The Technical Development Group has been created by technical colleagues (MTC Leadership Group) as an organising and coordinating function for professional development, role mapping and workforce planning that aligns the career aspirations of our existing staff with the teaching and research needs of the University and our social and community responsibilities to nurture and provide opportunities that are aligned to the ambitions of people from our local communities. Its scope includes the implementation of a 5-year rolling development plan including elements of succession planning and talent management to ensure that future demands are met by a skilful and agile team of technicians.

Helen Ashley
Head of Workforce Planning and Talent

As a new starter at the University of Manchester, I have found the technical community to be a varied, vibrant and vocal group of colleagues. The colleagues that I’ve had the opportunity to meet already have been keen to share their experiences and ideas to develop their roles and those of their most immediate peer groups – some have very clear ideas of how services should be delivered and structures should be organised. The University’s decision to align with the national Technician Commitment also requires a focus on improving visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for our technicians.  All-in-all a clear mandate for action.

Working with me on the Board are Craig Hopper, David Knight, Colin Baines, Neal Chamberlain (Learning & OD), Tracy Kaar (Talent and WFP) and colleagues from key user groups including Academics and PS. A diverse and technically expert team that can shape and direct the development and implementation of specialist and bespoke programmes specifically designed for technical staff. I also hope to welcome representatives for our apprenticeships, students and critical friends from external organisations and business partners.

As the Head of Workforce Planning and Talent, there are a number of areas that I’m particularly keen to explore with colleagues. First is our approach to measuring and supporting high performance of individuals and teams. I think there is scope for us to think about what and how we measure performance, and to begin a discussion about how we use the process of performance and development review to support career development, align individual contributions and aspirations with the bigger picture of the University’s aims and objectives. Other institutions have done innovative work in this area, and I think there are opportunities for us to collaborate and learn from them.

The other area I’m very interested in is how we can support professional development and career progression. I’ve already heard a wide range of different perspectives on what colleagues would like to see and quite a few clear indications on current points of frustration! My preferred approach is to look at current and future requirements first. In that way we can better understand how far the current profile needs to develop, and the extent to which we have scope to support the aspirations of individual staff members, both as expert practitioners and as leaders. 

At all events, the group has been created in order to support the vital role technical staff play in both research and teaching. I am confident that the development group will provide a forum for discussion and a focus for action that will enable us to achieve our mission by close alignment to our values.

Written by Helen Ashley (Head of Workforce Planning and Talent)
13th October 2022

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