Job description and selection criteria
Job title
Senior Planning Officer
Division
University Administration and Services
Department
Planning and Resource Allocation Section
Location
University Offices, Wellington Square
Grade and salary
Grade: 8: £37,382-£44,607 p.a.
Hours
Full time
Contract type
Permanent
Reporting to
Head of Resource Allocation
Vacancy reference
108542
Additional
information
The University
The University of Oxford is a complex and stimulating organisation, which enjoys an
international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence in research and teaching. It
employs over 10,000 staff and has a student population of over 20,000.
Most staff are directly appointed and managed by one of the University’s 130 departments or
other units within a highly devolved operational structure - this includes 5,600 ‘academicrelated’ staff (postgraduate research, computing, senior library, and administrative staff) and
2,850 ‘support’ staff (including clerical, library, technical, and manual staff). There are also
over 1,600 academic staff (professors, readers, lecturers), whose appointments are in the
main overseen by a combination of broader divisional and local faculty board/departmental
structures. Academics are generally all also employed by one of the 38 constituent colleges
of the University as well as by the central University itself.
Our annual income in 2011/12 was over £1bn. Oxford is one of Europe's most innovative
and entrepreneurial universities: income from external research contracts exceeded £400m
in 2011/12, and more than 60 spin-off companies have been created.
For more information please visit: www.ox.ac.uk
University Administration and Services
University Administration and Services (UAS) is the collective term for the central
administrative departments of the University. UAS comprises structures to:

support the University’s core academic purposes of teaching, learning and
research;

ensure the University can meet the requirements of government, funding bodies
and other external agencies; and

facilitate the attainment of the objectives set out in the University’s Strategic
Plan.
The offices of the UAS sections are spread across the city centre, with the main University
Offices located in Wellington Square.
For more information please visit: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/
Planning and Resource Allocation Section (PRAS)
The Planning and Resource Allocation Section forms part of the Academic Administration
Division within the University Administration and Services, and is based in the University
Offices, in Wellington Square, Oxford. The 19 members of staff in the Section undertake a
broad mix of projects and recurrent work across all aspects of strategic planning and
resource allocation. Activities include supporting the work of the Planning and Resource
Allocation Committee (PRAC), Research Committee and the associated sub-committees,
providing strategic policy support to the Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellors and Senior
Officers of the University, engaging with major external partners including HEFCE and other
public sector agencies, completing regulatory funding returns to HEFCE, managing the
operational aspects of the Research Excellence Framework, and modelling and operating
the University’s resource allocation methodology. The Section also provides support for the
University’s capital and annual academic planning processes.
For more information please visit: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/pras/
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Job description
Overview of the role
This role covers key responsibilities within the Planning and Resource Allocation Section, in
particular elements of HEFCE liaison and the development and operation of resource
allocation processes, requiring the postholder to develop rapidly an in-depth knowledge and
understanding of a range of specialised areas. Reporting to the Head of Resource
Allocation the postholder will be required to work collaboratively with other members of
PRAS and senior staff across the University including Pro Vice Chancellors, Heads of
Division, Heads of Colleges, Bursars and senior members of the University’s administration.
It is expected that there will be opportunities to engage with other key areas of PRAS’ work
and gain knowledge across a broad spectrum of planning-related areas. This role therefore
provides excellent opportunities to develop an indepth understanding and knowledge of
higher education administration.
Responsibilities
1.
HESES and HEFCE funding
The Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES) is an annual survey
returned to HEFCE by all universities. It provides an early indication of the number of
students studying within the current academic year and informs HEFCE’s funding
allocations. Responsibilities include:
HESES and the Student Load exercise
a.
Undertaking the process for specifying and testing annual updates to the student
snapshot (enabling extraction of relevant student data for funding and resource
allocation purposes).
b.
Managing annual Student Load apportionment exercise, including the update of
relevant data in the student records system. This involves working with all the
academic departments and with the Student Data Management and Administration
(SDMA) team.
c.
Working with SDMA on improving data quality and in the datasets derived from the
student records system.
d.
Compiling the annual HESES return in collaboration with the Head of Resource
Allocation. This includes liaising with HEFCE, understanding the frequent and
significant changes to the return requirements and communicating them onto others.
HESES is the statutory funding return which generates HEFCE Teaching funding
(approx £40m p.a.).
HEFCE funding
e.
Reviewing communications from HEFCE about recurrent grant funding and analysing
their likely impact, and contributing to briefings to committees and senior officers.
f.
Contributing to University responses to HEFCE consultations about its funding
methodologies.
2.
Resource Allocation
The ‘Joint Resource Allocation Model’ (‘JRAM’) formulaically distributes HEFCE grants for
teaching and research and tuition fees within the University of Oxford. The Collegiate
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Funding Formula (‘CFF’) distributes this funding between the Colleges. The postholder will
lead the delivery of two iterations of this process per year (the ‘initial’ allocation and the ‘inyear adjustment’) under the guidance of the Head of Resource Allocation, and with the
support of a full-time Planning Officer.
Note: the resource allocation team maintains and develops data models in IBM Cognos
TM1, including constructing complex formulae and detailed technical processes. TM1
software enables multi-dimensional data to be created, manipulated and summarised to
meet reporting requirements as they arise. It is not expected that the postholder will be
familiar with TM1 initially and training will be provided.
JRAM
a.
Deliver the JRAM calculations, including technical oversight of the model, and
specifying and testing changes. The JRAM allocates approx £340m each year to
academic divisions and colleges and accuracy and transparency are essential.
b.
Undertake detailed checking of JRAM outcomes, in conjunction with other members of
PRAS.
c.
Develop and maintain detailed guidance, examples and other material about the
JRAM.
d.
Provide advice to staff across the collegiate University on all aspects of the JRAM
(particularly to senior divisional finance staff), including making presentations.
e.
Model possible changes to the JRAM, ranging from simple alterations to highly
complex adjustments.
f.
Manipulate the raw datasets flowing into the JRAM and undertake data quality checks.
g.
Maintain a detailed understanding of the technical implementation of the JRAM in
order to support other team members.
h.
Model future JRAM outcomes where appropriate.
i.
Undertake a similar set of duties for the CFF with its focus on the colleges. Much of
the raw data to drive the CFF is taken directly from the JRAM.
JRAAB
g.
Be the Secretary to the Joint Resource Allocation Advisory Board (JRAAB). This role
includes drafting minutes and reports, and presenting papers. The highly technical
nature of the JRAM, and the high-profile consequences of the presentation of the
Board's recommendations (which proceed to Conference, PRAC and Council) makes
this a significant responsibility.
4.
Fees and Funding Projection
Work with the Head of Resource Allocation to produce annual forecasts on income derived
from HEFCE grant and tuition fees.
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Line management
Be responsible for managing the Planning Officer who supports work in this area.
5.
Additional activities
The post holder will be expected to undertake other duties as required from time to time by
the Director of Planning and Resource Allocation, in consultation with his/her line manager.
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Selection criteria
The person appointed should be:
Essential
(a)
in possession of a first degree or equivalent experience and able to demonstrate
strong intellectual and analytical skills;
(b)
experienced in delivering complex pieces of work to a high level of accuracy within
tight deadlines;
(c)
able to demonstrate strong numerical analysis skills and financial awareness, with
experience of managing large and complex datasets;
(d)
able to demonstrate confidence and experience of using Microsoft Excel to an
advanced level;
(e)
able to rapidly to develop detailed knowledge of new technology and complex
processes, including the ability to learn a programming language
(f)
able to analyse written and numerical information and draw inferences from the
material supported by argument and evidence;
(g)
able to demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability
to present and explain complex information to a formal group such as a committee;
(h)
able to obtain the confidence of people at all levels both internal and external to the
University, and to maintain good working relations with them
(i)
able to organise own workload and meet deadlines effectively, particularly during the
busiest times of the academic year, producing accurate detailed work within
challenging timescales;
(j)
able to work flexibly both as part of a team and on own initiative
Desirable
(a)
experience of using multi-dimensional databases.
(b)
experience of programming or scripting languages
(c)
At least three years’ experience of working in higher education or a comparable sector,
with experience of working in a financial, policy or funding role.
How to apply
If you consider that you meet the selection criteria, click on the Apply Now button on the
‘Job Details’ page and follow the on-screen instructions to register as a user. You will then
be required to complete a number of screens with your application details, relating to your
skills and experience. When prompted, please provide details of two referees and indicate
whether we can contact them at this stage. You will also be required to upload a CV and
supporting statement. The supporting statement should demonstrate how you meet the
selection criteria outlined above. Please save all uploaded documents to show your name
and the document type.
All applications must be received by midday on the closing date stated in the online
advertisement.
Should you experience any difficulties using the online application system, please email
[email protected]
Further help and support is available from http://users.ox.ac.uk/~chri1411/corehelp.htm
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To return to the online application at any stage, please click on the following link
www.recruit.ox.ac.uk
Information
for
Priority
Candidates
A priority candidate is a University employee who is seeking redeployment owing to the fact
that he or she has been advised that they are at risk of redundancy, or on grounds of illhealth/disability. Priority candidates are issued with a redeployment letter by their employing
departments and this letter must be attached to any application they submit.
The priority application date for this post is 12 Noon 1 July 2013
Full
details
of
the
priority
application
process
are
available
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/end/red/redproc/prioritycandida
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at: