Equality Challenge Unit: Race Equality Charter
Manager maternity cover (0.6 FTE) fixed term 9-12
months
Equality Challenge Unit
Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) is the recognised body that works to further and support
equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education across all four nations of the
UK, and in colleges in Scotland.
For further details about ECU, please visit our website: www.ecu.ac.uk
Recruitment
ECU is currently seeking to recruit a Race Equality Charter Manager maternity cover (0.6
FTE) fixed term 9-12 months.
Salary: £39,172 pro rata per annum (pay award pending)
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 30 May at 12 noon
General description of the post
We are seeking a Race Equality Charter Manager to lead the strategic and operational
development, planning and delivery of ECU’s Race Equality Charter. The post holder will
lead a team of staff to manage allocation of resources to the Race Equality Charter and
oversee charters work delivered by other ECU team members.
ECU welcomes all applicants and particularly men, disabled people and those from minority
ethnic backgrounds as they are underrepresented at ECU at Grade D, Grades C and D, and
Grade A respectively.
Benefits include 27 days holiday per year plus bank holidays and four additional days, flexitime and pension scheme.
Application
Please download the application form and further details from www.ecu.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs, alternatively contact [email protected] or call 020 7438 1010 (24-hour answerphone).
Application forms should be returned by email to: [email protected] or by post to:
HR (recruitment)
Equality Challenge Unit,
First floor, Westminster Tower,
3 Albert Embankment,
London, SE1 7SP
Applications will be assessed against the requirements for the post as set out in the job
description and person specification, which can be downloaded www.ecu.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs.
Interviews
The deadline for applications for the Race Equality Charter Manager role is Tuesday 30 May
2017 at 12 noon. We aim to notify candidates who have been shortlisted by Thursday 1
June 2017.
We plan to hold interviews for this role on the afternoon of Monday 5 June and the
morning of Tuesday 6 June 2017.
Job description
General description of the post
This post holder will report to the head of equality charters and will lead the strategic and
operational development, planning and delivery of ECU’s Race Equality Charter. They will
lead a team of staff to manage allocation of resources to the Race Equality Charter and
oversee charters work delivered by other ECU team members.
This post will also work closely with the Athena SWAN manager to ensure consistency of
delivery across ECU’s equality charters.
In order to deliver on the above, the post holder will liaise and develop work with funders
and key external agencies. The post holder will work independently and exercise sound
judgment on complex issues and queries, including appeals to assessment decisions. The
post holder will also work with the senior management team (SMT), and across the
organisation, to ensure that charter considerations are embedded in policy development
and communications.
The post also involves contributing to other aspects of Equality Challenge Unit’s activities, as
outlined in ECU’s current strategy and the associated programme of work.
Specific responsibilities
=
To oversee the operational development and delivery of ECU’s Race Equality Charter,
including developing faculty applications, funding proposals, projects, and efficient
deployment of resources across the programme.
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To manage ECU’s Race Equality Charter by ensuring that decision-making processes are
robust and rigorous, and that awards decisions are consistent and fair. This includes the
review of applications for appeal to determine if they meet the grounds for
reassessment.
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To manage the development of timely and effective guidance and support for
universities on the Race Equality Charter process, and related race equality initiatives.
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To manage the operation of ECU’s Race Equality Charter by ensuring that an annual
programme of work is delivered, which includes:
– robust and consistent awards decisions, feedback, panels and ceremonies
=
–
networks, workshops and other events
–
charter publications
To be ECU’s ambassador for the Race Equality Charter by speaking at external events
and conferences and liaising with stakeholders of all levels about ECU’s equality
charters, their benefits and impact. This includes:
– Increasing engagement with and membership of the Race Equality Charter, including
membership from fee-paying institutions.
–
Maintaining engagement with unsuccessful applicants
=
To Chair the Race Equality Charter faculty working group and manage the resulting
actions.
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To provide authoritative, specialist advice, including strategic approaches to race
equality and developing systemic change within organisations both internally to ECU
colleagues and externally to universities, sector agencies and other stakeholder groups.
This will include representing ECU on stakeholder forums and advisory groups and
provide expert input about ECU’s equality charters.
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To manage a programme of support to Race Equality Charter members and potential
members, ensuring they are supported in progressing their application.
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To allocate and manage the budget for the Race Equality Charter, including securing
additional funding where appropriate.
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To line manage the equality charters adviser and the equality charters officer for Athena
SWAN/Race Equality Charter and to ensure effective delivery of their responsibilities,
carrying out regular appraisals, developing expertise and providing guidance in relation
to learning and development opportunities.
=
To work with the external relations team regarding media coverage of ECU’s equality
charters and act as the main media spokesperson for the Race Equality Charter.
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To develop and maintain contacts with external organisations, including professional
bodies and research councils to ensure the continuation and extension of their support
for ECU’s equality charters.
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To respond effectively and swiftly to external and internal enquiries from higher
education institutions and other organisations as appropriate, and from colleagues, in
relation to ECU’s charter work, delegating where appropriate.
=
To undertake commissioned work on behalf of ECU as and when required.
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To be the account manager for designated ECU subscribers.
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To deputise for the head of equality charters and undertake commissioned work on
behalf of ECU as and when required.
Other duties
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties
may vary from time to time, as may ECU’s work areas. Such variations are a common
occurrence and do not constitute a change in the general character of the duties or the level
of responsibility entailed and therefore cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the
grading of the post.
Person specification
Essential experience and attributes
=
Experience of working in equality and diversity, including developing and embedding
equality and diversity policies, preferably within a higher education setting.
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A demonstrable track record of actively promoting equality and diversity, in particular
challenging the culture of higher education working environments which presents
barriers to underrepresented and/or disadvantaged groups.
=
Understanding of initiatives and actions that advance equality with specific knowledge
of race.
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Ability to manage teams and foster cooperative working and learning relationships with
internal and external partners to meet shared objectives.
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Experience of building and maintaining strong working relationships with external
stakeholders and translating views into policy development.
=
Confident public speaker, with excellent communication skills and the ability to interpret
and explain policies, provide advice and assistance to a range of audiences and the
ability to persuade, influence and motivate others.
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Good analytical and research skills with the ability to collect and analyse complex
material and data, and present it in accessible forms.
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Understanding of project management processes and skills, including the ability to
manage and deliver on schedule, several projects at once, and the ability to manage
external consultants engaged to deliver projects.
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Ability to make appropriate decisions independently and work to deadlines with minimal
supervision.
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Ability to challenge the opinion of those in authority with tact and diplomacy.
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Experience of line management and ability to assume responsibility in the absence of
senior staff when necessary.
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Experience of delivering training, workshops and consultancy.
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Ability to produce clear, focused and comprehensible documents and presentations for
various audiences and purposes.
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Excellent verbal and written communication with the ability to explain complicated
information in an accessible way.
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Excellent attention to detail.
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Willingness to travel across the UK.
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Excellent IT skills - ECU currently uses Microsoft Office 2013.
Desirable experience and attributes
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Experience of managing the administration of good practice recognition or award
schemes and developing processes and dealing with growth.
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Demonstrable understanding of key career milestones and trajectories of academic,
professional and support staff working within higher education.
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Understanding of initiatives and actions that advance equality with specific knowledge
of gender.