Professional Services Executive Board

The remit of the PSEB under the following core, agenda-aligned headings is:

(a) Strategic development, planning, performance monitoring and resourcing: items for consideration and/or decision

Strategy and projects 

1. To develop and recommend for UEB approval those elements of the University Strategy, and wider strategies and strategic initiatives and projects shaped and delivered by the Professional Services (PS);
2. To approve and review a framework of PS risks and Performance Indicators (PIs) stemming from the Corporate Risks and Strategic KPIs;
3. To approve major PS sponsored projects, and monitor progress against their delivery and advise on/resolve matters requiring the Board’s intervention;
4. To facilitate collaboration across, and monitor PS contributions to all University strategies and projects, to maximise efficiency and impact.

Resources

1. To approve staffing investment plans for the Professional Services in the context of the agreed budget and five-year forecast framework;
2. To review and approve planned or in-year additional resource requests from Professional Services leads that impact on agreed plans/resources and prioritise resource allocation; 
3. To approve the agreed budgetary allocation to, and across, Professional Services Departments to ensure delivery of the Professional Services overall financial targets;
4. To approve Professional Services organisational changes and restructuring within and across departments to deliver efficient resource models across Professional Services to meet the five-year forecast. 

General

1.  To ensure health, safety and welfare, staff engagement, EDI and sustainability considerations are designed into all aspects of PS decision making and discussions, in liaison with other UEB bodies.

(b) Policy and regulatory matters

1. To approve a Professional Services Risk Register (or be the hub for endorsing Professional Services departmental risk registers), delegating detailed risk management to the PSEB members; 
2. To approve major policies owned, developed and enforced by Professional Services Departments which do not require approval by UEB or other UEB sub-groups and bodies;
3. To promote compliance with University Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations and policies to enable the Professional Services to contribute to University-level governance and assurance;
4. To provide advice and approve means to ensure the enforcement or delivery of policy owned by Professional Services departments, including where referred to it to by other UEB sub-groups and Professional Services executive member sponsors;
5. To monitor, advise and take decisions on responses and resources to address findings and actions from internal audit and a range of external inspection and regulatory exercises;
6. To approve (in conjunction with the University Secretary) a delegation framework for decision-making within the Professional Services departments.

Authority

PSEB reports into UEB via Joss Ivory, the Chief Operating Officer, who is a Board member, and through the reporting mechanisms listed in the reporting and frequency section. 

PSEB has budgetary control and decision-making authority as set down in these terms of reference and related policy and documentation, including the Scheme of Delegated Authority (SoDA).

Reporting to UEB

PSEB does not report to UEB following each meeting, but will do so as follows;

• Frequently: on a quarterly basis through summaries of the business of PSEs to UEB (aggregating key decisions and salient points of information).
• Ad hoc: where urgent University-wide matters pertaining to the PS departments require direct escalation to UEB for decision or discussion, the COO and other means of the PSEB are accountable for doing so, having consulted with other relevant UEB members. 

Reporting to PSEB

PSEB and HoPS are empowered to establish task and finish and working groups to respond to requirements of initiatives impacting Professional Services departments. The actions of any groups should be reported to PSEB on a timely basis. 

Information reporting from/referral between PSEB and other bodies

PSEB maintains indirect reporting and referral relationships with a range of bodies of UEB, including Capital, Enterprise Systems and Infrastructure Strategy (CESIS) Board in relation to capital and digital infrastructure planning, and Risk Review Group (RRG), Faculty Executive Boards (FOB) and Faculty Operations Groups (FoG).

• Nigel Alcock, Chief Financial and Operating Officer (Co-chair)
• Tracy Lightfoot, Interim Chief Academic Services Officer (Co-chair)
• Natalie Armstrong, Director of Faculty Operations (Sciences)
• Tom Banham, Interim Academic Registrar
• Tyrrell Basson, IT Director
• Joan Concannon, Director of External Relations
• Justine Daniels, Director of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (RIKE)
• Simon Donoghue, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance
• Jamie Holliday, Director of Faculty Operations (Social Sciences)
• Rachael Millhouse, Director of HR
• Ros Roberts, Director of Faculty Operations (Arts and Humanities)
• Roger Ward, Director of Estates
• Lisa Woods, Director of Accommodation and Commercial Services
• Adam Hewitt, University Secretary
• Kirsty Lingstadt, Director of Library, Learning, Archives and Wellbeing
• Ruth Clark, Interim Deputy Finance Director and Group Financial Controller

In attendance

• Jo Black, Senior Executive Officer (Secretary)

Meeting dates 2023-24

Meeting dates 2024-25

Meeting frequency

PSEB will meet once per month, with variations as required.

Meeting modes

Meetings will be held either in-person, online or via a hybrid format, subject to agreement by members.