Our University

Our vision is to be a university that is globally significant – a sector leader and innovator that delivers the highest quality research and teaching, and that engages locally, nationally, and internationally on the issues and debates of the day and future.

Our overarching goals are to maximise the transformative impact of all that we do we have identified three overarching goals that drive our strategy.

We believe our greatest assets are the brilliant minds who teach and learn at our Lancaster and global campuses; the research that delivers innovative solutions to the world’s ever-changing issues; and the positive economic, cultural, societal and environmental change that we are making locally, nationally and globally. Our excellence in these areas is demonstrated by our consistently high rankings in many influential league tables.

• Top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2025
• 11th in The Guardian University Guide 2025
• 13th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
• TEF Gold 2023
• 141 out of 1,500 universities around the world in the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Our strategy and goals

Our overarching goals are to maximise the transformative impact of all that we do we have identified three overarching goals that drive our strategy.

The theme of our University strategy is one of delivering transformative change – and looks forward to a world where universities like Lancaster will need a strategy that is sharply focused in its goals and values-led in its execution in order to succeed in an environment that will be more competitive and resource-constrained than the previous decade.

Find out about our strategy and plans.

Why Lancaster?

We strive to provide a dynamic, inclusive, and inspiring environment that supports both personal and professional growth. "Life at Lancaster" offers a vibrant and diverse experience, with a strong sense of community, world-class academic resources, and state-of-the-art facilities. Our campus is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, while also providing students and staff with access to a variety of social, recreational, and cultural activities.

Whether you're exploring the campus, engaging in cutting-edge research, or enjoying the surrounding countryside, life at Lancaster is about balancing academic excellence with a rich experience. Discover more about the Lancaster experience!

Duties and responsibilities of the role

The successful postholder will be working closely with academic senior managers across the education, student experience, and international briefs, to provide professional advice to promote innovation and best practice in implementing the University strategy across student and academic services.

The role holder will:

Lead collaboration with faculty and professional services to design efficient, user-centred processes across student, education, and academic services, promoting innovation, digital adoption, and value for money.

Develop self-service and 24/7 online services that meet the diverse needs of Lancaster students, both in the UK and internationally, ensuring regulatory compliance and inclusivity.

Ensure robust support for student and academic systems, maintaining high data quality and compliance while using insights to drive improvements. Establish KPIs that align with the University’s strategy and promote continuous service enhancement.

Build and maintain national and international networks to share and influence best practices, aligning services with the University’s goals, while working closely with the Associate Academic Dean for Students to improve the student experience.

Oversee student wellbeing services, safeguarding policies, and compliance with key regulations, including UKVI, OfS, PREVENT, Equality Act, and GDPR, ensuring effective processes and staff training are in place.

Provide leadership during major incidents, ensuring business continuity, and maintain communication protocols with on-campus medical services for managing communicable diseases.

Provide strategic oversight, through delegation, for the development and operational delivery of key University measures of success in relation to graduate employment and effective links with employers to support employability related targets and priorities.

Lead and manage the divisonal staff, ensuring effective staff development, training, and succession planning through Performance and Development Reviews.

Manage the SEAS budget efficiently, identifying opportunities for reducing duplication, improving service delivery, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

A full job description and person specification is available on the Lancaster University recruitment portal.

Contract and contact
This post is offered on a full-time, permanent basis with a hybrid work pattern, or you can choose to be fully on-campus. We are happy to discuss flexible working options.

To learn more about this opportunity, contact Nicola Owen, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) nicola.owen@lancaster.ac.uk

• Closing date 11 November 2024
• Orientation day for selected candidates 28 November
• Formal Interviews 4 December

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Our employee community across the UK and the world comprises people from 85 nationalities. They practise different faiths, have different lifestyles and are at different stages in their lives. It is this mixture of life experience that adds diversity of thought and approach to make Lancaster University a force for good.

We are committed to creating an environment where everyone can feel welcome, thrive and fulfil their potential. Our equality, diversity and inclusion leaders are involved with everything from policy creation to celebratory events to help us be a fairer and more inclusive employer.