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Simon Bailey

What is your current role and what does a typical week look like?
I’m SLS’s Director of Operations, my role has a few main components,

  • I lead all of the support teams (admin and technical) within SLS
  • I provide support to the HoS and to SLS’s senior management team on matters relating to support provision, finances, statutory and UoW requirements etc.
  • I lead on financial planning and control for SLS including ensuring that our academic strategy is reflected in our financial planning and that we are financially sustainable
  • I help ensure that all UoW and statutory requirements are embedded in everything we do in SLS and that we have a good relationship with central admin teams including a sensible division of duties which ensures the correct things are done locally avoiding gaps and overlaps with what the central teams do.

A typical week involves a fair amount of all of the above, but is always incredibly varied and interesting.

Which part of your role do you enjoy the most, and what are the biggest challenges?
Working with my colleagues in SLS, I am privileged to work with clever, professional and dedicated people and being part of a community that delivers such excellent and valuable outcomes – I also enjoy being involved in supporting life science (albeit at a distance from the science).

Who would you say is your role model in your personal and/or professional life?
I find I can learn something from most people I work with.

Which skills help you most in being able to perform your role?
Juggling!

How has your education or roles previous to joining Life Sciences, informed your interests, and why did you choose this career direction?
Many moons ago I did my first degree in Biochemistry and Physiology at Southampton and was always passionate about biosciences. I subsequently qualified as a chartered accountant, later joining the University (initially in the central finance team) and it’s great that I have found a role where there’s a flavour of both.

What is your favourite place on campus and why?
I like to walk by the Cryfield sports fields, I love to see nature across the 4 seasons, there’s always something interesting to see.

Can you give an example of something that has made you feel part of the community while in Life Sciences, and what could be improved to enable this?
It’s the alignment around common goals, where everyone pulls together, this takes skilful management and we’re lucky that our Head of School manages to energise and align our community around these goals.

What are your main interests or passions, outside of work?
Gardening, DIY projects, walking, holidays (one day…).

Interview date March 2021