James Watt College Board of Management
Summary: Details of the Role and Purpose of Board of Management, List of Members including biographies and register of interests, information about the board organisation and links to further information.
Role And Purpose Of Board Of Management
The Board of Management is the college’s supreme decision making body. It is responsible for the college’s strategic direction, corporate governance and for fostering an environment in which the college’s mission is achieved. The Board must uphold the college’s vision, values and common purpose “It’s all about learning”. It is responsible for the college’s reputation, financial health, the well-being of its staff and for meeting the expectation of its learners and stakeholders by active and regular engagement with them.
In the performance of its duties it must ensure compliance with the framework of governance and with all relevant legislation regulating the college.
Membership of the Board of Management comprises external appointees as well as staff and student members.
The Principal is a member of the Board, as is one of our Student Presidents; both of whom are members for the duration of their tenure. There are also two staff Board members (one a member of the teaching staff, the other a member of the support staff) each of whom serves a four year term.
There are two student presidents one having been elected to represent students in the Inverclyde Campus, the other having been elected to represent students in the North Ayrshire Campus. Student membership of the Board of Management is on a yearly rotational basis with one president serving on the Board and the other attending Board of Management meetings in the capacity as a non-voting student representative.
External members of College Boards bring to the college sector a wealth of experience and expertise from business and industry, the professions, as well as from public and voluntary service. Many of your College’s Board members live within the boundaries of Inverclyde or Ayrshire, or have close business or commercial links within these areas.
Members serve on a voluntary basis without remuneration. The Board meets a minimum of four times per year normally in March, June, September and December and Board members are expected to become members of at least one of the Board’s main committees.
Current Members
Esther Denning, college employee - member of support staff
Esther’s first experience of James Watt College was as a student at the Waterfront Campus where she gained her HNC Accounting before coming to work in the Student Funding Office in 1999. Since 2004 she has been employed as a student advisor. Esther, who lives in Greenock, was previously Chair of the Greenock High School Board. She has helped organise staff events through the staff association and in May of 2010 accompanied students on a trip to Malawi.
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Drew Duncan OBE, Chairman of the Board, external (non-executive) member
Drew was appointed to the Board in May 2005. He is currently the Chair of the Board having been re-appointed to this position in June 2009. Drew’s background is in education having had a long career as a secondary school teacher. He lives in Kilwinning and was formerly provost of North Ayrshire Council. Drew was awarded an OBE in 2007 in recognition of his services to local government. He is also a Director of Irvine Burns Club and a member of Rotary as well as a member of various charitable organisations in North Ayrshire.
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Morag Dunlop, external (non-executive) member
Morag is the European Head of Finance for CIGNA International which has one of its main European operational centres in Greenock. Originally she trained as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young in Glasgow before moving into industry. She has held a number of financial management posts in international companies before moving to CIGNA International over 8 years ago. She currently leads the European finance and actuarial teams for CIGNA and brings experience of a broad range of financial management as well as project and change management skills.
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Bill Foy, external (non-executive) member
Bill is married with 3 children and lives near Kilwinning. He left school at 15 but later attended an adult education college that enabled him to enter Oxford University where he took an Honours Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. His early career was as an economist in the City. He later became, managing director of various City companies and was involved in project analysis, company accounts, personnel management and IT. From 1992 to 1998 he was on the Board of Plater College, an adult education college, and from 2001 to 2009 was on the Board of Dumfries & Galloway College.
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Andrew Hetherington, external (non-executive) member
Dr. Andrew Hetherington was appointed Chief Executive of Repak, a company based in Ireland, in March 1996. Andrew has previously worked at a senior level in industry in both general management and environmental management roles. Andrew has thirty years direct experience in the field of Environmental Initiatives and is recognised internationally as an expert and he is regularly requested to speak as a keynote speaker.
A qualified Environmental Practitioner, Andrew is a Founding Director and Member (by examination) of the U.K. Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment of which he was also elected as its first Chairman. Andrew has recently been elected an Honorary Fellow for his services to the Environment. He is also a Chartered Environmentalist.
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Gordon James, external (non-executive) member
Gordon joined the Board of Management in September 2010. He has over 15 years’ experience in purchasing, logistics and supply chain both within the public and private sectors. Prior to joining National Procurement Gordon was Supply Chain manager for a major UK electronics business which included both supply chain and manufacturing development as well as outsourcing warehousing and transportation. Gordon became Logistics Director for National Procurement in 2009 where he has responsibility for the purchasing and supply chain for clinical, medical and janitorial products for NHS Scotland.
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Gerard Kelly, external (non-executive) member
Gerard is the Senior Director of Scottish Enterprise Investments, the risk capital arm of Scottish Enterprise, Scotland's main economic development agency. Scottish Enterprise Investments is responsible for developing and running a suite of highly innovative early stage investment funds and with its private sector partners invests about £100m annually in exciting young Scottish companies. Gerard also has responsibility for management of and realising value from Scottish Enterprise’s extensive portfolio of invested companies.
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Carol Kirk, external (non-executive) member
Carol was appointed to the Board in 2008. Carol is the Corporate Director of Education and Skills in North Ayrshire. Carol’s career in education has covered primary and secondary teaching, staff development and social inclusion. She serves on the Executive of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland.
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Derek Little, Vice-Chairman, external (non-executive) member
Prior to his retiring in 2010 to pursue interests in industry, academia and his non executive role in James Watt College and the Chartered Management Institute, Derek had spent 27 years with IBM in a variety of management and senior technical positions; his experience resulted in him having worked in the US, Europe and latterly as a consulting security IT architect in the UK. Derek is continuing to develop interests in renewables, skills and leadership development. Derek has a PhD in strategy and performance management which he obtained from The University of Strathclyde.
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Brian MacDonald, external (non-executive) member
Following a 33 year career in Scottish Local Government, Brian left in 2008 to pursue other objectives. During his time at North Ayrshire Council, he was involved with James Watt College in Kilwinning from the earliest date, including the site search which led to the establishment of the existing campus. From 1999 to 2006 Brian was Assistant Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council and between 2006 and 2008 was Regeneration Director of the Irvine Bay Regeneration Company. At present he is director of his own company and also serves on the board of the Scottish Regeneration Forum.
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Sue Pinder OBE, college employee - Principal and Chief Executive
Sue’s role as Principal and Chief Executive of James Watt College commenced in January 2008. Prior to working at James Watt, Sue was Principal of West Lothian College where in 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to lifelong learning in Scotland. Sue has vast experience of the education sector in Scotland and continues to help in advising on sector policy on a range of educational topics. As Principal she is a member of the Board of Management and is entitled to attend and speak at any Board committee meeting.
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Gill Troup, external (non-executive) member
Gill, who lives in West Lothian, is Depute Principal/ Vice Principal of the new University of the West of Scotland, responsible for strategy and planning. Previously, she was a senior civil servant with the Scottish Executive and the Department for Work and Pensions. Her responsibilities included policy in higher education and research, funding for learners, the Scottish Funding Council, Scotland’s science strategy, further and adult education and the Scottish Government’s capability review by the Cabinet Office. She is a Board member of Skills Development Scotland and of the Lifelong Learning (UK) Scottish committee.
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Lawrence Wyper, external (non-executive) member
Lawrence is a Director with Scottish Enterprise, based in Kilmarnock. Originally trained as a Town Planner, he worked during the mid 1980’s in the Middle East and Finland, followed by five years as a Senior Planner with Grampian Regional Council. Since 1991, he has been employed by Scottish Enterprise, during which he has held a number of senior posts covering strategy development, business planning, and partnership / strategic relationships. This has been supplemented with responsibility for leading teams covering property, regeneration and inward investment, facilities management as well as Marketing and PR.
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Clerk to the Board of Management
Board Organisation
In order for the Board of a college of its size and complexity to properly perform its many roles and tasks, it is required to delegate to various committees certain key functions. A committee structure has been developed therefore and the Board delegates to each committee the functions specified in the respective terms of reference which have been developed for each one. A reporting structure has been created to ensure the Board monitors the actions taken by each committee on its behalf.
The relevant committees and their purpose are as follows:
Learning and Teaching Committee
To oversee the effective governance and strategic development of learning and teaching within the College. The Committee provides guidance to staff and student presidents as well as overseeing all matters relating to KPIs including learner progress, retention and achievement.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board | Other Members |
|---|
| W Foy, Chair | A Allan, VP Learning & Skills |
| C Kirk, Vice Chair | C Laird, Co-opted member |
| S Pinder | C Wilson, Teaching Staff Representative |
| D Duncan | R Caniffi, Teaching Staff Representative |
| E Denning | F Rushton, EIS Learning Representative |
| N Eley | R Foster, Student President, North Ayrshire |
| | L McConnachie, Assistant Principal |
| | S Davis, Assistant Principal |
| | A Heron, Quality Manager |
| | A Pignatelli, Development Manager |
| | L Aird, Assistant Principal |
| | M Tierney, Assistant Principal |
Human Resource Development Committee
To develop strategy and policy in all matters relating to the recruitment, reward, retention, motivation and development of the college’s employees, taking account of relevant legislation and accepted good practice and to ensure that the human resource strategy of the college is clearly derived from the college’s strategic plan.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board | Other Members |
|---|
| D Little, Chair | C Laird, Co-opted member |
| G James, Vice Chair | |
| S Pinder | |
| D Duncan | |
Finance and Resources Committee
To approve all key decisions taken in relation to Finance and Resources and further ensure that all areas of James Watt College's financial performance, treasury and pensions arrangements are subject to best practice controls and review.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board |
|---|
| A Hetherington, Chair |
| G Kelly, Vice-chair |
| M Dunlop |
| C Kirk |
| S Pinder |
| D Duncan |
Audit Committee
To provide the principal governance mechanism through which the audit process works with particular emphasis on compliance, management of risk and internal and external audit activities as well as ensuring systems are in place to provide efficiency, effectiveness and economy.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board |
|---|
| L Wyper, Chair |
| W Foy |
| B MacDonald |
| E Denning |
Remuneration Committee
To determine and review the salary, terms and conditions and (where appropriate) the severance payments of the Principal and other members of senior staff.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board |
|---|
| D Duncan, Chair |
| D Little |
| M Dunlop |
| W Foy |
| L Wyper |
Nominations Committee
To identify and select candidates for nomination to Board of Management as being suitable candidates for appointment to the Board.
Committee Members:
| Members of the Board |
|---|
| D Duncan, Chair |
| D Little |
| M Dunlop |
| L Wyper |
Further Information