Brief for the position ofDirector of Digital Engagement University of LincolnDecember 2015

Contents

From the Deputy Vice-Chancellor 03The University of Lincoln 04University Structure Chart 06

Research Strengths 07Teaching & The Student Experience 07

Values 08Role Context 09Role Outline 10

Person Specification 11How to Apply 12

From the Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Thank you for taking an interest in the post of Director of Digital Engagement at the University of Lincoln. We are a dynamic, ambitious and successful University making rapid progress in an increasingly volatile sector. We have the highest aspirations for our students and staff, and we want to ensure that they are experienced and confident across the full range of possibilities opened up by the digital world.

A student graduating in 2016 will probably be working in 2060 and although we can imagine little of what the world will be like then, it is a racing certainty that it will be one where digital engagement and the capacity rapidly to change and adapt will be key. Similarly, as staff progress on the journey to excellence in research and teaching, they need to be able to capitalise on the learning, sharing and making capacities of the digital domain in order to fully explore their potential impact and creativity. Our professional services need to bring digital opportunities to bear on their areas of interest and activity, for example, be this recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, developing international partnerships or encouraging the entrepreneurs within our community.

We are looking for someone who is deeply engaged with the digital world, alive to its possibilities and connected with new thinking and looking for an opportunity to bring a large and capable community into this space and to equip them to thrive there. This is a change project, and we need someone who has a track record of effecting change in complicated and multi-facetted organisations. It is a challenge at a range of scales from strategic planning to local creating and making, so we are looking for a talented enthusiast who can engage and influence at any level within the organisation. It is an open ended brief, so we are looking for someone who is self motivated, sensitive to culture and context, and able to work autonomously and in an exploratory and reflective manner.

If this is a description of you, please contact us to find out more.

Good luck with your application; I hope to meet you at interview.

Professor Susan RigbyDeputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lincoln

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The University of Lincoln is one of the HE sector’s real success stories. In recent years, Lincoln has seen a rise across all university league tables, and it has established an international reputation as a research-driven, pioneering institution. The latest student survey results saw Lincoln’s courses and facilities rated amongst the best in the country, and the modern campus near the historic city centre provides staff and students with an attractive work and study environment. The University has around 13,000 students (c.11,000 undergraduate and c.2,000 postgraduate), and an annual turnover of £130m.

The University of Lincoln

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10 key facts

1 The University produces world-leading research, with more than half of the outputs submitted to REF 2014 rated 4* or 3*.

2 Students rated several of Lincoln’s courses among the best in the UK for student satisfaction in the in the 2015 NSS.

3 In its most recent QAA review, Lincoln received an excellent result and was commended for the innovative ways in which it gives its students a voice.

4 The University has invested around £200m in the stunning Brayford Pool Campus, and plans to invest a further £130m over the next few years.

5 Around 100 nationalities are represented on campus, and Lincoln has partnerships with universities around the world.

6 Lincoln is recognised as a leader in successful partnerships between business and academia, as highlighted by the recent Witty and Wilson reviews.

7 Lincoln’s Vice-Chancellor is a Member of the Board of HEFCE and Deputy Chair of the University Alliance.

8 The University is a strong supporter of local and regional events, and hosts a variety of free-to-attend public lectures.

9 The University is committed to raising young people’s aspirations, and works with schools locally and nationally to assist progression to Higher Education.

10 The Students’ Union won the Students’ Union of the Year title at the NUS Awards 2014.

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Director of Digital

Engagement

Research strengths

Research underpins all the University’s academic endeavours. It is Lincoln’s mission to pursue the highest standards of research excellence with talented academics, researchers and students attracted from across the UK and abroad. Over the last 10 years, there has been significant investment in the infrastructure for both research and teaching. From state-of-the-art equipment and new buildings through to investment in facilities and archives, the University offers a vibrant academic environment in which to pursue research and undertake research-informed study. In REF 2014, 53% of the University’s submitted research was rated as 4* or 3*, with world-leading research identified in almost every area. Approximately 40% of eligible staff across 17 Units of Assessment were returned to the REF. The University was placed in the top ten nationally for the quality of its research outputs in two areas, reflecting the substantial investments made in developing science and health research. Overall Lincoln achieved a GPA of 2.54 – an improvement of more than 30% (and 13 league table places) on the results of RAE 2008.

Teaching and the student experience

The University organises its teaching around a central notion of the student as producer, recognising that students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level have a key role to play in the development of the academic culture and the creation of new knowledge. Students are seen as participants in research, and their courses are structured with project work and employability in mind. Well over 70% of Lincoln’s new graduates are in graduate roles within six months of leaving. Significant investments have been made in the infrastructure for teaching and learning – for example, more than £6m has been invested recently in information technology and the extension of the university library – and further development in these areas will be vital to delivering the institution’s strategy. Away from the lecture hall, Lincoln Students’ Union was named SU of the year at the 2014 NUS Awards. There are currently more than 3,500 students involved in student-led sports, clubs and societies, and students compete in a wide range of inter-university British Universities & Colleges Sport tournaments. The Students’ Union runs an on-campus pub and a nightclub venue, the Engine Shed, which hosts student nights, live music and comedy.

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Values

The University aims to:

• Develop the institution within a global context• Continue to work in an ethical way that is aware

of and responsive to the needs of its students, staff, and those it works with

• Develop and produce cutting edge research and teaching that is embedded in a culture of creativity and innovation

• Continue to promote participation of underrepresented groups in HE

• Ensure that its curriculum is relevant to the issues of the day

• Promote and develop technological innovation across the institution

• Develop its infrastructure to support an internationalised student and staff body

The University measures its success by:

• The success, satisfaction and progression of students

• The attraction, retention and development of outstanding staff

• The impact and quality of teaching• Growth in research volume and quality,

including international collaborations• Ongoing financial sustainability, and the growth

/ diversification of third-stream income• Exceeding all HEFCE benchmarks relating to

widening participation• Flexible and agile responses to emerging policy

imperatives and trends• Being recognised globally by 2021 for thought

leadership and innovation in HE• Growth in global reach and engagement

through strategic international partnerships and recruitment

• The creation of opportunities relating to employability and entrepreneurship, both within and beyond the curriculum

For more information about the University, please visit: www.lincoln.ac.uk

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Role Context

The Director of Digital Engagement is a newly created position. Working closely with the Vice-Chancellor and reporting directly to the DVC Student Development, the post holder will develop and drive the University’s digital strategy through to its next phase of development and beyond.

Here at the University of Lincoln, the digital landscape is characterised by some early adopters of innovation and new thinking with all the established technology you would expect in the Higher Education Sector. This role is about nurturing, growing and embedding the digital culture right across the organisation.

The postholder should have ambition to be a Higher Education thought leader in the digital world and have the vision to create both the context and path for achieving this at the University of Lincoln.

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• To evaluate and develop the University’s digital engagement approach across the student lifecycle;

• To work with students to ensure we are communicating effectively with all students using digital platforms and applications;

• To set out a clear plan for digital literacy for all students and staff to enhance digital engagement;

• To work closely with the Director of the Education Development and Enhancement Unit (EDEU), the Library, the Director of Communications, Development and Marketing to support their objectives for student engagement;

• To work closely with the Director of IT to advise on the development of a 24/7 campus experience;

• To create interactive approaches to working with Schools and Colleges across the country to highlight Lincoln courses and programmes;

• To support the development of the University’s mobile learning for students across all programmes;

• To lead on digital engagement with our graduates and alumni to enhance our relationships beyond their time as a student;

• To work with academics and students to widen and deepen the digital footprint of the University in support of learning and teaching;

• To stay close to new developments in digital interaction and devise new and innovative opportunities for digital engagement;

• Service areas process service improvements.

Post Title: Director of Digital Engagement

Reports To: Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Development)

Location: Lincoln

Works with: Works with Director of Communications, Development and Marketing, Director of Educational Development Unit, The Librarian, the Head of Careers, Director of International, students, graduates schools and colleges.

Overall objective of the post:

Role Outline

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Person Specification

The appointee will be:

Experience

• An experienced digital strategist who has led digital engagement and related projects in large complex organisations;

• A digital enabler, who can encourage people to the use and exploration of digital platforms in support of their core activities;

• An experienced deliverer of change in an organisation with strong relationships with the public;

• A collaborator who can work with colleagues to deliver objectives.

Skills and Personal qualities

• A people person who understands how individuals and groups relate to digital tools and social media who can inform strategy for the University;

• Results focused, enthusiastic about education and bringing a visionary approach;

• A creative thinker who can find solutions to complex problems;

• An excellent influence and negotiator;• A doer who enjoys challenge and working

with teams;• An excellent communicator;• Resilient and Energetic; • A person with an understanding of the remit

and purpose of a University, and a commitment to the fulfilment of that mission.

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How to Apply

The University of Lincoln has engaged the services of Ben Tucker at Minerva Search, to whom applications should be sent by the closing date of 22nd January 2016.

Successful candidates will be invited to participate in the final interview process, which will take place on 11th March 2016 at the University of Lincoln.

For more information, please visit jobs.lincoln.ac.uk

In order to apply, please submit a comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV) along with a covering letter setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match the required criteria to lincoln@minervasearch.com

For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact Ben Tucker on 0203 714 0961 email ben@minervasearch.com or alternatively Dara Walsh on 0203 793 6311 email dara@minervasearch.com.

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