Managers Need to Know - November 2026
05 Nov 2026
A message from Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President (Social Responsibility) and Senior Sponsor for Excelling at Manchester
Excelling at Manchester: Helping our people to thrive
Manchester 2035 sets out our ambitions for the future of our University. But achieving those ambitions starts with our people, with every colleague feeling valued, supported and able to make a meaningful contribution.
As managers, you play a vital role in making this happen. You help colleagues understand how their work contributes to our shared ambitions, recognise their strengths, develop their potential and feel a sense of purpose in what they do.
At its heart, good leadership is about creating the conditions in which people can do their best work and flourish.
That is what Excelling at Manchester is designed to support.
Replacing the traditional annual PDR, it introduces four focused conversations throughout the year, covering goals, career aspirations, personal development and reviewing progress.
The approach has been shaped by listening to colleagues, including through Your Voice Matters. We know that people value regular, meaningful conversations with their managers, conversations in which they feel listened to, their contributions are recognised, and they have opportunities to discuss their ambitions and development.
But this is about much more than introducing a new process. It is about strengthening the way we lead, support and develop our people.
I recognise that managers across the University face considerable demands on their time. But making space for these conversations is one of the most important investments we can make in our colleagues and, ultimately, in the success of our University.
And the quality of those conversations matters far more than simply completing them. They should be genuine two-way discussions, built on trust, openness and a shared commitment to helping colleagues succeed.
Our immediate priority is the first of these conversations: agreeing goals for the year ahead.
I would therefore ask every manager to meet with each of their colleagues by Friday, 27 November, to agree clear and meaningful priorities, discuss what success looks like, and consider what support they may need to achieve their goals.
Thank you for everything you do to support your colleagues and teams. Your leadership makes an enormous difference, often in ways that are not immediately visible or recognised.
Together, we can make Excelling at Manchester more than a framework; we can make it part of a culture in which every colleague feels they matter, can contribute and has the opportunity to thrive.
Professor Nalin Thakkar
Vice-President (Social Responsibility)
Senior Sponsor, Excelling at Manchester