In March 2020, York senior leaders identified the opportunity to establish a University Services Centre (USC) to streamline high-volume administrative services delivered across the University and ensure enhanced services and improved efficiencies in our operations.
The design, stand-up and roll-out of a USC is a three-year stream of work within the Service Excellence Program (SEP), that launched in July 2020. The USC will play a key role in driving a client-focused culture at York, bringing together currently disparate teams into a single service delivery entity with a dedicated focus on service and continuous improvement.
The SEP is committed to embedding a client perspective in the design of the USC. To guide the development of the USC’s operating model, in September, the SEP established a working group comprising faculty and administrative stakeholders.
The working group provided critical contextual input to shape the design of the USC, and provided input to four key elements of the USC operating model and implementation approach:
- Design criteria and desired cultural attributes
- Service delivery model and services suitable for delivery from the USC
- Governance model and structure
- Implementation barriers and enablers
Building on this foundational work, we are now engaging with functional leaders to identify services that may be suitable to move to the USC. We are collaborating with relevant functional leads and managers to identify suitable services, understand current processes, systems and ways of working and understand transition risks. Once this process is completed, recommendations for services for inclusion in the USC will be presented to the SEP Steering Committee for approval.
Once approval has been secured, transition plans will be developed that will support the successful transition of an initial selection of teams to the USC in mid-2021. We’ve already received valuable perspectives from the community on how to get the design and implementation of the USC right, and we will continue to engage with the community to ensure that the USC reflects and delivers on the objectives of the SEP. For more information on the work of the SEP University Services stream, join the SEP mailing list for regular updates or contact SEP.