Learning and Skills Manager

Here at the IOP we are looking for a Learning and Skills Manager to join the Wales team on a fixed period of 9 months to support us in our mission.

Working with colleagues from across the organisation and our members, the Learning and Skills Manager (Wales) will spearhead the IOP's efforts to increase the visibility and impact of our work in this crucial area. Building and maintaining high level relationships across the education and skills sectors in Wales, the post-holder will help us to develop and share our expertise, and influence the development of qualifications, curricula and learning pathways, as well as lead a team providing direct support to teachers.

What is it like working at the IOP?

The IOP is a friendly and ambitious organisation. Inclusion and diversity are central to our work and we have a ‘work anywhere’ policy to make working at the IOP as flexible as possible. Looking after our colleagues and supporting them in life and work is our priority, ensuring they can live their best lives, with competitive salaries, professional development opportunities and generous benefits.

Our comprehensive benefits package including:

• An excellent pension scheme - (up to 12% company contribution)
• Private medical insurance, life assurance, dental insurance, health care cash plan (via salary sacrifice) eye care vouchers, annual flu vaccinations, long service awards, employee assistance programme
• Floating bank holidays (choose where to take your bank holidays throughout the year)
• Generous annual leave (25 days starting as a standard)
• Flexible working and much more!  

The Role

This exciting fixed-term role will help the IOP to understand and support Wales’s education and skills sectors and to ensure that the voice of Wales is heard and represented in the IOP’s broader work across the UK and Ireland. The Learning and Skills Manager (Wales) also leads a team of professional teacher CPD coaches and a Welsh Government funded project that provides support to non-specialist teachers of physics and help schools to nurture an equitable and supportive learning environment. 

What will I be doing?

• Developing long-term, impactful education and skills projects and activities in Wales and managing successful delivery.
• Identifying risks and opportunities associated with the Institute’s education and skills work.
• Producing high quality outputs that achieve influence with key audiences.
• Supporting the production of influential policy and research activities in the education and skills spheres.
• Advising colleagues across the IOP of education and skills policy, practice and priorities in Wales.
• Offering advice and making recommendations to senior colleagues, members, trustees and external stakeholders.

Projects you work on may include:

• Scoping and delivering the Welsh elements of collaborative, cross-IOP projects, in particular those led by the Learning and Skills team.
• Working with colleagues to develop new policy positions, such as on the recruitment, retention and training of teachers.
• Leading a Welsh Government funded project supporting non-specialist teachers of physics and encouraging greater equity in schools.

Who will I work with?

• The IOP Wales team (where you will be based)
• The IOP Learning and Skills Team across the UK and Ireland
• Members
• Stakeholders such as Welsh Government, universities, training providers, schools, colleges, learned societies, exam boards and education and skills representative bodies.

Ideally, we hope you’ll apply if your skills include:

Essential Criteria

• Results-oriented and can be counted upon to meet targets.
• Adaptable and flexible, able to flourish through periods of change and uncertainty (and to support your team to do so).
• Motivated self-starter, with a keen interest in and knowledge of education, skills, science, technology, and related issues.
• Diplomatic negotiator, able to manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders effectively while maintaining focus on strategic objectives.
• Relationship focused – is dedicated to building relationships and meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external partners.
• Can work methodically and establish processes and procedures where needed. 

Nice to have

• Degree, or equivalent, in physics or a related subject.
• Teaching qualification or experience of working within education and/or skills.
• The ability to work in the medium of English and Welsh.

The Institute of Physics is an open and inclusive organisation that welcomes and celebrates diversity. We know that not every candidate fits into a neat little box, and that's okay! So, even if your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified but you believe you’d bring passion, creativity, and a willingness to learn, we’d love to learn more about you!  

Application

Alongside your CV, please ensure you include a cover letter stating how you meet the person specification. 

How will I be working?

The Institute of Physics is an inclusive employer and our people are at the heart of our approach to delivery. Following the impact of COVID-19, we have developed a new, innovative and exciting trust-based model of flexible working called How We Work. This empowers our staff to choose both individually and as a team how, when and where they work to deliver the goals of the organisation, acknowledging that there will be occasions where in-person meetings, collaborations and events will help generate greater impact. The How We Work initiative is based on the principles of collaboration, trust, flexibility and agility. You will be allocated a ‘base’ office which can also be a chosen place of work. 

Why should I want to work for the IOP?

The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland - we seek to raise public awareness and understanding of physics and support the development of a diverse and inclusive physics community. As a charity, we’re here to ensure that physics delivers on its exceptional potential to benefit society. 

To apply for this role please click the link below, best of luck with your applications!

The Institute of Physics is an open and inclusive organisation that welcomes and celebrates diversity.