Programme Director, Postgraduate Law

Job Title: Programme Director Postgraduate Law

Reporting to: Head of Faculty of law

Location: Griffith College Dublin South Circular Road

Job Type: Full-Time / Permanent

Job Summary:

An Overview of the Role

The Faculty of Law provides undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes to over 500 learners annually. You will join a team of highly-experienced and enthusiastic staff who have strong links to practice and a commitment to customer care.

As Programme Director you will have responsibility for resource planning quality and pastoral care for our learners on all Level 9 programmes.

The successful candidate will be required to lecture at Levels 8 and 9.

The successful candidate will be expected to be committed to high quality research and publication in well-regarded academic peer-reviewed journals and they will also be expected to contribute to the development of the Faculty of Law.

More Detail on the Role

The Programme Director for Postgraduate Law reports to the Head of Faculty on all course issues and is the line manager for relevant lecturers guest lectures and dissertation supervisors within the Faculty.

The Programme Director ensures that an excellent standard of service is provided to all those who interact with the Faculty learners and staff alike.

Postgraduate programmes currently include LL.M in International Law LL.M in International Commercial Law LL.M in International Human Rights Law LL.M. in International Criminal Justice Master in Laws in International Law and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in International Law with exit programmes in respect of the LL.M in International Law LL.M in International Commercial Law LL.M in International Human Rights Law LL.M. in International Criminal Justice .

Main Job Responsibilities:

Providing academic leadership through helping to maintain and enhance a Faculty focused on excellence in teaching.
To work proactively in improving existing programmes.
To ensure that the learners experience is exceptional and that they complete their programme and recommend the Faculty and College to others.
Meet learners and supervisors on a regular basis and address concerns in a timely manner.
To provide support and supervision to Faculty lecturers and supervisors.
Provide assistance to learners as required in a timely manner.
To participate in internal departmental and multi-disciplinary committees and external meetings as required.
To contribute as required to the operation of the Faculty including attendance and support in the organising of events.
Manage all learners enquiries in respect extensions deferrals withdrawals.
Manage all preparations for the academic year including timetables room booking with Faculty Administrators Inductions appointing lecturers etc.
Prepare for and progress to the anticipated standard preparation for all examinations boards through engagement with Faculty Administrators Head of Faculty lecturers and external examiners.
Adhere to exam procedures and deadlines.
Manage all academic misconduct matters related to the postgraduate law programmes.
Manage the dissertation module.
To foster the research culture in the faculty to be actively involved in same
Lecture on the postgraduate law and LL.B. (Hons) subject to lecturing commitment on postgraduate law.

All other responsibilities outlined below and others as assigned by your Line Manager

Validation and Programmatic Review

To design and develop new programme(s) including the provision of additional masters postgraduate and embedded programmes in law.
To manage the validation process and prepare all relevant programmes for validation as and when same occur with the assistance of Faculty other College departments lecturers etc.

Course Content
Manage the development and delivery of the programme syllabus as prescribed by the Governing Body.
Review programmes and modules on an annual basis.
Ensure that the delivery mechanisms are appropriate for each module.
Maintain the module integrity and consistency across all study modes.

Teaching

Teaching such assigned classes as deemed appropriate by your line manager. Teaching may be scheduled for daytime evening or weekends subject to timetables. Time off in Lieu is provided for evening and weekend teaching.
Your teaching responsibilities will include up to 12 hours per week per academic semester which would be delivered to any cohort (Level 8 and/or Level 9) within the faculty (full time part-time or blended learning) with priority given to postgraduate programmes.
Principal duties and responsibilities as per Lecturer job description.

Dissertations

Managing the Dissertation process for all postgraduate learners including lecturing on the Advanced Legal Research and Writing and Legal Research and Writing modules appointing and supervising all dissertation supervisors and second readers facilitating all dissertation workshops reviewing all dissertations and blind marking scheduling and chairing all viva voce.

Pastoral Care

Meet with learners to discuss performance problems complaints and advise on remedial action.
Review learner queries re: module(s) results in examinations and assignments.
Keep all learners motivated and engaged over the academic year.
Monitor learner progression/retention.
Organise and maintain a pastoral care system.
Ensure that those who are repeating or who have deferred from last year re-engage.
Refer as appropriate learners to College support services.

Learners

Be the first point of call for all learners.
Meet with learners to discuss performance problems complaints and advise on remedial action.
Review learner queries re: module(s) results in examinations.
Administration of all Postgraduate programmes in conjunction with the Faculty.
Review learner queries regarding module(s) results in examinations.
Direct learners to appropriate support services.

Lecturers

Maintain a suitable lecturer and dissertation panel.
Interview and select suitable candidates for teaching posts as the need arises.
Review module Moodle pages and assist lecturers were necessary.
Provide feedback to teaching staff on their performance and advise on remedial action.
Engage with lecturers regarding assignment release and submission grading and input examination paper submission grading feedback and input presentations and grading and academic misconduct.
Engage with dissertation supervisors regarding learner progression viva second reading grading feedback and input.
Advise lecturers of support facilities to enhance performance including CPD talks summer schools and the Certificate/Diploma in Teaching Learning and Development.
Organise additional tutorials/lectures where appropriate.

Administration

Provide Annual Course Review to the Head of Faculty and Quality Control Department.
Prepare examination boards and approve Examination Broadsheets. Attend Exam Board meetings and prep meetings.
To work with the Faculty Administrator to create timetables for the relevant programme within the CMIS system (room-booking software).
Retain summary information on exam module reviews and lecturer assessments.
Liaise with Admissions and International Office re: new entrants from application APEL/APL to registration.
Engage with International Office regarding any issues that arise with learners.
Participate in marketing and Faculty events.
Provide feedback to teaching staff on their performance and advise on remedial action.
Liaise with learners regarding attendance.
Review similarity and convene Disciplinary Hearings.
Graduation duties as required.
To attend start-up period during Exams.
Member of Programme Director Group and attend Programme Director meetings.
Be familiar with College policy and procedures in relation to Health and Safety and the Data Protection Act.

Quality Assurance

Manage and oversee the quality assurance mechanisms required for running the programme.
Ensuring all programmes follow the Approved Course Schedules and are reviewed and signed off on an annual basis
Ensure communication of correct module descriptors and assessment to all lecturing staff and admissions.
Ensure active liaison between lecturing staff on all modules and lecturers on equivalent modules across different modes of delivery.
Ensure exam submission assessment and other faculty deadlines are adhered to.
Liaise with learning technologists to ensure smooth delivery of programmes ensuring that content is of a high standard engaging up to date and managed in a structured way.
Take responsibility for all faculty QA processes connected to the running of the exam board for Postgraduate learners.
Work as part of the Law Faculty team and undertake any tasks / duties as assigned to you by the Head of Faculty.
Preparing and implementing induction programmes.
Organising Course committees.
Preparing Annual Course and Module Reviews.
Preparing Course Handbook.
Ensuring subjects are correctly weighted delivered and assessed.
Assessing lecture delivery and dealing with issues highlighted thereby.
Assisting learners in respect Learner Appeals.
Providing learner references.
Meet with learners to discuss performance problems progression.

Admissions

Engaging with applicants as necessary.
Assessing applications and exemptions.
Handling programme queries.
Ensuring compliance with all entry requirements.
Reviewing all APL and APEL applications.

International Office
Meeting with foreign college representatives.
Assessing international course documents.
Assessing applications and exemptions.
Attending the international induction.
Participating in International Open Days and Induction programmes.
Dealing with English language issues.

Exams Office
Undertaking second reading and second marking of module assessments (exam papers assignments).
Communicating with external Examiners and preparation for External Examiners review.
Approving exam timetables.
Ensuring exams are prepared and corrected in the appropriate manner.
Engaging with learners in respect examination preparation.
Engaging with Exams Office in respect all aspects of learner assessment.

Registration Office
Signing Off on Learner Record Amendment Forms approving exemptions and deferrals in modules for learners.
Ensuring the Facultys learners are correctly registered.
Ensuring the learners fees are correct and assist learner fees in the enforcing rules and attendance as required.
Ensuring learners on three attempts are identified and contacted to assist in progression.

Graduation
Make all necessary preparations for graduation.
Engage with the Faculty Administrators regarding graduation preparation.
Assist with the Faculty preparations on the day of graduation eg. line up etc.
Working with the Graduation Team and others on the overall preparation for the graduation ceremony.

Contribution to the Faculty
You may be asked to perform other duties that may be assigned by your line manager from time to time.
The Programme Director for Postgraduate Law must actively participate in the general work of the Faculty as directed by the Head of Faculty.

Timetables
Deciding on lecturing hours for full and part time lecturing staff.
Collating info on lecturer availability.
Ensuring module lectures hours are correct and appropriate.
Ensuring that the learner experience and timetable meets the programme requirements and facilitates learner engagement and best practice.

Marketing
Assist marketing in the recruitment of learners on to the various postgraduate law programmes.
Preparing Faculty Postgraduate prospectus.
Reviewing the Postgraduate pages on the College website and engaging with the Faculty Marketing Officer in respect the updating of same.
Developing new Postgraduate programmes in conjunction with market demand and in collaboration with Marketing.
Supporting the Faculty and learner activities for example guest talks and other events.
Supporting the Faculty in annual secondary education events such as the Law Student for a Day and Schools Debating

Competition.
Attending College open days.
Contributing to the College/Faculty newsletter etc.
Developing marketing and advertising strategies.
Working with the marketing dept. on issues such as programme development strategy formulation and competitor analysis.
Assist marketing in the recruitment and conversion of enquiries on to the various law programmes.
Organising and running a Postgraduate Conference annually with a keynote address panel of speakers a call for internal and external papers providing an opportunity for practitioners and postgraduate learners to showcase their research.

Person specification

Education
Candidates should have completed or are imminently completing their doctoral studies.
Possess a minimum level 9 (Masters) qualification in Law.
Hold a teaching and learning qualification - if not the applicant will be required to undertake the Colleges Level 9 Training and Education programme on appointment.

Research
Be committed to high quality research and publication in well-regarded academic peer reviewed journals and attendance at conferences.

General
Overall the successful candidate will be expected to make a significant contribution to the teaching profile of the College.
Be highly organised with meticulous attention to detail.
Have excellent interpersonal written and verbal communication skills.
Be committed to educational quality and customer service.
Willing to work effectively as part of an integrated team in the Faculty of Law.

About Griffith College

Established in 1974 Griffith College is Irelands largest independent third level institution with locations in Dublin Cork and Limerick. The main campus is situated on seven acres within a mile of St. Stephens Green on Dublins South Circular Road. Griffith College enjoys national and a growing international reputation for student success. The College has gained an enviable award winning reputation for providing students with first class lectures and excellent study material. Griffith College offers internationally recognised postgraduate and undergraduate degree programmes complimented by a wide range of professional short term and corporate training educational solutions - in Griffith college there is something for everyone. Today there are over 7000 students studying in the College which is a designated educational institute of the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Click the link for more information. Vision

To be recognised among the leading innovative and socially enterprising of Irelands universities

Why work for Griffith College

Competitive salary package.
Access to health cash plan for self and family through salary sacrifice
Bike to work scheme.
Opportunity for continued training development and support.
Free parking facilities. *
Onsite subsidised restaurant. *
Stunning historical premises.
Vibrant multidisciplinary and multicultural learning environment.
Innovative and agile place to work.
Welcoming environment committed to learner and staff development.
*Dublin campus on South Circular Road.

This job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline of proposed areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing environment within the Faculty and the College.
Griffith College is an equal opportunities employer. Candidates must be eligible to work full-time for any employer in Ireland.

Required Experience:

Manager