Supporting the development of professional services teams at all levels within UK business schools
Group Booking Discounts available
IMPORTANT: PMAC Online is a separate event to the PMAC In-Person conference held at Leeds on 21 February. Click here for further details.
PMAC Online brings together professional services staff working in, and for, UK business schools. Taking place online this is an interactive, practical event that supports business school professional services teams through a series of engaging panel discussions, breakout sessions and professional development workshops.
David Meech Mazumdar
Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair, Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee
Dr. Kendi Guantai
University Co-Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Leeds Business School
Keith Portman
Director of Operations, Birmingham Business School.
Ruth Dover
Founder and Managing Director, RNR Training and Coaching
Kathryn Alevizos
Co-founder, Acrobat Global
Zanne Gaynor
Co-founder, Acrobat Global
Dr Alex Hope
Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University.
Sarah Verbickas
Faculty Operations Manager, Leeds University Business School (LUBS)
Dr Andrew Glanfield
School Manager, Cardiff Business School
Gemma Dale
Liverpool Business School, John Moores University
Dr Samantha Drobinski
Head of Professional Services, Sheffield University Management School
Charlotte Hafiz
Teaching & Learning Manager, University of Birmingham
Sarah Willcox
Director and Founder, Fairisle Consulting
Emma Ogden
SUMS Consultant, University of Reading
09:00 -09:30
Join via Zoom
09:30 -09:40
Welcome address:
Barney Roe, Interim CEO, Chartered ABS
Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS
David Meech Mazumdar, Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee
9:40 -10:30
Panel discussion: Exploring the evolving nature of Professional Services staff in business schools
A high-level panel will explore the evolving and developing nature of Professional Services staff in business schools, including innovation, development and collaborations, and they will look at gaining the appropriate skills to achieve the maximum potential. This theme will be discussed both as an introduction to the event and to provide context for the workshops and discussions to follow.
Professor Catherine Cassell, Executive Dean, Durham University Business School, Durham University
Keith Portman Director of Operations, Birmingham Business School.
Dr Samantha Drobinski, Head of Professional Services, Sheffield University Management School
Chair: David Meech Mazumdar, Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee
Additional speakers to be announced
10:30 -11:00
Break
11:00 -12:00
Breakout sessions
Breakout 1 A. Team dynamics -Find your voice and manage up effectively! The importance of staff getting involved in the management process
This session will consider how Professional Services staff need to be able to raise issues with managers before they become problems, being helpful not critical. The skills covered here will be applicable in a range of situations, and may include communication skills such assertiveness training and negotiation techniques. The focus will be on teams working effectively together, in an atmosphere of shared and valued knowledge and opinions.
Ruth Dover, Managing Director, RNR Training & Coaching
Breakout 1 B. Income, staffing and timetabling – oh my!
Peering under the roof of a business school to look at the interrelated planning and operational activities needed for success
Session contents
- Supporting the virtuous circle of the full range of academic activities in a complex regulatory environment.
- The challenges of managing a complex profit centre.
- Student number predictions and projections and resource planning in a volatile context.
- Academic and professional services activity, workload and workforce planning – working with known unknowns.
Dr Andrew Glanfield, School Manager, Cardiff Business School
Breakout 1 C. How Professional Services staff can play an active role in helping business schools to embrace diversity and inclusion
This session will consider how embedding the principles of diversity and inclusion enhances the work environment and encourages more productive teams. It will look at initiatives such as Athena Swan, in terms of gender equality, and how the aims can be implemented beyond "ticking the boxes" necessary for accreditation. Improving EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) is a professed goal for many business schools and businesses, this session will provide practical advice on achieving those goals.
Amy Cowling, Head of Faculty Operations, University of Hull
Dr. Kendi Guantai
University Co-Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Leeds Business School
12:00 -12:30
Break
12:30 -13:30
Breakout sessions
Breakout 2 A. Creating high-performing teams - the developing role of Professional Services staff in nurturing a positive culture in business schools
This session will address the role of Professional Service staff in nurturing a positive team culture to help develop high-performing teams. This will include attracting, recruiting, and retaining suitable talent, as well as addressing communication and assertiveness skills.
Charlotte Hafiz, Teaching & Learning Manager · University of Birmingham
Gemma Dale, Liverpool Business School, John Moores University
Breakout 2 B. Preparing staff for student needs in relation to wellbeing
This session will address some of the skills needed by Professional Services staff, as the first point of contact for students raising wellbeing concerns. This can include listening skills, empathy training, referral, sign-posting and responding to suicide ideation, and similar skills applicable to this situation.
Many business schools have Student Welfare offices, with staff professionally trained to deal with wellbeing issues, but it is often Professional Service staff that are approached by students first -preparing staff to deal effectively and appropriately with that initial conversation will be the focus of this session.
Victoria Frost, Deputy Head of Student Services (Wellbeing), London School of Economics
Breakout 2 C. Improving delivery through TOM -Target Operating Model
"If you have the collective will and appetite, then a well-designed, evidence-based and fully executed TOM could improve your delivery to a greater level than you ever thought possible. But genuine TOM design and implementation is not a quick fix, nor is it a journey for the faint-hearted" (David Becker, SUMS)
Many business schools are looking into TOM -this session will give some background to the potential benefits and possible challenges for Professional Services staff tasked with implementing TOM.
Emma Ogden, Consultant, SUMS Consulting, University of Reading
Amy Bray, Associate Consultant, SUMS Consulting, University of Reading
13:30 -14:30
Lunch break
14:30 -15:30
Breakout sessions
Breakout 3 A. The complexities of bringing students back onto campus and how that impacts Professional Services staff
This session will start from the maxim: "Campus should be a magnet, not a mandate” and assess some of the initiatives taken by business schools to encourage students to enjoy and embrace a return to campus. It will look at what Professional Service staff can do to smooth the path towards and encourage a full and rewarding on-campus experience.
David Meech Mazumdar, Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair, Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee
Eveleigh McCarthy, Project Manager (Digital Portfolio, IT Services), Kingston University London
Jas Dhanda, Head of Programme Delivery, Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Breakout 3 B. Project management skills for Professional Services staff
This workshop will look at project management skills, including: interpersonal skills, inspiring and motivating teams, time management/ workload organisation; problem solving. It will address the basic project management aims of planning, running and controlling a project, on-time and budget but will focus on the skills that can most usefully be implemented by Professional Services staff in business schools.
Sarah Willcox, Director and Founder, Fairisle Consulting
Breakout 3 C. Communicating effectively and inclusively with International Students
An internationally diverse working environment can be enriching but it can also bring its own challenges.
Aimed at staff working with international students, this 1-hour workshop explores the barriers to successful communication with internationally diverse students and offers practical tips that can be used straight away.
Some of the areas covered include:
• language that is difficult for those who speak English as an additional language
• ambiguous language and implied meaning
• intercultural competence training with regards to politeness, humour, small talk etc.
• clearer written communication (emails)
This workshop has been developed by Acrobat Global specifically for Professional Services staff.
Kathryn Alevizos, Co-founder, Acrobat Global
Zanne Gaynor, Co-founder, Acrobat Global
Breakout 3 D. An introduction to Carbon Literacy Training
This interactive session introduces the award winning Carbon Literacy Training for Educators, Communities, Organizations and Students (CLT-ECOS) developed by Nottingham Trent University’s Green Academy in collaboration with the United Nations PRME Climate and Environment Working Group. The session includes a taster of the training to demonstrate how it works, and an opportunity for participants to learn about their own carbon impacts as well as time and space for questions.
Alex Hope, Head of Department, Leadership and Human Resource Management, Newcastle Business School
Sarah Verbickas, Faculty Operations Manager, Leeds University Business School (LUBS)
15:30
Close
Group Booking Discounts: Bring colleagues and save 25% on each ticket
Members
Not sure whether your institution is a member? Full list available here.
- One participant - £95
- Two participants - £143
- Three participants - £214
- Four participants - £285
- Five participants - £356
- Six to Fifteen Participants - £428 - Register up to 15 participants for the price of six!
If you are registering more than fifteen participants please contact enquiries@charteredabs.org for a Special Booking Code.
Non-members
- One participant - £120
- Two participants - £180
- Three participants - £270
- Four participants - £360
Non-member organisations are allowed a maximum of four tickets. If you wish to register more people please contact Afsana Shahajahan to discuss group sales and sponsorship opportunities afsana.shahajahan@charteredabs.org
PMAC 2023 will offer a range of interactive, practical sessions that will explore ways that the professional services community can add value in their business schools. The conference will be of particular relevance to:
- Senior professional services and team leaders
- Learning & teaching support staff
- Marketing, student recruitment and admissions staff
- School administrators
- Student experience and careers staff
Hardcastle & Associates
Hardcastle & Associates exists simply to support business schools to do better.
Our team offers a strategic mix of those who have worked in the corporate world, NHS and within business schools and universities.
We draw from our associates, strategic partners and our wider networks to create project teams that will help you successfully:
- develop your school strategy, vision and mission
- create your brand and articulate school distinctiveness
- build your reputation
- identify and take advantage of market opportunities
- engage and reshape your advisory boards to deliver greater impact
- create marketing strategies
- improve candidate journeys
- simplify accreditation and review rankings strategy
- achieve better communication and deeper engagement with key stakeholders including
faculty and professional staff, students, alumni, corporate partners and employers
Drawing from our network of global business schools, we have authored free Sharing the Experience reports on Business School Advisory Boards and The MBA and the Value of Practitioner Engagement - available to download now.
Our approach is straightforward: understanding that every business school is different we spend time getting to know you. We work collaboratively on projects to share our experience, provide in-depth insights and focus on what’s right for you, delivering creative and practical solutions.
Website: hardcastleassociates.com
Become a sponsor
Sponsoring PMAC 2023 is an excellent way of engaging senior professional services staff within UK business schools. If you are interested in supporting this year's event please contact Oliver Lowe.
Oliver Lowe
Head of Conferences & International
Chartered Association of Business Schools & Small Business Charter
Direct: +44 (0) 207 634 9581 Main: +44 (0) 207 236 7678
Email: oliver.lowe@charteredabs.org Website: charteredabs.org I smallbusinesscharter.org
What platform will be used for PMAC Online?
The PMAC Online conference takes place via Zoom. Registered participants will receive the login details a few weeks before the event.
What if I register and then want to cancel?
If you register and decide that you cannot attend you can transfer your pass to a colleague free of charge. If you decide to cancel there may be a cancellation fee. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for full details.
Transfers, Cancellations and full Terms & Conditions - click here