Our commitment to effective line management
The National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) is required to operate as a single coherent entity across all of our sites. To do this, it is vital that all NCAS staff have a clearly identified NCAS Line Manager. Line Managers are key to ensuring the delivery of the NCAS Mission and vision, and our values of excellence, integrity, fairness, agility and innovation.
NCAS is a complex organisation and we need to work together to ensure that the work and the workforce of NCAS are valued and recognised. We work in partnership with, but are distinct from, our host institutions, hence the need for the NCAS Line Manager role to work jointly with a host institution manager to provide support to colleagues.
A list of all staff institutional and NCAS Line Managers is maintained on the NCAS people database.
An NCAS Line Manager will balance the needs of NCAS with those of individuals through effective leadership underpinned by NCAS values. This includes agreeing and supporting NCAS related goals and expectations, providing constructive feedback, enabling well being as well as personal and professional development. All colleagues, including line managers themselves, should feel that they are supported and valued in their NCAS roles and that they have a sense of belonging at NCAS.
What is the purpose of this guide?
- To highlight the importance of the role of NCAS Line Managers to the organisation and the support available to them.
- To help clarify the responsibilities of an NCAS Line Manager, and what a member of NCAS staff can expect from their NCAS Line Manager.
- These NCAS Line Manager Expectations have been developed in line with good practice and therefore colleagues must engage with this approach.
Who can be an NCAS Line Manager?
An NCAS Line Manager can be anyone who is considered eligible to be a line manager by their host institution. This may be limited by grade or role. The Line Manager grade will usually be at least 1 above the staff member they are supporting.
Any Line Manager must have sufficient capacity to meet the needs of their direct reports. Effective line management takes time, energy and commitment. In recognition of this NCAS agrees to limit the number of direct reports to no more than 6 colleagues where reasonably practicable.
Definition of the NCAS Line Manager
An NCAS Line Manager is separate and distinct from a project or programme lead or Principal Investigator who will sometimes support and direct specific areas of work.
Where different from the Institutional Line Manager, the NCAS Line Manager will work with the NCAS staff member and Institutional Line Manager to support the individual and the delivery of the NCAS programme. The NCAS Line Manager does not have the formal responsibilities of the host Institution Line Manager.
It is vital that all NCAS staff know who their Line Manager is, and feel supported by the line management process.
Many of our staff have a role whose duties sit fully within NCAS. Some of our staff however, have a varied role, meaning their duties are split between NCAS and their host institution. Therefore, it is crucial for these colleagues with split roles that they have a clearly defined NCAS Line Manager and Institutional Line Manager. Often, the NCAS Line Manager and Institutional Line Manager are the same person, but not always.
An NCAS Line Manager supports a colleague’s NCAS role and their progression within the organisation. This includes supporting NCAS related duties, forward work plans and internal promotions.
An Institutional Line Manager supports a colleague’s institutional role. This includes employer specific duties such as support with sickness absence, annual leave and institutional promotions processes.
Expectations of an NCAS Line Manager
Line management is not a one size fits all task. While every NCAS Line Manager will fulfil the role differently, NCAS has some core expectations of the role. An NCAS Line Manager will:
- Be clear about their own NCAS role and that of those they line manage.
- Make time to support, including regular contact, sharing their availability and how to make contact.
- Work with the site lead to promote and champion NCAS at an organisational, local team and personal level, through inclusive and collaborative leadership, to ensure that colleagues and their activities on behalf of NCAS are valued and recognised by the host institution.
- Pro-actively support and enable staff members to achieve their potential and career goals through an agreed approach and appropriate development including: learning opportunities, promotion applications and nominations for both internal and external awards. Consider any barriers to progression.
- Support the implementation of all of the host institution policies and reporting processes as required in partnership with the host institution for example in relation to annual reviews.
- Support negotiations with host institutions with regard to role and recognition.
- Recognise that the line management considerations for each individual are different and may change over time. These may include, but are not limited to – minority groups, part time working, caring responsibilities, flexible working, reasonable adjustments, work life balance, changes in physical & mental health and wellbeing, menopausal symptoms and impact.
- Model and promote the participation and engagement in NCAS recommended learning and development opportunities as appropriate. This is in addition to host institution opportunities.
- Be an advocate and role model for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and embed Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and belonging in all areas of work.
- Ensure the implementation of NCAS guidance and commitments to meet the needs of the NCAS workforce and those of the organisation.
- Signpost staff to appropriate support/information, for example the NCAS People Team or host institution HR team.
- Celebrate the success of teams/individuals through NCAS and host institutions communications.
Support and training for NCAS Line Managers
Line management can be both a rewarding and challenging area of responsibility. It is an opportunity to support the development of others, learn from them and learn about yourself. It can be a useful milestone in your own career development.
The delivery of NCAS line management responsibilities should be discussed as part of the line manager’s annual appraisal process. The Line Manager should also ask for feedback from their direct reports in order to improve their performance. If a team member has a concern about their line manager they can discuss this with their local HR team or with the NCAS People Team.
At times it can be difficult to balance the needs of the individual with that of the team or the organisation. Support and advice for NCAS Line Managers will be provided by the NCAS People Team. This may include signposting to Host institution HR teams, escalation to NCAS senior leadership or training resources either in host institutions or from NCAS.