Establishing professional expectations in further education middle management: The human resource manager’s perspective

Abstract

The further education sector is a challenging working environment with expectations to deliver high-quality education against a backdrop of continuous policy and structural reforms. Further education managers play a key part in how further education institutions respond to this dynamic operating environment. However, despite the importance of this role there is an absence of an agreed set of professional expectations for further education middle managers. Sector bodies have commissioned research to address recruitment challenges and support workforce development, but this is often directed towards teachers. As a result, the credibility of further education teachers has increased markedly, which is welcomed. However, further education middle managers who are responsible for the management of teachers and operationalisation of organisational strategies have not benefited from comparable opportunities for professionalisation. In contrast, they suffer from a lack of support when assimilating into the role. This paper investigates the role of further education middle managers through the lens of those responsible for their recruitment and development, human resource managers. Through the administration of a national survey of human resource managers, drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, this paper establishes a new theoretical framework: four pillars of professional expectations for further education middle managers. Furthermore, it highlights the value in a contextualised approach, moving away from generic management standards.

Ladder of competencies for education middle managers in England

“…This is a further enhancement compared to Dierdorff et al's ( 2009) and Corbett's (2021) models which had a greater weighting towards hard skills such as technical expertise and knowledge. The high value placed on soft skills in the responses of HR managers previously (Corbett, 2020) and the responses from EMMs in this study highlight the value in a framework that places an emphasis on soft skills. The competencies which make up these skills and traits include:…”

“…Similarly, this study found that only 49% of EMMs are in possession of a formal management qualification. Furthermore, when considering Corbett's (2020) study of HR managers' perspective of the FE middle manager role there is a consensus between EMMs responses in this study and HR managers' responses with regard to the priority expectations for an EMM to be effective. Prior research and the findings of this study make evident the competencies required for EMMs to fulfil their role are complex.…”

“…For example, a policy change by Ofsted will impact on EMMs and in turn how they manage their teams. It is evident in the responses from EMMs that being mindful of and responding to change is a key competency and was also documented by Corbett (2020). As such the external environment has a significant impact on the revision of Corbett's (2021) literature-informed competency framework.…”

“…Before this, studies raise concerns as to the lack of relevant training for middle managers in FE (Briggs, 2005b; Thompson & Wolstencroft, 2015). Most recently Corbett's investigation into FE HR manager opinions regarding the EMM role highlighted the need for clear professional expectations of the role (Corbett, 2020). It is a role that is required to operate in a complex working environment, experiencing competing pressures without a clear framework of expectations, training and support and is therefore unlikely to flourish.…”

“…This study takes a deductive approach as the purpose of the primary research phase is to explore the application of a literature‐informed competency framework proposed by Corbett (2021). The data would be triangulated with Corbett's (2020) findings from surveying FE HR managers, a study which established four pillars of professional expectations for FE middle managers. Triangulating this study's quantitative data with the qualitative findings of contemporary research in the same research area will facilitate the adaptation of the literature‐informed framework.…”