Deputy Academic Registrar, Access, Recruitment and Admissions

Durham University is a World Top 100 Institution as per the 2023 QS World University Rankings.  It is a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research that is host to a staff body of over 4,300 and a student population in excess of 20,000, who are drawn from 120 countries.  Durham’s academic focus is tremendously broad, and it provides over 330 under graduate and graduate courses.  It is structured around a Collegiate system of 17 individual colleges that are communities of staff and students across all disciplines. 

The Deputy Academic Registrar, Access, Recruitment and Admissions is a new post that will report into Durham University’s Academic Registrar.  It will provide senior leadership for the Institution’s Access, Admissions and Recruitment functions across all of their operations.  This will improve Durham’s market share of the highest quality UK and international students, and create significantly enhanced opportunities for access to higher education from under-served communities.  The role will be responsible for ensuring a seamless end-to-end customer journey for the pre-commencement experience. Working in this strategic context, the post-holder will be an experienced leader for all staff in Access, Admissions and Recruitment and a collaborative leader for colleagues involved in related areas across the Institution. The postholder will represent Durham University in key national and international fora to ensure that it influences and responds to the skills, admissions, and access agenda. 

Candidates will require experience of strategy development, implementation and leadership in a student recruitment context.  They will be passionate about ensuring that there is a seamless journey for everyone who applies to study at Durham University.  Strong relationship-building competencies will be required in order to further the cross-institutional infrastructure related to recruitment which includes the provision of a bespoke Business Partner service to Faculties and Academic Schools.  From a knowledge perspective, a sound understanding of the policy and regulatory backdrop is important but this must be balanced with people and resource management skills.

How to Apply

Durham University are working in partnership with Berwick Partners to recruit to this post. Applications submitted via this portal will not be considered.

For further information and details of how to apply for this post, please visit www.berwickpartners.co.uk/87968 .

Applications should consist of a CV accompanied by a covering letter addressing the criteria in the person specification.

For an informal discussion, please contact Liz James on

E: [email protected]  

T: 0121 654 5924

Closing date for receipt of applications: 27th March 2023