Business Manager of Vision Centre

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Glasgow Caledonian – the largest and leading modern university in Scotland - is a vibrant, values-led university with campuses in the heart of Glasgow and London. With a strong commitment to high quality education and research which supports the communities we serve, we have strong partnerships with employers to ensure our students get the careers they dream of and deserve.

In 2023 we rocketed into the top 40 universities in the UK in the highly regarded Guardian University Guide, were ranked the UK’s 2nd top performing modern university in the inaugural Daily Mail guide, and entered the top highly coveted 50 UK universities in the 2024 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for the first time. We are the top performing modern University in Scotland in all three guides. We are the only Scottish university with EcoCampus Platinum accreditation and were ranked second in Scotland for sustainability in the most recent People and Planet league table.

With a wide range of professionally accredited courses and links with over 300 industry partners, we have the highest proportion of undergraduate level graduates in highly skilled occupations (83%) compared to other Scottish modern universities - with 91% of our students in employment or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA 2023). We are Scotland’s leading provider of Graduate Apprenticeships. We are committed to widening participation, helping more people from diverse backgrounds into university. With campuses in Glasgow and London we educate more than 22,000 students from nearly 120 countries.

Guided by our values – integrity, responsibility, creativity and confidence - we transform the lives of the people and communities we serve.

To support our continuing growth, we are seeking to appoint a Business Manager of Glasgow Caledonian’s Vision Centre within the Department of Vision Sciences.  The Department is one of eight within the School of Health & Life Sciences.  The School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, applied research and knowledge transfer.  The Department of Vision Sciences offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes, including a Master of Optometry with Independent Prescribing (MOptom IP), BSc(Hons) Orthoptics and BSc Ophthalmic Dispensing Management.  Being the only University in the UK where these programmes co-exist allows us a unique shared teaching approach and inter-professional training of eye care professions.  Our teaching is underpinned by research, is evidence based and incorporates a wide range of clinical experiences in the Vision Centre and through external placements. 

Providing an outstanding student experience where each individual can flourish is central to the Department’s philosophy.  The Department has been innovative in integrating therapeutic patient management into the programme syllabus in anticipation of the future needs of an ageing population and the enhancing role of eye care professions.  Our programmes were ranked first in the UK in the Complete University Guide (Optometry, Ophthalmology & Orthoptics Tables 2019).   At post-graduate level, the Department offers an MSc in Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Research as well as a range of tailored Continuing Professional Development courses.  Apart from its teaching successes, the Department has an active and diverse portfolio of research activities and a large cohort of research students.

Sitting within the department, the Vision Centre is a highly successful element of the School of Health and Life Sciences that contributes to the University’s strategic objectives.  It supportes the learning and development of over 300 students and provides eye care to over 5,000 patients per year.  It provides valuable service to our local communities, both through the provision of eye tests to the general public, and supporting the NHS by enabling the referral to the Vision Centre of patients examined as part of a number of specialist clinics.  It further benefits University staff and the wider student population through the provision of eye tests and the ability to purchase spectacles and glasses at attractive rates.  It is highly rated by students for supporting their clinical experience and by patients.

The success of the Vision Centre is intrinsically linked to the future ambition of the Department.  The Business Manager will play a pivotal part in supporting the Head of Department in developing and leading the execution of a strategic plan to guide the operation of the Vision Centre.

The Business Manager holds a number of managerial and clinical responsibilities, including running the Vision Centre’s spectacle dispensing service, managing a team of staff clinicians and reception staff, generating and analysing financial reports, managing stock control and pricing ensuring financial sustainability, interacting with and supporting undergraduate and post-graduate students, and managing complaints.  The role holder will be required to be registered with the General Optical Council as either Dispensing Optician or Optometrist, have relevant optical business and leadership experience that includes the provision of clinical care, business decision-making as well as setting and measuring strategic targets to ensure continued growth. The role holder will have experience with overseeing patient care standards, knowledge of the typical ranges of ophthalmic products and experience of dealing with business suppliers.  The role holder will ensure that the patient base of the Vision Centre, as a teaching facility, is maintained and grown to enable a flexible and student-orientated service that provides excellent patient care and continuously enhances the student experience.  The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to practical and clinical teaching of students and the continuous enhancement of the student experience.

As this role involves Regulated work with Adults and/or Children the successful candidate will require PVG Scheme membership.

If you wish to know more about this role or for an informal discussion, please feel free to contact Prof Gunter Loffler, Head of Department, at g.loffler@gcu.ac.uk.

As the University for the Common Good, we are committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as our values in everything that we do.  As such, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who demonstrate the GCU Values.

Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to a fair and transparent recruitment process that is free from bias so that we can attract and retain a high performing workforce which makes a critical contribution to our success​.

The University holds the prestigious Athena SWAN Silver institution award, which recognises our significant record of activity and achievement in promoting gender equality across different disciplines.

As a Disability Confident 'Committed' employer, we are striving to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to disabled people. Although the Disability Confident 'Committed' level does not guarantee an interview for disabled applicants, we will make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants during the recruitment process.

The University also holds the Carer Positive ‘Engaged’ employer award, which recognises our commitment to supporting staff with caring responsibilities.

Glasgow Caledonian University are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant. 

The University offers a range of benefits including opportunities for professional development, family friendly policies, cycle to work scheme and onsite childcare facilities.

Please note that the appointments will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception).