Deputy Director Student Services (Education)

If you have significant leadership and management experience gained in a higher or further education setting, excellent leadership and organisational development skills and the strategic ability to shape and guide planning and decision making, Manchester Metropolitan University could be your ideal next career move.

About us

We are a great, modern university, in a great global city, here to make an impact on Manchester, our nation and beyond. Our campus is designed around the student experience, providing high quality teaching in a friendly and supportive environment, with some of the best learning facilities in the UK. Our Student Services Department is is responsible for delivering high-quality, student-focused support services that enable our students to achieve their full academic potential and career ambitions. We place students at the heart of what we do and ensure they have timely access to a range of professional support services including Inclusion and Disability, Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing services, MMU Sport, Academic Study Skills, Student Engagement, Chaplaincy and so much more. We also offer fantastic opportunities for both academics and those in support roles.

About the role

The Student Services Directorate is looking to appoint two outstanding Deputies to the Director of Student Services.  The Deputy Director vacancies are new positions within the Directorate and will work closely with the Director to provide leadership across a range of Student Service activities, priorities, processes and functions.  The Deputy Director Student Services (Education) will lead our Academic and Study Skills, Student Engagement and Disability services; principle responsibilities include:

• Development and implementation of a highly effective Education Support strategy to enable the University to fulfil its strategic ambition(s).
• Managing Student Engagement strategies and business processes to support improvements in key University metrics.
• Institutional wide approaches to the further development of Peer to Peer support across the University.
• Leading work to further develop and enhance Academic Study Skills provision to ensure that it meets the needs of all students.
• Evaluating, developing and enhancing the University’s Disability Service to meet the needs of an increasing cohort of students that require specialist support.

This role will also be responsible for:

• Acting as a Deputy Safeguarding Officer.
• Representing the Director, the Service and/or the University at internal and external meetings, groups, bodies and conferences – delivering presentations, keynotes, preparing and presenting proposals/papers/reports for committees, and influencing the strategic agenda on Student Service provision at the university.
• Providing senior-level management support across the Student Services department, as required.

About you

To succeed, you’ll need a good understanding of the issues and context that the UK higher education operates in.  You will also need an excellent understanding of Academic Study Skills, Disability and Student Engagement Services within the HE sector and be able to articulate a sector leading vision for these departments.

You’ll also need to be familiar with safeguarding and child protection within a HE setting and have an appreciation of students’ needs and expectations.

This position requies you to have an excellent track record of managing a diverse range of appropriate Student Services within a HE setting; excellent and flexible leadership and organisational development skills as well as an in-depth understanding of change management.

Further information:

Interview Date – Friday 2 December

To make an initial informal enquiry, please contact the Director of Student Services at [email protected] .

In recognition of staff contributions to the University’s achievements during the 2021/2022 academic year, an additional discretionary payment of 2% per annum will be added to your salary until 31/07/23 in order to ensure consistency amongst existing and incoming staff.  This additional 2% will be paid pro rata in equal monthly installments, on top of your salary each month until 31/07/23.

Manchester MetropolitanUniversity is committed to supporting the rights, responsibilities, dignity, health and wellbeing of staff and students through our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

We promote applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of background, belief or identity, recognising the benefits that a diverse organisation can bring . We particularlyencourageapplications from Black and Minority Ethnic candidates, who we recognise are underrepresented in this area.

Hybrid working is offered for this role.  The nature of the role requires presence on campus at certain times of year, but at other times you will be able to complete some work remotely. We recognise the benefits and importance of an environment that supports flexible working and are open to conversations throughout the application process.