Head of Student Services

Job Type

Full Time Permanent

Salary

£56,021 - £64,914 per annum

Location

Waterside Campus

About the Job

Interview Date: 09 February 2024

In a higher education environment requiring quick and effective interventions, high quality customer service and clear ability to demonstrate and report on impact, the Head of Student Services plays a strategic part in leading teams focused on delivering the highest quality support for students. You will lead the teams delivering Counselling and Mental Health, Financial Guidance, Disability Support (ASSIST), Student Advice and Support and the Student Information Desk. You will also act as the university's Lead Safeguarding Officer. You will play a critical role in enabling the university to meet its retention and progression key performance indicators, to meet its obligations to students under the Equality Act and other legislation and to deliver its strategic goals around student experience.

We want you to be able to carry out your work in a way that best supports UON and our students, but also you as an individual. We understand this may vary between different areas of the university as well as from one person to another. With Smarter Working you can work with increased flexibility, if you would like to, which can facilitate greater freedom and autonomy.

About you

You should be a highly motivated and proven leader of multi-functional teams delivering high quality student support. You should have knowledge and experience of working within Higher Education and of Safeguarding in an HE setting. You should be an excellent communicator with experience of delivering complex and sometimes difficult messages to students and staff. You should be experienced in managing, using and communicating complex data and have a strong tack record of leading operations, including change management.

Qualifications

Essential;

• Honours degree or equivalent experience 

Desirable;

• Professional qualification in a relevant area or membership of a professional body
• Postgraduate Degree and/or Professional Qualification in a relevant area

Library, Learning and Student Services

Student Services consists of five teams; Counselling and Mental Health, ASSIST (Disability Support), Financial Guidance, Student Advice and Support and the Student Information Desk (SID). It reports to the Director of Library, Learning and Student Services alongside the university library and central support for learning and teaching. 

The Directorate has a strong commitment to the student experience but is also committed to developing staff. We are working towards the University Mental Health Charter and are currently engaged with the Advance-HE Building Belonging Project and the Drug and Alcohol Impact Project.

About Us

Come to the University of Northampton and you will see that we do things a bit differently.

We are one of the youngest universities in the UK but we are already leading the way in adding value to society, which we call social impact. We have won multiple awards for our work in this area, among others, but what matters the most to us is ensuring that our students and graduates have the opportunity to make their mark on the world too. That’s why we were the first university in the UK to be named as a Changemaker Campus in 2012.

We want to break the mould of what Higher Education can be. This has led us to build a whole new University from the ground up that is designed to reflect the way that students actually learn rather than the way they are expected to learn. Waterside Campus opened in September 2018.

Our commitment to transforming lives and inspiring change is at the heart of all that we do.

Right to Work

All candidates will be asked to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK at interview.

Equality

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

The University of Northampton is committed to providing a vibrant, ethical and sustainable work, study and living environment that values equality, diversity and inclusion.

This commitment, along with our legal and moral obligations, provides an inclusive environment for staff, students and the public who may be affected by our activities.

Together @ UON confirms our commitment to equality and inclusion, underpinned by our belief in taking action. We are dedicated to creating an environment that celebrates equality and harnesses the power of diversity.

Together @ UON demonstrates our pledge to our staff, students and partners to nurture and develop an environment where equality and inclusion can thrive whilst we Transform Lives and Inspire Change.

To find out more, please visit: https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/governance-and-management/management/equality-and-diversity/