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Senior Resident

With effect from mid-August 2004, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Please read in conjunction with the following documents

1. Notes for Job Applicants for further general information on St. Clare's
2. Job Description for Duty Managers
3. Job Description for House Warden

Background
This new post recognises the need to provide for a senior member of staff to be resident in the College, and the desirability of residential staff being managed by a colleague with residential responsibilities. It incorporates certain duties currently performed by the Assistant Principal, to whom the Senior Resident would report.

Residential supervision at St. Clare's has developed in ways quite distinct from arrangements in traditional boarding schools. Residential staff include house wardens (for students 16-19 on pre-university courses), and house managers (for adult students). About 200 of the 235 pre-university students are residential, accommodated in twin or single rooms, in former family houses each with 7-25 students. Residential staff have not necessarily been drawn from the teaching staff, and appointments to teaching and residential posts have been made separately. Most residential staff have employment elsewhere, commonly in the university, or are undertaking graduate study.

Although a number of teachers have residential posts, the degree of separation of residential responsibilities from teaching is a distinctive feature of the College, which contributes to its particular atmosphere. House prices in North Oxford preclude provision of College accommodation to those who do not have residential responsibilities, which have not been a requirement for senior positions hitherto.

Some wardens are designated senior wardens, associated with taking on additional responsibilities as duty managers. In addition, we have a team of relief wardens, some residential and some called upon from outside, to relieve wardens on a weekly basis, and during holidays and absence. As the College operates throughout the year, we also engage temporary wardens, particularly during the summer course period.

The post
The post incorporates four elements:

• Manager of residential staff associated with pre-university courses
• Responsibility for quality of residential provision and accommodation in certain key respects
• As one of a number of Duty Managers, taking responsibility for College students and premises outside regular office hours
• As a residential house warden for pre-university students

The Senior Resident

• reports to the Assistant Principal
• line manages Senior Wardens / Duty Managers / Wardens / Relief and Temporary Wardens
• liaises with the Bursar / Estates Manager / Domestic Supervisors / Maintenance Foreman

As this is a new post, it is expected that some reconfiguration will be required, in detail, possibly during recruitment, and certainly once the Senior Resident takes up the post.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

A Management of Residential staff

1. Line manage residential staff associated with pre-university houses, including Senior Wardens, Wardens, Relief Wardens and Temporary Wardens

2. Chair meetings of residential staff and ensure they are minuted and the minutes distributed

3. Rota the duties of Senior Wardens (as Duty Managers) and Relief Wardens (residential and non-residential) and arrange appropriate accommodation for the latter

4. Participate in the College's performance management procedures

5. Appraise residential staff on an annual basis as directed by the Assistant Principal and contribute to the further development of these performance management procedures for residential staff

6. Ensure that the professional development needs of residential staff e.g. first aid courses, are identified, recorded and met

7. Assist with the recruitment of all residential staff and take particular responsibility for recruitment of temporary residential staff e.g. Relief Wardens and Temporary Wardens

8. Organise the induction programme for new residential staff and deliver a significant part of it

9. Serve as line manager of Duty Managers

B Residential policy and regime

1. Advise the Principal and Assistant Principal (Child Protection Officer) on all matters concerning boarding, including compliance with the National Minimum Standards for Boarding and Child Protection measures

2. Update and draft amendments to the 'Welfare Handbook' annually and to distribute to new residential staff as part of their induction process

3. Review and draft amendments to all literature which has references to boarding and residential life e.g. IB handbook, pre-arrival booklet, prospectuses etc.

4. Be responsible for ensuring implementation of College policies and initiatives in boarding houses e.g. global citizenship, EFL support

5. Oversee the operation of house hospitality budgets

6. Supervise the completion and analysis of college questionnaires on residential facilities and staff

C Residential facilities

1. Ensure quality of furniture and furnishings provided for pre-university students in their own rooms and in common areas

2. Manage a budget for this purpose

3. Work closely with Housekeeping and Maintenance Departments to ensure that standards of cleanliness, décor, furnishing and maintenance are high in all residential houses

4. Contribute to planning of more extensive refurbishments of residential houses

D Residential Life

1. Assist residential staff and other College staff in the provision of social, recreational and formal events for the benefit of residential students, staff and parents

2. Attend meals regularly so as to observe quality of provision and level of use by students

3. Liaise with the Duty Managers and College Nurse regarding supervision of students in medical rooms

E Other

1. Work with and support the Assistant Principal and Bursar in furthering the College policy on use of residential accommodation during vacation periods

2. Assist in the promotion and marketing of St Clare's as a residential College e.g. attending Open Days and showing parents around residential accommodation

3. Attend such regular and occasional meetings as are directed by the Assistant Principal and required for the smooth running of the residential accommodation at St Clare's

F Warden

1. Undertake the duties and responsibilities of a warden as stipulated in the warden's job description

G Duty Manager

1. Serve as one of a number of Duty Managers - view Job Description for Duty Managers here.

Person Specification

The person appointed will:

1. have worked with young people in a professional capacity in a residential setting

2. possess successful experience of working with students aged 16 and above

3. have demonstrated a commitment to high standards in residential care and provision

4. be knowledgeable about developments in boarding, the National Care Standards and Child Protection policy, and prepared to learn

5. be adaptable and imaginative in developing ideas and possess very good communication skills with the ability to be firm and manage effectively

6. be efficient and possess sound administrative skills

7. take a calm and mature approach to the welfare and disciplinary crises that occur from time to time, whether dealing with such events directly or supporting colleagues

8. ideally have had some experience of appropriate training for residential supervision of young adults and be confident to lead training for residential staff

9. understand that no job description can cover every task for a post such as this and that to do the job properly and in the best interests of the students it cannot be constrained by 'directed time'.

Terms and Conditions (outline)

1. The position combines

• the responsibilities of Senior Resident with being a
• Warden and
• a significant portion of the Duty Manager rota

2. The position involves a considerable time commitment, and is an important post within the College. However, as the position largely involves evening and weekend work it may, subject to the Assistant Principal's consent, be combined with some part-time work, either within the College or elsewhere.

3. The position is residential, as the Senior Resident will also be a Warden, and accommodation is available year round, together with all meals when the College is operating major courses for students.

Residential accommodation can be provided suitable for a single person, a couple or a family.

4. Remuneration will total around £26,000 per year, incorporating:

• Warden's salary
• Payment as Duty Manager
• Salary / Responsibility Allowance as Senior Resident

5. Working year: 42 weeks, to include the academic year and other times as required to fulfil Warden role.

6. Hours of work will consist of:

• 16 hours (Warden)
• 14 hours (Senior Resident)
• 34 hours (Duty Manager) or which 11 hours may overlap with warden duties
  • i.e. 30 working hours
  • 23 on-duty hours

It is expected that the post will include the following specific time requirements. This includes a combination of time on duty and time actively working.

Additional time to perform Warden's duties, arranged flexibly in the evenings.

7. The post will be pensionable, with eligibility to join the College's group personal pension scheme. This is a money purchase scheme, whereby the College contributes 10% of salary and the employee contributes 5%.

8. Probationary period:
The first six months will be probationary, within which notice is four weeks on either side. Thereafter notice is three months on either side.

9. The College's retirement age is 60.

Applications

Please apply by short letter enclosing a full curriculum vitae to include names, addresses and telephone numbers of 2 referees to:

Tom Walsh, Assistant Principal, St Clare's, Oxford, 139 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7AL

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 14 April

TW/BR
19 March 2004

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