APPOINTMENT OF SENIOR BURSAR NOVEMBER 2019

AN INTRODUCTION TO DOWNING COLLEGE Quaerere Verum (seek the truth)

Downing College has a strong sense of community, with a positive and friendly ethos that nurtures academic excellence as our core purpose, but also encourages students to take full advantage of the cultural, intellectual and other opportunities that Cambridge offers. In all we do, we value mutual respect, diversity and equality.

As part of our outward-looking, inviting attitude we have our own art gallery, theatre and public café, and our extensive grounds are open to all in daylight hours.

We have an ambitious plan to secure our long-term future, at the heart of which is our commitment to high academic standards. We intend to increase our investment in teaching, and our new architectural masterplan prioritises a substantial new student centre and envisages in the longer term much-expanded graduate accommodation and new sports and leisure facilities. A new fund-raising campaign to be launched in 2020 will help realise this plan.

Our beautiful neo-classical buildings and the impressive size and elegance of our grounds mask a relatively modest endowment - currently around £50 million – and substantial long-term debt. This means our academic mission relies on maximising income from conferences, commercial functions and summer schools, and reaching out to our alumni for financial support. Our annual turnover is around £14 million.

The College was founded in 1800 through a bequest made by Sir George Downing. One of 31 Cambridge colleges, it is known as “the newest of the old, and the oldest of the new.” Downing is a lively scholarly community of 470 undergraduates, 350 full-time graduates and 48 Fellows, superbly supported by 170 staff. The College’s teaching, learning and research span the full range of subjects studied at the University, with as much as is realistic of the required teaching of undergraduates taking place within the College.

Like other Cambridge Colleges, Downing is an independent, self-governing institution regulated by the Charity Commission. The Governing Body, chaired by the Master and consisting of all 48 Fellows, is the College’s Board of trustees. It meets eight times a year and has ultimate responsibility for all aspects of the College’s activity. To scrutinise matters in more detail Fellows sit on a range of committees covering Education, Fellowships, Finance, Buildings & Environment, Development, Investments and General Purposes.

PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE The College’s continued building ambitions, commitment to high academic standards, investment in teaching, student facilities and accommodation, and upcoming fundraising campaign, all support an ambitious vision which will secure the College’s long-term future.

Financial circumstances can make it problematic for the College to achieve its scholarly objectives; hence the College will look to the Senior Bursar to maintain and improve the financial returns of its commercial activities and its endowment. It is hoped that the Senior Bursar will proactively identify new initiatives for the College and play a supporting role, as required, in the Development Office’s upcoming fundraising campaign.

A further and equally important priority of the Fellowship is that it seeks to maximise the academic achievements of its undergraduates, building on the College’s excellence in this area, by improving and then sustaining their academic performance relative to other Cambridge colleges. Therefore, the Senior Bursar will be expected to ensure that proper investment is made in the human capital of the College, alongside the important role they will play in leading major infrastructure projects.

Downing College is a harmonious community in which its Fellows, students and staff enjoy living and working. The Fellowship wishes to maintain and strengthen this. The Senior Bursar therefore has an important role to play in facilitating interaction between Fellows, students and staff, encouraging their full participation in College life.

More information about Downing can be found on its website, via Twitter, or in its latest published annual report.

THE ROLE

THE ROLE This is an opportunity for a highly effective, bright, and confident senior leader to take on one of the most prominent roles in an exceptional academic institution.

Downing College’s Senior Bursar, Dr Susan Lintott, will retire in 2020 after 23 years’ distinguished service. Her contributions to the College have been invaluable and far-reaching, but as the new decade begins her successor will have the chance to build on her outstanding legacy and support Downing’s ambitious vision for the future.

PURPOSE OF THE POST Looked to by the Governing Body for advice on long-term financial strategy and planning, the Senior Bursar is key in ensuring the College faces up to the strategic challenges of managing expenditure while delivering the world-class teaching and research which defines its Purposes. The Senior Bursar will lead on capital development, supported by the funds generated by a recent private placement, as well as the upkeep of Downing’s beautiful historic site.

Overseeing the entirety of the Bursary, supported by two assistant Bursars, an Operations Manager, a Head Porter and Heads of Department in areas such as HR, catering and housekeeping, plus a 0.8 FTE P.A., the Senior Bursar has specific responsibility for:

• the financial well-being and annual reporting of Downing (assisted by the College Accountant), including overseeing the annual budget and investment portfolio;

• the coordination of College business, including taking full part in the informal weekly meetings of the Master, Vice Master, the Senior Tutor and the Secretary of the Governing Body;

• overall responsibility for non-academic staff and other College resources, working closely with the Senior Tutor (responsible for all academic matters) where necessary;

• the continued success of the College’s thriving Conference business, a subsidiary which is a major revenue generator for Downing;

• the day-to-day provision of accommodation and related services;

• oversight of HR, IT, Health and Safety, data protection, regulatory compliance and any related issues;

• supporting the Director of Advancement on a new fundraising campaign, starting in 2020 and aiming to raise £30m; and

• representing the College on the Bursars’ Committee and other relevant inter-collegiate bodies.

In addition to formal reporting to the Governing Body and the Finance Committee, and participating in other committees, the Senior Bursar needs to communicate effectively on an informal basis with Fellows, building rapport, consulting, explaining, listening and adapting accordingly.

PERSON SPECIFICATION The next Senior Bursar could come from any professional walk of life but will be required to demonstrate successful senior management experience in a complex organisation, with close involvement in financial and strategic management. They will be highly numerate and be able to effectively scrutinise financial information, adeptly present complex financial concepts, and develop long-term strategies. They will not necessarily be a qualified accountant.

He or she will also be able to demonstrate leadership while understanding that the College is run by the Fellows and that decisions are made collectively and after careful discussion. Downing is a consensual environment and it calls for servant leadership; the Senior Bursar will understand how to build consensus and be keen to develop close relationships in an organisation which is both a professional environment and a community.

Moreover, they will have extensive experience of managing senior staff – inspiring, empowering and supporting. They will be able to identify priorities across a wide range of College activity and know when to delegate and when to intervene.

The successful candidate will have a broad range of skills, including but not limited to:

• the drive and determination to get things done;

• a strong intellect that grasps complex issues and is capable of finding imaginative solutions;

• authority;

• credibility;

• resilience and a robust approach where necessary;

• attention to detail;

• flexibility;

• empathy;

• persuasiveness;

• collaborative decision-making; and

• accessibility, in particular the willingness to listen to and engage with a variety of views.

The Senior Bursar needs to be in sympathy with the College’s academic mission and be committed to the community’s values of mutual support and respect. Candidates should be aware of the main current issues in higher education.

Collegiate working and sociability are essential, as elements of College business are often conducted informally, for example over lunch or dinner. The job also involves extensive contact with students, which the successful candidate will need to relish.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT The post is full-time and based in Cambridge.

The Senior Bursar is a Fellow and Trustee of the College. The retiring age, as for all Fellows, is 67 years.

Salary will be negotiated with the successful candidate but it is likely to be in the range of £85,000 to £90,000.

Fellows enjoy seven free meals a week, either lunch or dinner. Benefits also include subsidised medical and dental schemes.

Some College occasions which the Senior Bursar is expected to attend involving students, alumni and staff, fall on weekends.

The post is pensionable. Holiday entitlement is 33 days per annum including the eight annual Bank Holidays. In addition to this, the College is normally closed between Christmas and New Year. There will be a probationary period of nine months. The notice period is one month on either side during the probationary period and six months on either side upon satisfactory completion of the probationary period.

The College welcomes a diverse range of applicants.

Any offer of employment will be subject to a basic Disclosure and Barring Service check and evidence of eligibility to work in the UK.

HOW TO APPLY Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Downing College on this appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/jobs using code FABSF.

Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter. The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 25 November 2019.

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