Overview
Location: University Park
Salary: £59,966 to £73,686 per annum pro-rata depending on skills and experience. Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance.
Closing Date: 06/04/2026
Reference: REG117326X1
We are seeking an exceptional Associate Director of Governance Operations to provide operational excellence and leadership of the governance function and ensure the highest standards of corporate governance across the university.
This is a pivotal senior role, working at the heart of the institution and partnering closely with the Vice-Chancellor, Executive team, and members of Council and its Committees. You will lead a high-performing governance team and play a key role in enabling effective decision-making, institutional assurance, and regulatory compliance oversight in a complex and evolving higher education environment.
Responsibilities
* Provide operational excellence oversight of the University’s governance framework, ensuring it remains effective, compliant, and aligned with sector best practice.
* Act as a trusted adviser to the Council members, the Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Governance and Risk Officer, and Executive leaders on governance, constitutional, and procedural matters.
* Lead and manage the delivery of Council and Committee business, ensuring high-quality papers, clear advice, and effective support for decision-making.
* Build strong, credible relationships with senior stakeholders, confidently influencing and communicating with executive leaders and governors.
* Ensure compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements, including the Office for Students and other relevant bodies.
* Drive continuous improvement in governance operations, embedding efficient processes, high professional standards, and a culture of integrity and transparency.
* Lead, develop, and inspire a professional governance team, fostering capability, resilience, and excellence.
About You
You will be a credible, and highly effective leader with well-developed communication skills and substantial experience in governance, corporate services, or a closely related field—ideally within a complex, regulated organisation.
You will bring:
* Proven experience operating at senior level and working confidently with Boards, Councils, or equivalent governing bodies.
* The confidence and ability to engage, challenge, and influence executive leaders with professionalism and authority.
* Strong judgement, discretion, and political awareness, with the confidence to advise on sensitive and high-impact matters.
* Excellent communication skills, including the ability to translate complex governance issues into clear, pragmatic advice.
* A track record of leading and developing teams and delivering high-quality governance operations.
* A strong commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and the values of public service.
What We Offer
* You will join an ambitious institution at an exciting point in its development, with the opportunity to shape governance at strategic and operational levels and make a real impact on the University’s future. As such we offer the following:
* A friendly, diverse, and supportive working environment
* A hybrid working arrangement with the blended approach of home and office working each week
* Generous holiday entitlement of 30 days plus standard bank holidays and five university closure days including closure between Christmas and New Year.
* Our reward scheme grants bonuses of numerous values for excellent work
* We are committed to staff development through the provision of training, continued support, and career progression opportunities
* You will have access to a range of benefits and rewards, including fitness and health facilities, staff discounts, travel schemes and many more. To find out more about what we can offer you, follow the link to our benefits website
What Next
Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.
Your working hours will be 37 hours per week. Due to the senior nature of the role, a flexible approach to working hours is required, and occasional additional hours may be necessary to meet operational needs and fulfill the responsibilities of the post. The university recognises the importance of work-life balance.
Please contact Kev Thompson kev.thompson@nottingham.ac.uk if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.
Our university is a supportive, inclusive, caring and positive community. We welcome those of different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs – indeed this very diversity is vital to our success, it is fundamental to our values and enriches life on campus. Visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion website.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) employer. Increasing the diversity of our community is extremely important to us and we are committed to the aims of Disability Confident Scheme.
We are the first university to have achieved Athena Swan Gold Award.
To help you succeed, we published Candidate Guidance to provide support on the application and interview process.
Discover our benefits, visit Your Benefits website.
We welcome applications from UK, Europe and worldwide and aim to make your move to the UK as smooth as possible. Visit the Moving to Nottingham page for details.
Your application will be considered on an equal basis, subject to the relevant permission to work in the UK as set out by UK Visas & Immigration.
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