APPLICATION PACK PROFESSOR & HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

FACULTY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
APPLICATION PACK
PROFESSOR & HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, HEALTH
AND SOCIAL CARE
REF NO: 5166
CONTENTS
In this pack you will find the following documentation:
1.
Information about the Open University
2.
Information about the Faculty and Department
3.
Information about the Post and the Appointment Process
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Part 1: Information about the Open University
1.1 The Open University
The Open University (http://www.open.ac.uk/) is widely recognised as the most important
innovation in higher education of the last thirty years. Since its foundation in 1969 it has become
the largest university in the United Kingdom, using distance teaching methods to reach over
200,000 people every year. It is now expanding its activities outside the United Kingdom and its
materials are used by other institutions in many other parts of the world, including the USA, Hong
Kong, Singapore and five countries in the Arab world. Its courses are intended mainly for adults
studying part-time in their own homes or places of work, supported by locally-based tutors.
The Open University’s underlying philosophy is captured by its mission.
The Open University is:
•
open as to people and it aims to play a leading role in the transition to mass higher education
by serving an increasingly large and diverse student body;
•
open as to places and it aims to contribute to a widening of educational opportunities by
making its programmes, courses and services available throughout the United Kingdom and
more widely in Europe and the world;
•
open as to methods and it uses distance-teaching methods and new learning technologies and
teaching techniques to serve home-based and work-based students;
•
open as to ideas and it aims to be a vibrant academic community dedicated to the expansion,
refinement, application and sharing of knowledge.
Programmes of study include undergraduate diplomas; BA and BSc degrees, MEng and MMath
degrees; taught and research-based postgraduate courses leading to Masters and PhD
qualifications; professional training in the fields of management, health and social welfare,
education, manufacturing and computing; and family, personal and cultural education and leisure
interests. The Open University is currently ranked joint sixth out of around 100 UK universities for
excellence in teaching quality.
Teaching is carried out by means of specially-produced course texts and assessment materials,
audio-visual materials, CD-ROMS, computer simulations, on-line delivery and computer
conferencing.
Personal tuition is provided through teams of associate lecturers (tutors) working through a
network of local study centres and supervised by staff tutors. Some courses also have short
residential schools. Courses are prepared by teams of academic staff, educational technologists,
editors, designers, software producers and external consultants.
Although the majority of students are located in the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe, 20,000
people are taking OU courses in other parts of the world mainly through partnerships with the
University's subsidiary OU Worldwide (OUW).
In 1992 the University established OU Validation Services (OUVS) in succession to the Council for
National Academic Awards. OUVS, which is also an Awarding Body for National/Scottish
Vocational Qualifications, reaches many thousands of students through its partnerships with
several hundred accredited or sponsoring institutions and assessment centres.
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The Open University is also proud of its distinguished research record, and recognises the
importance of research in an academic community. It aims to make a vigorous contribution
to research and scholarship at the highest standard. Four groups of researchers obtained
the grade (5/5*) in the last nation-wide Research Assessment Exercise. Across twenty-one
other subjects the University's research profile is firmly based in national excellence, with
many of these subject areas also showing evidence of international standing. The University
has nearly 250 full-time research students on site, about 400 part-time external research
students and more than 500 research students at sponsoring establishments. The University
makes productive links between research and teaching, and aims to ensure that all course
teams include researchers working at the forefront of their subjects.
The headquarters of the University is at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes, close to the M1
motorway and the A5 trunk road. Milton Keynes Central Station, four miles from the
Campus, has frequent services on West coast main line from London (Euston) to Glasgow.
The University has thirteen Regional Centres throughout the UK, and a number of offices
elsewhere in Europe. There are more than 4,500 full-time staff, approximately two-thirds of
whom are based at Walton Hall. In addition there are 7,000 associate lecturers.
The University’s income for 2006/07 is £376 million of which £211 million is funded by grants
from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Scottish Higher Education
Funding Council, The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Training &
Development Agency for Schools.
1.2 Strategic Research Investment
Research is central to the mission of the Open University and in its relatively short history it
has established research excellence and international standing in a number of fields. An
important part of this mission is also that its teaching should be informed wherever possible
by the most up-to-date research.
The University aims to continue to be internationally recognised for the quality of its research
in selected areas. In the 2008 RAE the aim is to achieve the equivalent of grade 5 or 5* in
essentially all submitted areas. A high priority will be to protect and enhance existing areas
of excellence. Additionally we seek to invest in disciplines, departments and new research
groupings that have the potential to reach this level within the timescale of the next RAE.
Where a significant impact and ability to attract external funding is likely, we aim to build
large research programmes, groups and consortia that transcend discipline and institutional
boundaries. Further important themes are widening participation in research endeavour and
the development of inter-institutional collaborative research programmes. A key component
of the strategy is to establish five new interdisciplinary Research Centres:
The Centre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance
The International Centre in Comparative Criminological Research
The Centre for Research in Computing
The Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology
The Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research
Through the encouragement and support of excellent research, the University seeks to
recruit and retain first rate staff who will contribute at the highest levels to both research and
teaching.
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1.3 Further Information about the OU
If you would like any further information on the OU, please contact Mr Jeremy Roche,
Associate Dean, Faculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University, Milton Keynes,
MK7 6AA, Tel: 01908 654225, e-mail: j.b.roche@open.ac.uk
Part 2: Information about the Faculty and the Discipline
2.1 The Faculty of Health and Social Care
The Faculty of Health & Social Care is one of The Open University’s fastest growing and
most vibrant academic units. This is an exciting time to join a busy team, characterised by its
entrepreneurial, external focus.
The Faculty has already had a major impact on education and training in health and social
care in this country. The Faculty:
•
supports a large, and growing, student population of over 16,000, with a further
10,000 studying ‘Openings’ courses (access courses developed by the Faculty for
the University’s widening participation programme);
•
is the UK’s largest provider of part-time social work training;
•
has a unique pre-registration nursing programme which offers a work-based
qualifying route for health care assistants and support workers across the UK;
•
works in partnership with employers to provide learning programmes that meet their
changing needs. Over 30% of its students are sponsored by employers – mainly in
the NHS, social services and the voluntary sector;
•
has a growing research community to ensure the curriculum is underpinned by
cutting-edge thinking and practice.
The Faculty develops open learning materials for multi-disciplinary and multi-professional
use, qualifying and post-qualifying routes, and vocational training. Courses and study
materials cover a wide range of subject areas, including: social work; nursing; community
care; working with children, young people and families; youth justice and law; public health;
care management; mental health; complementary health; end-of-life care; communication;
mentorship and leadership. The Faculty also has long-established research interests in the
needs of service users in health and social care.
The Faculty has fruitful, longstanding relationships with statutory and voluntary sector
agencies at national, regional and local level – particularly the Department of Health, the
Lord Chancellor’s Department, the Scottish Social Services Inspectorate, the NSPCC,
Barnardos, Mind, and public health agencies.
The Dean of the Faculty is Professor Shirley Reveley. There are currently 10 Professors in
the areas of Nursing; Health Care; Social Care; Learning Disability, Biographical Studies and
Practice-based Open Learning. There are three Programme Directors and six Associate
Deans and a Director of Business Development.
Teaching
Numbers of registered students on undergraduate courses have expanded year by year, and
this growth is expected to continue.
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The main teaching areas are Social Work, Nursing and Health and Social Care. The Faculty
offers undergraduate courses on an open access basis (no entry requirements), all of which
can contribute to a vocationally relevant degree.
The Faculty also offers two professional qualifications – the Degree in Social Work and the
Diploma of Higher Education (Adult Nursing or Mental Health Nursing). These are only open
to students who are sponsored and supported by their employers.
A foundation degree in Health and Social Care was offered for the first time in 2005 and
other new developments include courses around the role of communication and
relationships in health and social care settings; promoting public health, youth justice; youth
studies and children’s services.
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
HSC is one of four Faculties working in partnership in a Centre for Excellence in Teaching
and Learning to develop expertise and knowledge in Practice Based Professional Learning.
This is funded by HEFCE with a grant of over £2 million for five years. We are working with
the University’s Institute of Educational Technology, the Open University Business School
and the Faculty for Education & Language Studies to examine and disseminate models of
Learning and Teaching around practice based learning in an open and distance learning
context. Activity in the Centre includes themed investigations on areas of concern in practice
based learning. The Faculty’s contribution to the CETL, led by Professor Pam Shakespeare
is seen as an opportunity for staff in the Faculty to take time to reflect on the quality of the
student learning experience and excellence of our teaching in the area of practice based
learning. At the same time it provides colleagues with networks within other Higher
Education Institutions to consider ways that we can share and improve practice.
Research
The Faculty has an active and supportive research environment with particular expertise in
the life course (ageing, children and families, reproductive health, learning disability);
practice-based research; biographical and participative methods and qualitative longitudinal
research. Further information on the Faculty can be found on the website at
http://www.open.ac.uk/hsc/.
The Region & Nation Centres
The Open University’s 10 Regional Centres and 3 Nation Centres are responsible for the
academic management of associate lecturers and educational support for students across
the UK. There are nation regions in Scotland, Wales and Ireland and ten other Centres in
English regions: the South East, South, South West, London, West Midlands, East Midlands,
East of England, Yorkshire, North West and North.
Regional Centres represent the University at a regional level and in particular:
•
promote the University and its courses within its area and provide advice and support
to prospective and existing students who enquire about the educational opportunities
available with the Open University;
•
arrange advice, guidance and learning support for students;
•
recruit Associate Lecturers who work face-to-face and by correspondence with
students, and provide their induction, staff development and overall management;
•
organise tutorial programmes at appropriate study centres;
•
organise and manage residential schools;
•
administer examinations;
•
organise degree ceremonies for graduates;
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•
work with other agencies to promote supported open learning for the benefit of parttime and adult learners in general, and for Open University learners in particular.
Important issues currently facing the University, and which impact upon regions, include
student recruitment and retention in the increasingly competitive education environment. To
address these challenges there are likely to be continuing changes to the patterns and
mechanisms for Learner Support Services in Regional Centres.
Part 3: Information about the Post and the Appointment Process
3.1 The Post
We are seeking to appoint a full-time, permanent Head of Department to provide both
academic and strategic leadership of the Faculty’s Health and Social Care Department. The
appointment will be at professorial grade for an appropriately experienced and qualified
individual.
3.2
Job Description
The post-holder will:
•
Be responsible for the management of the Department as a cost centre working to
targets for student numbers, equal opportunities, performance indicators and fee
income and staying within budget;
•
Steer the Department through the changes in health and social care taking place in
the UK and elsewhere;
•
Develop an employer engagement strategy for the department in consultation with
the Dean and in line with the strategic direction of the Faculty;
•
Develop an international strategy for the department in consultation with the
Associate Dean (Partnerships and International Relations) and in line with the
Faculty’s international strategy;
•
Take overall responsibility for maintaining and enhancing the quality of the
degree(s)/awards in terms of coherence, progression, levels and specification, in
consultation with the relevant Associate Deans and Assistant Directors;
•
Have overall responsibility for the line management and appraisal of all academic
staff in the Department;
•
Lead on, and be accountable for, the Department’s research strategy and be
accountable for the quality and appropriateness of the research and publications
output from academic staff in the Department in line with the Faculty’s research and
scholarship strategy;
•
Work with and support Course Team Chairs in production and presentation of
courses, creating development opportunities and agreeing standards and quality
outcomes;
•
Lead unit planning within the Department;
•
Work closely with other Heads of Department to ensure a continuing emphasis on
multi-disciplinary and inter-professional teaching;
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•
Enhance the Faculty’s research and scholarship profile by developing a personal
research plan under the direction of the Dean, and by linking with a research group.
3.3 Person Specification
Essential criteria:
•
A PhD in a relevant area;
•
Demonstrable record in relevant research, scholarship and publication;
•
Thorough understanding of service delivery in the Health and Social Care field,
including management leadership roles;
•
Extensive experience of delivery of professional education in a relevant field;
•
A commitment to facilitating adult learning, including work-based, life-long and multidisciplinary learning, and an excellent understanding of these concepts;
•
Demonstrable evidence of excellent team working and project management skills;
•
Demonstrable evidence of an ability to innovate, make difficult decisions and follow
them through;
•
A thorough understanding of the legislative and policy context in health and social
care throughout the UK;
•
Demonstrable evidence of an ability to liaise at high levels with organisations,
including for example, with Government, the statutory and independent sectors,
users’ and carers’ organisations;
•
Commitment to the promotion of equal opportunities;
•
Good skills in, and a high level of commitment to, the use of ICT;
•
Demonstrable ability to manage change within a complex organisation;
•
Evidence of a sound understanding of multi-disciplinary professional education and
partnership working;
•
Evidence of flexibility in working on a range of projects at any one time;
•
Excellent written and oral communication skills;
•
Demonstrable evidence of leadership and staff management skills;
•
A sound understanding of budget management;
•
Proven ability to develop and maintain external networks to inform the Department
strategy;
•
An ability to be self-critical and reflective in relation to one’s own role and work;
•
Demonstrable capacity to contribute to the Faculty’s Research Excellence
Framework;
•
Commitment to developing self and others.
•
Commitment to the OU values
Desirable criteria:
•
An understanding of course production and presentation issues within the Open
University or elsewhere;
•
A professional qualification in a health, social work or social care, public health or
other cognate discipline;
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•
Sound experience of writing for distance learning.
3.4 Salary and Starting Date
Salary will be negotiable in the professorial range (minimum £59,679 per annum) according
to academic attainment and experience. The Chair is available immediately.
3.5 How to Apply
Applications should be sent to the Recruitment Co-ordinator, Faculty of Health & Social
Care, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK. (tel +44 (0)1908
654483, no later than 9th January 2009. Electronic applications will be accepted and should
be e-mailed (hsc-recruitment@open.ac.uk). Applicants who are invited for interview will be
asked to provide a signed hard copy.
Applications should include the following three items:
•
a completed short application form, including the details of three referees, one of whom
should be your current or most recent employer. Please complete all sections of the
application form and the Equal Opportunities monitoring form;
•
a curriculum vitae that includes details of academic qualifications, research,
management and teaching experience, grants received and publications;
•
a written statement (not more than 1250 words) about how your experience and skills
match the person specification.
3.6 Disabled Applicants
The Open University welcomes applications from disabled people.
If you require any adjustments to enable you to attend the interview please ensure that you
have either provided this information on your application form or contacted the Recruitment
Coordinator to discuss your requirements.
If you are called for interview, please discuss any adjustments you may require to carry out
the duties of the role with the interview panel so that the appropriate arrangements and any
adjustments can be made if necessary.
(Under the Disability Discrimination Act, a disability is defined as a physical or mental
impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to
carry out normal day to day activities).
Please let us know if you need your copy of the further particulars in large print, on computer
disc or on audio cassette tape. Access details for disabled applicants are available from the
Faculty’s Recruitment Co-ordinator on 01908 654235.
3.7 Proof of eligibility to work in the UK
There are legal restrictions on who may undertake employment in the United
Kingdom. Residents of the European Economic Area and Switzerland are permitted
to work within the UK, however citizens of other countries normally need to be
sponsored by a UK employer and granted permission to stay in the UK by the UK
Border Agency, in order to undertake employment with the sponsoring employer.
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When applying to the UK Border Agency in order to sponsor someone, the University
will be required to demonstrate that the job is at skill level S/NVQ level 3 or above,
and that there are no other suitable candidates for the post who are ‘settled workers’,
i.e. resident in any of the countries as stated above.
Candidates who are invited for interview will be required to provide proof of their
eligibility to work in the UK by producing verifiable documents. Details of the required
documents will be sent to those candidates who are invited for interview and the
relevant original documents must be brought along to the interview for checking and
copying.
If you require sponsorship this will be processed should your application for appointment be
successful. To find out what visas and permissions you may require in order to work in the
UK please see http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ or telephone 0114 207 4074, the general
enquiries line is open from 09.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
3.8 Retirement Age
The Open University operates a normal retirement age of 65. It is normal policy to only
accept applications from new applicants up to the age of 64 years and 6 months, provided
that the applicant would be under the age of 65 when they commence work for the
University. This is in line with the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.
3.9 Selection Procedures
The Appointing Committee will short-list candidates whose written application demonstrates
a good fit with the person specification, subject to a limit on the number of candidates to be
interviewed. Short-listing is expected to take place on 20th January 2009.
Short-listed candidates will be asked to submit three research publications representative of
their current work giving some indication of the future direction of their research interests and
energies. These publications will be discussed at the interview.
References will be taken up on these short-listed candidates.
As part of the final selection process short-listed candidates will be invited to give a 20
minute seminar to members of the Department and Faculty on some aspect of their
research. This will be followed by 20-30 minutes of questions and debate. Candidates may
also be asked to discuss with members of the Department their ideas for the development of
research within the broad spectrum of (subject). Department/Faculty members will be
provided with the name and current post of each of the candidates.
Competing candidates will not be formally expected to meet each other. A representative of
the Department will be responsible for co-ordinating feedback on the candidates’
presentations and ability to communicate ideas clearly, and will report to the Appointing
Committee after the interviews. The decision on the appointment rests solely with the
Appointing Committee.
Shortlisted candidates will also be expected to give a shortened version of their presentation
to the Appointing Committee, lasting approximately 10 minutes.
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3.10
Interviews
Interviews will be held on 20th February 2009.
The Appointing Committee will include:
The Vice Chancellor (Chair)
The Dean of the Faculty of Health & Social Care
Two professorial members of the Faculty of Health and Social Care
A senior member from another Faculty in the University
One assessor external to the University
Informal enquiries can be made to: Mr Jeremy Roche, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health
and Social Care, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, Tel: 01908 654225, e-mail:
j.b.roche@open.ac.uk
3.11
Confidentiality of Applications
Applications will be treated as highly confidential. A candidate’s full application is circulated
only to the Appointing Committee.
3.12
Benefits and Facilities
The following provides information about some staff benefits and facilities. Full details will
be available on successful appointment.
Staff Development
We have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and
beyond your current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation
and regular reviews of your training and development needs. The objective is
that all staff should undertake at least five days development activity in each
year – this may include attendance at formal courses or other learning e.g. use
of self-study material. We invest substantial time and money in our staff
development provisions and we waive fees for staff wishing to study our own
courses.
Annual Leave
The annual leave entitlement is 30 days (33 days for academic, academic
related or research staff) in addition to all bank and other public holidays and an
additional 3 days at Christmas when the University is closed.
Study Leave
Permanent Central Academic staff (those on contracts of 2 years or more) are
entitled to study leave on full salary for research or other approved academic
purposes for two months in each leave year. For Regional Academic staff the
entitlement is to study leave on full salary for two months within each period of
two years completed service.
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Pension Schemes
Staff have the option of contributing to a national final salary pension scheme
and if they choose to contribute, the University contributes around 14% of
salary. Full details will be sent with any offer of employment but any preliminary
enquiries should be addressed to the Pensions Section, Human Resources
(01908) 652431 or 652957.
Relocation Expenses
Staff are normally expected to live within a reasonable travelling distance of
their place of work. The University will make a grant towards expenses
necessarily incurred for removals and disturbance, within certain rules and
subject to a maximum payment. Full details will be sent with any offer of
employment. The removal grant does not apply on appointments of less than
two years duration.
Family Friendly Policies
• Staff are entitled to 52 weeks maternity/adoption leave. Statutory
maternity/adoption pay will be paid for a maximum period of the first 39
weeks, made up to full pay for the first 18 weeks, subject to minimum
service conditions. Staff have the right to return to work at any time within
52 weeks of the maternity leave start date, again subject to certain
conditions.
• Staff are entitled to a maximum of 10 days paid paternity leave in connection
with their wife’s/partner’s confinement in any one leave year in addition to
normal leave entitlement, again subject to certain conditions.
• Childcare Vouchers; we have introduced a salary sacrifice scheme to
enable staff to take advantage of tax and NI exemption on up to £243 of
childcare vouchers per month. The scheme is managed by Busy Bees.
Further information will be provided on appointment.
Milton Keynes Based Staff
• Nurseries: The Mulberry Bear Day Nursery & Pre-School is a purpose-built
nursery on the Walton Hall campus. It is an independent charity supported
by The Open University and managed by parents. OU staff applications are
given priority but there may be a waiting list in some age groups. For further
information, please telephone Milton Keynes (01908) 653867, email
mulberrybear-enquiries@open.ac.uk or see their website at
www.mulberrybear.org.uk
• There are a number of other private nurseries in the Milton Keynes area.
Facilities
• Catering facilities providing meals, snacks and drinks
• Open University Club (offering a number of club and society events, sports
and social outlets).
• Occupational Health Department (located on site at Walton Hall) provides
professional advice to individuals and managers on all work related health
issues.
• Natwest; Bank sub branch on site at Walton Hall
• Shop selling general provision on site at Walton Hall
Local Education: Information on local schools can be obtained from the
Learning and Development Directorate, Milton Keynes Borough Council on
(01908) 253489 or visit their website at: www.mkschools.net
Smoking Policy
Please note that smoking is not permitted in University buildings, bars and
catering areas. Smoking is only permitted in designated outdoor areas.
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