Professional and Administrative Services review update

Monday, 04 July 2016

I am writing to provide a final update before the summer regarding the Professional and Administrative Services (PAS) review. Each of the key Functions is now preparing to implement the new structures from 1 August 2016, and will provide future updates on progress and other operational issues as appropriate.

As reported previously the majority of relevant colleagues have either been confirmed in their existing role or matched to a role in one of the new structures. There has also been significant recruitment activity underway, internally-only in the first instance and externally where necessary, to complete the staffing of the new services. The majority of vacancies have now been filled, and we are confident that the few remaining vacancies in T&L Operations and Finance will be recruited to shortly.  In light of this, these teams have contingency options in place to enable them to effectively deliver their new services from 1 August 2016.

Where colleagues have been placed in new roles the HR Operations team is now processing transfer forms to ensure that revised grades, titles and reporting lines are properly recorded. Letters confirming relevant changes, including any contractual variations (for example a transfer to an alternative pension scheme or a revision of holiday entitlements), are being prepared. The majority of these were dispatched last week, with the remainder to follow shortly subject to ongoing discussions with colleagues.

Some colleagues have asked whether their existing hours of work and other working patterns will be affected. All of the transfers have been made on the basis of existing arrangements; any changes that may be required in order to ensure optimum service delivery in the future will only be made following consultation with the colleagues concerned. If you have any concerns please contact your HR Partner in the first instance.

Many of those colleagues who opted to take voluntary redundancy will be leaving the University by 31 July 2016 and we would like to wish them well for the future. The positive response to the call for volunteers helped to limit the number of compulsory notices of redundancy required to two.

Since last October our colleagues from the UCU and the Staff Forum have worked very hard on behalf of the staff affected by this review and I would like to take the opportunity to thank them for their contribution. Although we have reached the end of the formal consultation process the feedback from staff representatives has been enormously helpful, so we have agreed to maintain those lines of communication as the new services become operational.

The new organisational arrangements are effective formally from 1 August 2016, so the focus of activity is now firmly on the practical work associated with this.  As new teams start working together, training is being provided and we are keen to support colleagues during the transition period and beyond. Many of those colleagues who are leaving posts continue to be very helpful in assisting with the handover process; we are very grateful for their support.

Heads of Function are now meeting formally each week to ensure that all the necessary practical issues are being addressed, for example we are working very closely with David Wallace (Strategy and Space Management Director) to ensure that all the necessary accommodation and relocation matters are finalised. We are also working towards the production of partnership agreements which will provide more and better detail of the scope of the new services.

As we move towards the holiday season I hope you have a very pleasant summer (despite the rain). 

John Brady

Director of Human Resources