Gearing up towards 2020 – report of the October meeting of the Professional Managers’ Committee

The Professional Managers’ Committee met on 4 October, our first meeting of the new academic year. On this occasion we were very pleased to welcome four new members to the committee, hailing from business schools across the UK, and are very excited to progress our work with some fresh perspectives and new ideas.

The biggest item on the agenda has been gearing up for the Professional Managers’ Annual Conference 2020, taking place at Alliance Manchester Business School on 22-23 January. We’ve put the finishing touches to the programme and are confident that there’ll be something for professional services team members at all stages in their career journeys. These will include: in-depth professional development workshops and roundtable discussions to help colleagues address their development needs; inspiring keynote speakers to help us get to grips with the challenges of our roles; and a range of topical breakout sessions designed and delivered by and for professional services staff.

As always we are keen to enjoy the collegiate atmosphere and particularly welcome newcomers to the conference. A special booking rate applies on group bookings, so teams are encouraged to come out in force. You can find out more and make a booking here.

In our other projects, we’ve kickstarted work on modernising the Professional Development Matrix; more on this to follow.

Lastly, we’re also happy to report that one of our longest-serving committee members, Helen Miller, was recognised with a Chartered ABS Fellowship at the Annual Conference in November. This was a well-deserved accolade for all her hard work and we wish her all the best in her new role outside the business school.

 

All questions, comments and suggestions on any aspect of the committee’s work gratefully received.

Janine Ellis, Interim Chair, Professional Managers’ Committee.