As Director of Faculty Planning and Operations (DFPO), I am part of the leadership team of the Strategic Planning Directorate and I also work closely with the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Faculty Executive Group within the Faculty of Health and Education. I lead a team of professionals who support the strategic planning and key operations functions in Health and Education. I work with Faculty colleagues, other Professional Services business partners, and wider Professional Services colleagues to ensure effective strategic planning, attainment of key strategic priorities/projects and the maintenance of core business across the Faculty and its Departments/Schools.Key areas of work are:• Implementing and supporting the annual cycle of Faculty and Departmental strategic planning activities;• Supporting strategic decision-making within the Faculty through timely and tailored data insight and management information;• Implementing and supporting governance, risk management, compliance and accreditation arrangements for the Faculty and Departments;• The effective management and delivery of key strategic projects within the Faculty;• Providing the Faculty and Departments with operational oversight and support for key processes such as space and workload management.

As a Senior Project Manager (interim) in the Strategic Planning Directorate, I led a project to reduce the administrative burden of Heads of Department and other academic colleagues. The role was based in Strategic Planning, but I was working across a number of Directorates and liaising with lots of academic and professional services colleagues.

• Led the Faculty Strategic Planning Process, including student number target planning and resource planning• Monitored strategic risks for the Faculty and working with senior colleagues to manage a risk register• Led an Employee Voice Group• Produced reports for senior colleagues to consider relating to workload, space management, student outcomes and progression• Membership of Faculty Committees including Executive Group, Internationalisation, Accreditations, Operations Groups, Return to Campus/Health and Safety Groups, Approval Panels• Led the Accreditations Team to develop the triple accreditation portfolio, including the re-accreditation for AACSB.

• Managed a team of Faculty Planning and Operations Managers and Officers• Committee member for Education and International Committees• Worked with senior academic staff to advise and lead on Faculty projects• Provided data and analysis on a range of performance metrics, including KPIs, NSS, Graduate Outcomes, staff surveys• Led market insight reports and business cases for new and re-approval of degree courses. Including benchmarking against competitors

• Managed a team of six Faculty Science and Engineering and four Faculty Education Research and Knowledge Exchange support staff• Committee member for the Research Ethics and Governance Committee and Faculty Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee • Provided advice and support to senior members of staff

• Managed the Faculty Research Degrees and Research Project teams• Committee member for Research Ethics and Governance, Research Degrees and Research and Knowledge Exchange Committees• Created and implement the Faculty PGR improvement plan

This role required me to work with the Associate Deans for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Centre Directors, Heads of Research Groups, and the Faculty Enterprise Manager.I was responsible for coordinating the delivery of all research and knowledge exchange activities and events at the Cheshire Faculty and I established strong relationships with the Faculty’s external stakeholders. A key aspect of the role required me to liaise closely with the central research and knowledge exchange office and with other faculties to provide optimal support for MMU Cheshire staff. I also worked closely with the University’s Impact Manager, to support the Faculty’s REF planning to ensure all outputs, metrics and case studies were available for audit.I managed a team of administrative staff in a busy Research and Knowledge Exchange office, their tasks and duties were wide ranging and include research degree student support, Arts Centre administration and project grant funding support.

This role required me to work across MMU ensuring the University complied with the Concordat for Research Integrity. I also worked closely with the University's Head of Research and other senior academics to implement processes and procedures relating to Research Governance and Ethics.

I managed all aspects of the research student journey for MMU Cheshire Research Students and provided key advice and support to colleagues and students relating to the University's Regulations. Also, I worked across MMU faculties to improve systems and procedures.

This is a voluntary role and is undertaken in my own time. It involves working with a committed group of Trustees to provide strategic direction to the organisation.

Management Committee Member and Trustee. This role required me to be involved in recruiting new trustees and staff. A key aspect of this voluntary position was to provide direction to the Chief Operating Officer and make important decisions about the strategic direction of the organisation.

Assessing numerous grant applications from charities and community groups from across Cheshire and Merseyside measured against strict set criteria. The panel met once for each quarterly grant funding round and discussed which applications should receive support.

I worked with community groups and charities to find the right way of funding their organisation. This included supporting senior staff to complete grant applications to the Big Lottery Fund, Sport England, Arts Council England, Awards for All and Trusts and Foundations.I was part of the Cheshire and Merseyside ESF Community Grants Panel. This involved assessing grant applications for a diverse range of projects, from community football camps to IT drop-in sessions and domestic violence services.

Assessed grant applications for arts lottery funding and put together written reports for recommendation or rejection.

I worked on a lottery funded project that introduced IT equipment into primary and secondary classrooms.

In this role I supported both the Executive and Artistic Directors by providing key administrative services.