About the Project

The National HE STEM Programme (www.stemprogramme.com)

Using £20 million from HEFCE, with a further £1 million from HEFCW, and running for three
years from August 2009, the National Higher Education STEM programme is hosted by the
University of Birmingham.

Resources are channeled through six regional ’spoke’ centers led by Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) in the Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West and
Wales. These are:

• University of Birmingham
• University of Bradford
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Southampton
• University of Bath
• University of Swansea

The programme builds on the activity, experience and expertise developed within four pilot
projects: Chemistry for our Future, Stimulating Physics, the London Engineering Project
(www.thelep.org.uk) and More Maths Grads. The professional bodies and learned societies
(including the Royal Academy of Engineering) that have already led these demand-raising
projects continue to be involved in the national phase of the initiative.

As well as increasing and widening participation in the key STEM disciplines, the national
programme addresses the needs of employers through helping to develop more responsive
and flexible curricula in the STEM disciplines, and up-skilling the current workforce.

The programme includes:

• outreach, enhancement and enrichment delivered to schools and further

education colleges;
• equality, diversity and widening participation, actively targeting groups that are
currently under-represented within the STEM disciplines;
• ensuring students are supported to succeed;
• working with others to ensure the provision of appropriate, up-to-date careers
information;
• reviewing and enhancing the content, delivery and assessment of the
undergraduate STEM curriculum;
• workforce development and lifelong learning: identifying the current skills needs of
employers, developing flexible provision and encouraging individuals in the
workforce to engage in their own skills development.
 Job Description

Full-Time Maternity Cover (up to 12 months)

1. Job Title Project Manager (Engineering), National HE STEM Programme

2. Job Purpose To be Integration, Diversity and Curriculum Officer on the National HE

STEM Programme.
3. Accountability Accountable to the Education Programmes Director who is the post-
holder’s supervisor within the meaning of the Health and Safety at Work
Act.
4. Key Tasks The following key tasks are involved:
1. Work with the Engineering HE STEM Programme team, to oversee the
transfer and embedding of the Academy-managed elements of the
Widening Participation theme and learning from the pilot project, the
London Engineering Project. This will involve close liaison with the
Regional Coordinators within ‘Spoke’ HEIs.
2. Standing at the interface between the Academy and the National
Programme more broadly, identifying links between Programme
priorities and Academy expertise, and ensuring that knowledge and
experience is passed in both directions.
3. Diversity activity amongst communities under-represented within the
STEM disciplines.
4. HE curriculum innovation activity.
5. HE STEM Focused outreach activity.
6. In the later stages, as the Pilot Project activity becomes embedded, the
emphasis of the activity of these staff will become re-aligned with the
higher-skills theme of the National HE STEM Programme.
7. To undertake any other duties reasonably required by the Education
Programmes Director.
5. Key Results The following key results are expected:
• That the principal findings from the London Engineering Project are
disseminated widely amongst participants in the National HE STEM
Programme.
• Maintaining close working relationships with key stakeholders in the
project: The HE Academy Engineering Subject Centre, ‘Spoke’ HEIs,
other professional bodies.
6.Knowledge/ The post holder will have the following knowledge, qualifications and
Skills experience:
• Knowledge of the work of the London Engineering Project on the
widening of participation in engineering;
• Experience of current practice in STEM HE education;
• An understanding of the nature of modern engineering practice and an
ability to link this to the engineering, science and maths that underpins
it;
• Excellent project management and administrative skills;
• Excellent communication skills;
• The ability to undertake their own clerical and administrative work;
• An interest in the education of young people;
• A commitment to widening participation in engineering education;
• A willingness to travel within the UK.
7. Resources The post holder will have available all the standard services and supply
agencies supplying the Academy.
8. Autonomous The post holder will be expected to carry out the tasks defined above with
Actions initiative and without undue reference to the Education Programmes
Director.
9. Terms of The terms of reference and conditions for the post are contained in a
Reference and personal contract of employment issued and signed separately. The post
Conditions holder must be willing to attend meetings outside normal working hours
and to travel within the UK and overseas if required to do so.