Preparing a Position Description
for a Department Manager
- The Position
- Selection Criteria
- Position Description
- Key Responsibilities
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Job Complexity, Skills and Knowledge
- The Department
- Organisational Chart
- Faculty
This document sets out the views of a wide range of Departmental Managers, Faculty General Managers, Heads of Departments and other senior staff of the University on what, generically, should form the basis of a position description for a Departmental Manager. It is set out in accordance with the Position Description format recommended by Human Resources and covers the significant areas examined when classifying the job.
There are widely differing requirements of Departmental Managers. The differences are related to the size of the department, the requirements of the Head of Department and the nature of the discipline. For example, Departmental Managers in Medical Departments need different skills and knowledge, particularly about handling chemicals and EH&S, from a Departmental Manager in an Arts Faculty department. These differences will be reflected in the tasks required, the complexity of the job and, finally, in the classification of the position.
Use the information in this document as a basis to draft a PD for a vacancy or to guide the performance development of a current staff member. Tailor it to suit the needs of your particular department. A list of other areas you may wish to emphasise has been included at the end of the document.
Position Summary
This is the most senior administrative position in the Department. Major attributes of the role of Departmental Manager are:
- primary support and advice to the Head of Department;
- support for the Head of Department in acquitting his or her delegated compliance responsibilities, particularly occupational health and safety compliance;
- the link between the Faculty General Manager and the Department;
- the development of effective networks with staff, students and people external to the University to achieve the Department's goals;
- the daily management of the department; and
- the fostering of a spirit of common purpose among the staff of the department.
Selection Criteria
Essential Criteria
- Tertiary Qualification
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated effective management skills
- Well developed written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to actively listen and resolve conflict, as well as support, encourage, motivate and direct staff
- A capacity to embrace and foster change
- Relevant financial and budgetary experience
- At least five years relevant experience.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of relevant statutes and legislation
- A good understanding of the budgetary and financial systems of the University.
- A capacity to interpret strategic plans at the operational level
- Marketing skills
- Knowledge of recent IT trends in relation to business practices
Other Suggested Items
Occupational Health and Safety: given the nature of the work in some University departments there may need to be a greater emphasis on OH&S than currently outlined in the generic PD.
Students: You may wish to provide more detail about the expectation of the role in relation to student matters.
Purchasing: Some departments require the Departmental Manager to have input into the purchase of expensive equipment, to undertake initial research, visit sites etc., or simply to be able to seek out the 'best deal' for minor purchases. Consider the needs of your department with respect to purchasing. If it forms a large part of the role of the Departmental Manager, then maybe it should be a Key Responsibility.
Information Technology: Further emphasis may need to be given to the key responsibility area dealing with IT.
Buildings and Equipment: Your departmental manager may need expertise in the supervision of building alterations and commissioning of equipment. This may need to be a key responsibility area or you could decide to make such projects short-term goals for performance development.
Compliance and Liability: A knowledge of WorkCover, AQIS, GMAC, competitive neutrality, and/or copyright issues may need to be included in either the selection criteria or as part of the role.
Key Responsibilities
Staff Management and Liaison
The Departmental Manager is directly responsible for the supervision of general staff and the deployment of those staffing resources (including executive support for Departmental committees). He or she will be required to draft academic position descriptions and establish general staff position descriptions, encourage training where appropriate, motivate, appraise and counsel general staff, and liaise with academic staff, particularly those responsible for the supervision of other general staff.
Financial and Resource Management
The Departmental Manager develops financial and business plans for the Department. He or she:
- monitors expenditure, and performance against budget;
- ensures that delegated financial authorities are in place;
- assesses the financial arrangements proposed in any new ventures with respect to current legislation (eg. Trade Practices Act ) and University Statutes;
- oversees the terms of contracts or financial agreements on behalf of the department; and
- manages accommodation, facilities and equipment.
The manager is also required to support other staff in their efforts to secure research funding and contracts.
Information Technology
The Departmental Manager has a high level of computer literacy and understands the impact of Information Technology on financial and human resource management and the effect of new technology in relation to change management at the operational and strategic planning levels. He/she will oversee maintenance of systems, use and maintenance of WEB pages and the provision of support for the incorporation of IT into teaching.
Marketing
The Departmental Manager, in partnership with senior academic staff, identifies market niches, defends market strengths and develops marketing plans to address undergraduate teaching, postgraduate teaching/research and post-doctoral research endeavours. This may involve such specifics as developing cost/benefit scenarios, marketing plans (including promotional literature and advertising strategies) and ensuring an appropriate level of customer service from departmental staff in response to student enquiries. Flexibility of approach is required as each department or course has unique needs.
Clients
The Departmental Manager monitors the needs and requirements of the department's clients so that the department can respond effectively to changing needs. The responsiveness of the department to changing needs is a critical parameter for success. The Departmental Manager ensures the quality of support for students including the implementation of student support services specified under the Student Support Plan.
Strategic Planning
The Departmental Manager assists the Head in the strategic planning and the subsequent fine tuning of the strategic plan of the department and is accountable for the implementation of many aspects of the strategic plan. The Departmental Manager monitors the wider University situation and actively provides input and feedback to senior university staff on the impact of new policies and procedures.
Environment Health and Safety
See Position Description Proforma.
Job Complexity, Skills and Knowledge
Level of Supervision
The manager has a high level of autonomy. The level of supervision can best be described as 'broad direction'.
Organisational Knowledge
The Departmental Manager has a broad knowledge base with regard to the department, the wider University environment and the Higher Education sector in general. He/she also is aware of University policy and procedures, and occupational health and safety matters. The manager distils information from all these sources and provides input to the Head and other senior academics on possible trends or issues which may impact on the department and its functions.
The Department
Here you should outline the number of staff and students in the Department, areas of research excellence, research performance, key successes.
Organisation Chart
The Organisation Chart should show the direct reporting relationships up to two levels above and below this position. It should also show the relationship with other positions in the organisation unit.
Position titles and the classification level of each position should be marked against positions on the chart.
The Faculty
Here you should outline the number of staff and students in the Faculty, the disciplines taught and the organisational consultative structures of the Faculty.