Professional Services in Higher Education

[AliTheMinx]

If you work in Professional Services in Higher Education, do you have a clear career progression path? Does your institution actively encourage you to develop and climb the ladder and support and reward the individual, as appropriate, or is everything simply defined simply by grade/job title?

Do you have a clear career progression path? No

Does your institution actively encourage you to develop and climb the ladder and support and reward the individual, as appropriate No

Is everything simply defined simply by grade/job title? Yes

There was an announcement made a couple of years back about new career progression pathways being introduced for PSS, but I have yet to see any evidence of this.

There is t a clear progression path as such, but there is a strong emphasis on personal and professional al development t. The idea being you're ready for the next thing when it comes up. We also have a lot of support around leadership and management, several programmes run every year to support development.
Is there a specific barrier you are trying to address?

It's SO frustrating, isn't it?! It's the same for me - hence my post. I work SO hard, I have excellent outcomes, I win awards, I am well-respected in my current role - and yet, in terms of career progression or promotion, they say that whilst they value what I do enormously, their hands are tied and that I am stuck at my current grade due to my niche area and job title. I am feeling so deflated... if only they would value the actual person and invest in me... 😞

How transferable are your skills? Could you transfer across departments? Does your institution offer regrading as an option?

I'd look at the roles at the grades above and see what skills they are after. There will be some variance, but you'll probably find there's a lot of similarity. Then you can work out what (if anything) you are missing and work to fill those gaps. Are you applying for things and getting turned down?

That sounds really positive and I wish we had more opportunities for development where I work. I really crave more scope to develop my specific area at a higher level, but it seems that I've hit the glass ceiling. I so wish that HR would see the bigger picture. I think without an investment in people, they will hemorrhage their best staff...

The more senior you are the fewer opportunities at your own institution - literally your boss has to leave to create a vacancy. The more niche you are the more limited. That the same everywhere though isn't it, it's not unique to HE.

I'm looking at retirement these days not promotion, but once I was in a central more specialised role I have always moved institutions to get the next job.

With hybrid and wfh you shouldn't just be limited to your local unis for job hunting.

I left HE and took my transferable skills elsewhere a couple of years back. All I can say is that I’ve totally flourished outside of HE and the world is now my (career) oyster.

Hopefully they are pretty transferable and yes - I could certainly move to another faculty, but I love where I work and would ideally like to stay. However, it's becoming clearer and clearer that moving is probably the best way to progress, which is a real shame... it feels like a very backward way of thinking. Re-grading is nigh impossible, sadly...

Thanks so much for all your help and advice. I really appreciate it. Yes - I keep an eye on the jobs, but as yet haven't applied. I am also studying for a PGCert in Higher Education Leadership, Management and Administration to further my skills and knowledge.

Are you aware of the Aurora programme? That might be another way to develop skills and networking with a view to progression.

Yes. This is very true. I had a meeting today, and one point was: "You could wait for someone senior to leave"! I agree about being niche - gah! It's an interesting point about looking at other institutions. Thank you!

Oooh - good for you! That sounds amazing. I am also going to see what else is around locally - even though it would break my heart to leave.

Ooh yes - I will look into this. I believe it is an option, so I will explore further. Thank you!

I've found sometimes stepping away, even sideways if you can't get an upwards move, helps. It broadens your skills, it means you make new connections and networks and just gives you an opportunity to try something else.
It's hard if you live where you are, but you may find you get increasingly frustrated abs negative if you stay.
Is there the opportunity to have a coach or a mentor?

At our place, the problem is that it's a sort of dead man's boots situation, and nobody senior ever leaves. If somebody senior DOES leave, they usually recruit an external candidate. We've had two new HoDs and two deputy HoDs in the last six years and none of them has come up from within the department. We've recruited nobody new to the position immediately above mine since before I started working there eight years ago. One person left, and rather than recruit to their post, they chopped up that post's responsibilities and redistributed them among the remaining staff. It's stagnant.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but stumbled across it whilst Googling what next for professional services staff after leaving HE, and other variations!

May I ask where/what kind of role you moved onto please? I am struggling to think where I could go next. 10 years in HE is starting to be enough for me.