Head of Student and Academic Services
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
Job purpose
As a key member of the College Professional Services Leadership Team, the role-holder will lead the delivery of a highly efficient and effective Student and Academic Services provision, enabling the successful delivery of the College’s strategic objectives.
Reporting to the College’s Director of Professional Services, the postholder will work with, and influence, senior colleagues from across the College and University to lead the College’s Student and Academic Services portfolio, including academic governance, compliance, quality assurance, internationalisation, student recruitment, and enhancement of the student learning experience for all students.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Senior professional services lead in the implementation of the College Learning & Teaching, Postgraduate Research (PGR) and Internationalisation strategies with a key focus on improving student experience across the College of Science and Engineering.
- Review existing support for Student and Academic Services, making recommendations and implement programmes of change as required.
- Leadership of student and academic services in the College, ensuring that the College follows University practice in matters of governance and complies with University policies and regulations and those of relevant statutory bodies.
- Provide professional guidance and support to the Deans of Learning and Teaching and Graduate Studies, members of the College Senior Management Team, Heads of Schools, College and School administrative staff to ensure best practice and performance and to facilitate information flow.
- Embed a culture of continuous improvement aligned with sustained enhancement of the academic and student experience using insightful management information to support focused high-quality decision-making.
- Lead the College’s internationalisation strategy including the management of College's strategic international alliances and the promotion of the international student experience.
- Play a major role in agreeing annual student recruitment targets for the College aligning to plans and strategy. Interpret student data and conversion rates for the annual planning round and provide an influential voice at University-wide discussions determining College targets and student tuition fee income.
- Lead the recruitment team in development and delivery of the College and School strategic and operational plans for student recruitment, marketing and conversion from home and international undergraduate and postgraduate markets. Actively review plans throughout the academic cycle, ensuring marketing and conversion activities (tactics and expenditure) are deployed optimally and respond to changing priorities and shifting landscapes.
- Lead the development of the College’s Marketing and Communications strategy and associated operating plan, working closely with colleagues across the College to improve the performance of all College-owned marketing/communications activity. This will include activity relating to research communications; rankings; student marketing, conversion and recruitment, and other publicity materials. Key stakeholders include the Schools and External Relations.
- Lead, in conjunction with colleagues in the External Relations team, the development and implementation of a comprehensive communications plan designed to showcase the world-class and world-changing research, impact and teaching undertaken across the College of Science and Engineering.
- Undertake other duties as are assigned by the Director of Professional Services.
Knowledge and qualifications
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the necessary strategic competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and leadership experience in a similar or number of different specialist roles. Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9,10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in relevant discipline, with a broad range of professional leadership experience in strategically important specialist areas.
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Substantial knowledge and understanding of governance and business processes within a large complex organisation.
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Knowledge and understanding of the HE sector and potential challenges.
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Broad knowledge of financial management, data integrity and insightful analytics to inform high quality decision-making.
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High level understanding of CRM techniques/systems; digital/new media marketing strategies.
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Knowledge of international education trends, in particular the internationalisation of higher education, the competitive environment and key challenges and their impact on the University’s business.
Skills
Essential
- Proven track record of successfully leading projects across a complex organisation.
- Proven track record in project management and strong organisational skills with the ability to drive multiple projects simultaneously.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly influencing, negotiation and challenge with diplomacy.
- Excellent strategic thinking and planning skills, with the ability to convert into operational plans.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate at all levels.
- Excellent customer service, stakeholder management and business partnering skills.
- High degree of numeracy including data analysis and presentation skills.
- Drive for results oriented, resilient and able to maintain momentum in the face of challenges and setbacks.
- Excellent ability to empower and motivate others to deliver a high-performance culture.
Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of providing a high-quality professional services in a complex organisation with extensive knowledge of HE sector.
- Extensive experience in a business partnering role, working with senior staff to formulate, develop and successfully deliver key strategic objectives.
- Proven track record of successfully leading high performing teams.
- Significant experience of providing high quality management information to inform decision-making including effective financial management.
Desirable
- Experience of using Lean/other methodology in the delivery of significant benefits to the business through process improvement/change management programmes.
How to apply
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
The closing date for applications is 8 December 2024
Terms & Conditions
Salary will be Grade 9, £58,596 - £65,814 per annum.
This post is full time (35 hours per week) and open ended (permanent).
As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/), benefits and discount packages.
A flexible approach to working.
A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/).
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/).
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/) and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website [https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/](https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/) for more information.
World-Changing Campus
We have delivered one of the most significant expansions of a UK university city campus for over a century.
Over the last decade, the University of Glasgow has invested in its estate to expand its world-class campus and facilities.
An area covering 14 acres of land next to our magnificent Gilmorehill campus has been redeveloped to build a mix of modern research, teaching and public spaces.
Our new buildings will mean the University remains a centre for world-changing research, as well as a vibrant community hub and centre for public engagement.
The development will transform our teaching, learning and research spaces. It will allow us to bring together the best minds of today and tomorrow within world-class interdisciplinary research spaces that offer flexibility and stimulate collaboration, and modern study spaces that will combine study and social learning space with technology enabled teaching.
- The Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is changing the way research is conducted at Glasgow. The ARC is the creative and collaborative heart of research at the University of Glasgow, bridging the boundaries between research, cross-subject collaboration and true societal impact . The ARC brings more than 500 world-leading researchers from a range of disciplines together in a building specifically designed to break down organisational structure and facilitate collaboration and interdisciplinary work.
- The James McCune Smith Learning Hub is an inspirational and diverse learning space. The flagship building was the first to be completed as part of our campus development, and provides a creative environment, combining flexible study and social learning space with multi-styled and technology-enabled teaching. It can accommodate more than 2,500 students, and includes a lecture theatre with capacity for 500 students. State-of-the-art teaching facilities, with flexible study spaces and interactive teaching for students, help to create a more immersive learning experience.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created two guides to aide you in the decision making process.
Find out more on relocating to Glasgow at the below link:
- Relocating to Glasgow
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth
- We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
- We share our work widely and generously
- We do the right thing, not the easy thing - or we don’t do it
- We take responsibility
An Inclusive Community
- We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
- We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
- We champion education as an engine for social progress
- We practise and advance sustainability