of the OU in Wales external engagement work, taking a central role in deepening and developing our work with external partners in line with the OU strategy.
* Establish, develop and maintain positive relationships with external and internal partners to facilitate appropriate, innovative and effective opportunities.
* Take responsibility for a portfolio of specific partner relationships and programmes, and maintain appropriate processes including record keeping, reporting and generic project management.
* Contribute to and develop income generation opportunities.
* Contribute to the achievement of targets and outcomes associated with the OU in Wales business plan and other internal and external commitments.
* Contribute to evaluation activity, data collection and analysis, report writing and other dissemination activity.
* Identify opportunities to promote, publicise and share your successes, working closely with the Marketing, Communications and Partnerships team.
* Contribute to the overview of budgets in your work area, including forecasting, monitoring and ensuring best value.
* Work alongside colleagues to identify appropriate funding opportunities and contribute to proposals to develop activities and outputs in your portfolio.
* Analyse relevant data and write and produce reports for internal and external audiences, including any statutory returns or monitoring reports to funding bodies.
* Contribute to internal and external groups and committees as appropriate.
* Oversee the work of project officers/support staff/assistants as required.
* The role holder may be required to undertake any other duties reasonably required within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the role, subject to the proviso that normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the job description in specific terms.
All staff are expected:
* To comply with the University’s Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the performance of your duties.
* To take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of yourself and that of any other person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
* To co-operate with The Open University in ensuring as far as is necessary, that Statutory Requirements, Codes of Practice, University Policies and Departmental Health and Safety arrangements are complied with.
* To demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.
Skills and Experience
Essential Requirements
* A degree or relevant, equivalent experience.
* Experience of working within or with the schools sector in Wales
* Experience of building sustainable and purposeful relationships for an organisation with a range of stakeholders and partners.
* A track record of successfully managing multiple projects or workstreams with examples of work that you have initiated that have made a difference/had impact.
* Experience of planning and prioritising workload to achieve multiple objectives.
* Experience of project implementation and evaluation, including the dissemination of learning to other interest groups.
* An understanding of current policy drivers and delivery mechanisms related to tertiary education in Wales.
* Excellent organisational abilities, particularly in relation to a diverse and demanding work portfolio.
* The ability to work on your own initiative to make considered decisions and to work as part of an outcomes-focused team
* Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills including excellent presentation skills with experience of writing for internal and external audiences and organising events, both online and face-to-face.
* A growth mind-set where you are resilient and adaptable to change.
* A commitment to the ideals of the Open University, including equal opportunities and diversity issues.
* Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Desirable
* A higher degree in a relevant subject.
* Experience of developing bids or proposals from externally funded sources.
* Knowledge and experience of supporting widening participation in the context of higher education and experience of work-based learning and skills development activity.
* An understanding of the needs of part-time adult learners and the challenges facing students in a distance learning context.
* The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh.
Essential Requirements
You may be required to undertake any other duties reasonably required within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the role, subject to the proviso that normally any changes of a permanent nature shall be incorporated into the job description in specific terms.
Secondments for this opportunity would be considered.
Homeworking with regular visits to Cardiff is possible. This role requires engagement with partners across Wales, with travel to engage with project partners/stakeholders as necessary, along with some travel to Milton Keynes and occasionally to other OU locations. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle will be essential.
How to apply: To apply for this role please submit the following as separate documents:
* CV
* A supporting statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job description.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh. An application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Please Note: We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.
If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application,please contact:Careers@open.ac.uk .
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The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.
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