Open Campus - Academic Department Heads

Published: Thursday, Apr 24, 2008

by: The UWI

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING AND DELIVERY DIVISION

Candidates must possess a PhD in one of the following disciplines: Education, Business, Tourism.  Other disciplines will be considered.  Candidates must also have at least ten (10) years relevant experience preferably in a tertiary institution. Candidates should display clear understanding of distance education pedagogy and, in particular, Internet support for distance education.

There is a requirement for three Department Heads within the Academic Programming and Delivery Division of Open Campus.  They are:

1. Head – Pre-University and Professional Programmes.
2. Head – Undergraduate Programmes.
3. Head – Graduate Programmes.

The successful candidates will be required to:

1. manage a department that provides professional and academic programmes and courses;
2. work closely with UWI Faculties and external partners in the UWI 15 countries to address the academic needs of each country;
3. participate as an academic senior manager, administrator and leader within the Open Campus.

Please submit application with curriculum vitae and the names of at least three referees to reach the University Registrar by May 31, 2008. Write under confidential cover to:

The University Registrar
Office of Administration
The University of the West Indies
Mona, Kingston 7                                   
Jamaica, West Indi
oadmin@uwimona.edu.jm

Applicants are advised to ask their referees to send references under CONFIDENTIAL cover DIRECTLY to the University Registrar without waiting to be contacted by the University.  

For further particulars of the post, please click here or contact us at the fax number, (876) 977 -1422, or by email at, oadmin@uwimona.edu.jm

OPEN CAMPUS JOB DESCRIPTION: DEPARTMENT HEADS

The Open Campus requires at least three Academic Department Heads, who report to the Director of the Academic Programming and Delivery Division.  The three Academic Heads will manage the following Academic Departments:

1. Pre-University and Professional Development Programmes.
2. Undergraduate Programmes.
3. Graduate Programmes.

The Heads of each Academic Department manage the planning, development, design and delivery of academic programmes offered to students wishing to enrol in a certificate, diploma or degree programme that is offered by UWI or to those seeking an opportunity to enhance and enrich their professional lives through life long learning experiences. The Heads will work closely with our UWI 15 country partners, the UWI campus based Faculties and the Open Campus external academic partners to define the academic needs and offer programmes to personnel, organizations and governments throughout the Caribbean.

The Academic Department Heads must work closely with the other departments and managers within Open Campus to ensure the quality and timeliness of our programme outputs and the provision of quality services to our student population. The Heads initiate the processes for recruiting faculty using Open Campus/UWI HR procedures and when needed they seek contract faculty to design and deliver the programmes and courses assigned to their departments.  The Heads monitor the effectiveness of the teaching and learning processes across the Open Campus Country Sites and in the Consortium for Social Development and Research, and take timely corrective action to ensure that the programmes are delivered as designed and that students receive full value for their education investment. 

The Heads of each Academic Department will be required to submit proposals for new or modified programmes through the Director of Academic Programming and Delivery to the Academic Board of the Open Campus for submission to the Board for Undergraduate Studies or Board of Graduate Studies for review and approval.

The Department Heads will be responsible for the completion of the following duties and tasks. 

1. Manage a department consisting of Programme Coordinators, Curriculum Development Specialists, Course Delivery Assistants, Administrative Assistants and Clerical Assistants.
2. Produce and manage a multi-year curriculum plan that addresses the academic needs of the Open Campus target audience.
3. Manage the growth of the assigned Academic Department and ensure that programmes are delivered in a timely and professional manner and that Open Campus students are provided with a high quality and effective academic experience.
4. Manage the design, development and delivery of academic programmes to support their target audience.
5. Seek internal and external academic partners to satisfy the needs and interests of the Open Campus target audience.
6. Produce and manage budgets required to support the operation and growth of the Academic Department.
7. Participate in Academic Programming and Delivery Division and Open Campus committees and project teams.
8. Contribute to the Open Campus strategic and operational planning process.
9. Identify the professional development and career development needs of the personnel assigned to the Academic Programming and Delivery Division.
10. Work with other members of the Academic Programming and Delivery Division to ensure the success of the Open Campus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED

 
The successful candidate should: 

• have knowledge of how a university administrative and management environment works
• be able to plan, design, deliver and implement academic programmes.
• be able to manage large and complex academic teams
• have experience working in a distance learning environment
• be able to manage multiple projects
• be skilled in budget preparation and budget management
• be a skilled user of Microsoft Office and a variety of Web Collaboration Tools
• be able to work with an evolving technical environment
• be able to motivate and lead personnel under pressure to succeed
• be innovative
• be a moderate risk taker.
• have the ability to meet tight timelines and respond appropriately to changing circumstances
• have effective communications skills
• have effective customer management skills.