I am an astute individual, with the strategic vision and commercial acumen to improve financial and operational performance within challenging, intensely competitive and quality driven environments. Enterprising and result-driven, with a particular ability for interpreting data, complex funding documents, contracts, European funding directives and Government strategies. Excellent data analysis and project management skills. People orientated and intuitive, achieving high levels of staff morale, motivation and performance.
Experience
Over 18 years experience with an Outstanding College of Further Education, of which the last 8 years were part of the College Management Team.
- Leading a Business Development/Employer Engagement department comprising of 60, ensuring increased employer engagement, high quality learning and successful achievement of business objectives in addition to agreeing and meeting recruitment, retention and achievement targets;
- Leading and supporting the strategic direction and development of the National Skills Academies for Retail, Health & Fitness, Hospitality and Environmental Technologies;
- Ensuring the sustainability of Employer Responsive provision through securing funding and sponsorship opportunities in line with the department’s business plan. The departments income for academic year 2010/11 equated to £2.8 million ;
- Monitoring income and expenditure against profiled budgets and reporting variances from planned profiles including performance against volume targets;
- Producing annual Self Assessment Reports reviewing the achievement of targets, identifying good practice and proposing future plans/actions to enhance quality of provision;
- Leading 60 staff providing professional and personal support through one-to-ones and the appraisal process;
- Producing training plans for staff within the department through the IPR process and to monitor its development, ensuring that the training plan meets the department’s objectives ;
- Sourcing potential partners, conducting due diligence, Contract management and audits of all subcontracted provision, ensuring all relevant contractual and management information is reported accurately and regularly to stakeholders;
- Developing and producing Service Level Agreements for Subcontracted provision;
- Designing, Implementing and Reviewing effective and robust standardised systems, procedures and processes on a regular basis in line with funding, audit and financial regulations;
- Developing and implementing business development and delivery strategies which respond to national and local priorities. Including:-
- Funding advice, guidance and reviews
- Assurance arrangements for Train to Gain, Work Based Learning and other funding streams or contractual arrangements
- Proactive, timely research into the identification of funding opportunities and the subsequent bidding process.
- Management of internal and PFA audit process, conducting regular internal audits and high level reports and action plans as appropriate