National College for High Speed Rail - Chief Executive Recruitment information pack
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National College for High Speed Rail
Page 1
National College
for High Speed Rail
Chief Executive
Recruitment information pack
National College for High Speed Rail
Page 2
Contents
Page
A Message from the Chair of the College Governing Body 3
Background and History 4
Job Description, Main Duties and Responsibilities 5
Person Specification 6
Terms and Conditions 8
Equal Opportunities 8
Recruitment Process 8
Queries 8
How to Apply 9National College for High Speed Rail
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National College for High Speed Rail
A message from the Chair
Terry Morgan
Dear Applicant
Thank you for expressing an interest in the role of Chief Executive of the new National College
for High Speed Rail.
This is an unprecedented opportunity to be at the forefront of the work to create a new
leading edge and internationally recognised college for the rail industry. Engineering skills are
vital to the rail industry and the new college will provide the outstanding teaching facilities
needed to support the highly skilled workforce of the future, trained in state of the art
technology and techniques needed for high speed rail and other future infrastructure projects
across the country.
The Chief Executive will play a central role in shaping the design and development of the
college, so that it delivers the top class training and qualifications that will be needed;
inspiring a new generation of motivated young people to follow this pathway.
The college will operate from new buildings in Birmingham and Doncaster and through a
number of specially selected spokes located across the country. The Chief Executive will play
a central role in overseeing the design and construction of the college, building excellent
partnerships with the rail industry and other providers across the country, so that as many
learners as possible have access to the opportunities that HS2 and other rail engineering
projects will create and providing strategic leadership and management for the college when
it opens its doors to students in September 2017.
If you think that you have the drive, enthusiasm and expertise needed to make a reality of
this vision, then we look forward to hearing from you.
Terry Morgan
Chair of the college governing bodyNational College for High Speed Rail
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Background
The vision for High Speed 2
High Speed 2 (HS2) is one of the largest infrastructure projects that this country has ever seen
– 6 times the budget of the 2012 Olympics. It will provide a new high-speed railway link
between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, speeding up journeys, releasing space
on crowded lines and bringing Britain closer together. It will also generate a significant
number of new jobs, including up to 2000 apprenticeships to work directly on the project
itself and will help rebalance the economy between north and south by connecting people
and businesses, enhancing productivity and commercial activity and acting as a catalyst for
city centre regeneration and major development schemes.
It is proposed that HS2 will be built in two phases. The first phase will link London Euston with
a new station at Birmingham Curzon Street and will include a station at Old Oak Common in
west London and another near Birmingham Airport. The second phase will see the route
divided into two lines, one continuing to Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe and Manchester
Airport and the other to Leeds via the East Midlands and Sheffield Meadowhall.
Construction of HS2 is due to begin in 2017 with an opening date of 2026 for Phase One and
2032 for Phase Two.
The vision for the high speed rail college
The high speed rail college will be an elite institution, defined by its focus on progression to a
higher level of study (Level 3 and above, with a focus on Level 4 and 5), by its employer
leadership, its role in setting industry standards in its area and the quality of its provision -
delivering truly innovative training and offering the very best in teaching and specialist
equipment. As an elite institution, the college will be a flagship facility for advanced and higher
level apprentices, as well as providing opportunities for the existing workforce to learn new
skills in the latest technology.
Employers will have a central leadership role in the college, through strong representation on
its governing body and by supporting the design, development and delivery of its provision, for
example, by offering placements and providing real life work challenges for courses.
The initial focus of the college will be on developing and delivering training for high speed rail.
As well as rail engineering, the core offer will include skills in new technologies associated with
engineering design, construction and management, including Building Information Modelling.
The college will also meet the wider economic need for an increased supply in engineers and
will therefore have a purpose beyond the timeframes of HS2.
The college will be located at 2 main sites - in Birmingham’s city centre Science Park and
Doncaster’s Lakeside Campus. Each site will provide modern, fit for purpose buildings,
demonstrating a high standard of design that provides an effective learning environment, as
well as meeting high efficiency and environmental standards. The higher level of study and the
national status of the college will mean that in some cases learners will be willing to relocate to
study there and the high speed rail college will therefore also have some residential facilities.
The college will also work on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, with links to a range of providers whoNational College for High Speed Rail
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will form a network for railway and engineering skills across the country. The college will act as
a centre for excellence that other providers can learn from.
Job Description
Title: Chief Executive – National College for High Speed Rail
Reports to: Chair of Governors
Location: Birmingham
Salary: Competitive
Purpose of the Job
The Chief Executive will oversee the design and development of the 2 college sites, including
overseeing the planning and construction stage and will lead the administration and
operational running of the college once open.
The Chief Executive will be accountable for ensuring the vision, mission and purpose of the
college is realised, through the delivery of good value for money, high quality training and
apprenticeship services to the high speed rail sector.
The Chief Executive is accountable to the college's Board of Governors.
The Chief Executive will lead, is a member of the college senior executive team and is required
to contribute to the overall success of the organisation, ensuring its aims and objectives are
met.
Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Board of Governors, the Chief Executive duties and accountabilities include:
Working with the Governors and other stakeholders to develop the college’s mission,
values and strategic, business and operational plans
Providing co-ordination and oversight of the college development project, ensuring that
all key milestones and performance/specification targets are met
Providing effective and efficient management of the college finances, assets and
resources
Taking statutory responsibility as Chief Accounting Office
Providing inspiring and motivational leadership to staff and partners
Development of plans for the college senior management structure and recruiting and
retaining a highly effective senior management team and teaching staff
Championing the High Speed Rail agenda, both in education and more widely
Development and implementation of the college curriculum, ensuring that it fully
reflects industry needs and latest advances in technology, including securing strong
employer engagement in both the development and delivery of provision
Setting the objectives and performance targets, including health and safety, against
which the achievements and quality of the college can be measured/assessed and
benchmarkedNational College for High Speed Rail
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Development of a learner recruitment strategy, marketing and general promotion
Ensuring that the necessary policies, processes and systems are in place, including:
student journey, health and safety, facility management, ICT, HR, payroll, marketing and
communications
Establishing, overseeing and maintaining at both a strategic and operational level, the
relationship with industry bodies and businesses and with funding bodies
Building and managing relationships with other providers and key stakeholders,
maintaining a full stakeholder plan and database
Ensuring the college meets its statutory, legal and fiduciary responsibilities and that all
funding returns are made correctly and in good time
Demonstrating leadership in ensuring the college delivers equality of opportunity,
promotes diversity and delivers sustainable outcomes of the sector that it serves
Leading fundraising activities to establish bursaries and other financial aid for students
and to maximise employer investment opportunities
Person Specification
Essential Desirable
Education and professional Graduate level, or technical Science or engineering
qualifications apprenticeship or equivalent, graduate or masters degree,
with relevant sector or further engineering or
experience. science qualification.
Experience Proven track record in a A background in a senior
decisive leadership role in a post in the rail industry or
customer focused organisation related engineering sector,
of a similar scale and or in a technically focused
complexity in either the public further/higher education or
or private sector. related sector.
Successful management of a Experience of managing a
range of key stakeholders from range of geographically
transport and funding bodies, diverse partnerships,
employers, local authorities, delivering a technical service.
academic bodies.
Business management
experience including leading
and/or developing an
organisation.
General skills and abilities Proven experience of taking
strategic perspective and
providing clear vision, linked to
stretching goals and
achievements.National College for High Speed Rail
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A track record of driving
quality and assurance
standards across an
organisation, with a clear focus
on outcomes.
Ability to secure excellent
value for money, meet
deadlines and to deliver to
budget.
Technical skills and Track record of leading and
knowledge managing change/integration
successfully with
demonstrable improvements
in service delivery and
operational effectiveness.
A strong understanding of the
skills issues faced by the sector
and of the current
qualifications system and
progression routes.
Other First class interpersonal skills – Demonstrable media
a highly effective experience and skills.
communicator able to have
impact with a wide range of
organisations and individuals
from a variety of backgrounds
and to gain the on-going Track record of dealing with
support and engagement of Government departments or
employers in the development national transport agencies.
of the college.
Maturity, presence and
leadership – must be politically
astute and diplomatic.
Evidence of motivating and
communicating effectively
with staff and stakeholders at
all levels within a complex
environment.National College for High Speed Rail
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Terms and Conditions of Service
This is a permanent appointment.
The benefits package includes a contributory pension scheme.
Annual leave entitlement is 35 days
Any offer of appointment is subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and is also subject
to a 6 month probationary period.
Equal Opportunities
The National College for High Speed Rail is committed to embracing and valuing diversity and
promoting equality of opportunity within its workforce.
Our goal is to ensure that these commitments, reinforced by our values, are embedded in our day-to-
day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.
The College, as part of its compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty, advances equality of
opportunity for all its employees, and does not tolerate discrimination on grounds of gender, gender
identity, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, disability, HIV positivity,
working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity, political beliefs – or on any other
grounds.
Recruitment Process
Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 13 April 2015
Longlist meeting: w/c 13th April 2015
1st stage consultant interviews: w/c 20 April 2015
Shortlist meeting: w/c 04 May 2015
Final interview stage: w/c 11May 2015
Please do highlight in you application if you are unavailable for any aspects of this process.
Queries
If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional
information or wish to have an informal discussion, then please contact John Dodd at our
retained consultants, Wickland Westcott on 01625 508100.National College for High Speed Rail
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How to Apply
To apply for this job please submit a comprehensive CV and supporting statement, quoting
reference 6999 and forward this to 6999@wickland-westcott.co.uk before the closing date.
Please ensure that your supporting statement fully states how your skills and experience
match the person specification for this role; your CV should cover your full career history
and provide details of associated responsibilities and key achievements.
You should also provide the names, positions, organisations and telephone contact numbers
of two referees.
You are invited and encouraged to complete the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form
which will be emailed to you following your application. The information on this form is
important and will be treated as confidential and will not be treated as part of your
application.
Finally please ensure that you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers on
your CV, as well as any dates when you will not be available for interview.
The closing date for applications is 9am Monday 6th April 2015You can also read
