Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 06 April 2026
Newcastle University is seeking an outstanding Director of Student Success to play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious Education for Life Strategy. This senior leadership position will shape how we support students to succeed from enrolment through to employment and lifelong learning across our global campuses.
Reporting to the Academic Registrar, you will lead the University’s Student Success portfolio, including student life, careers, employability and enterprise, and lifelong learning and skills. Working collaboratively across faculties, professional services, students and external partners, you will drive a coherent, student-centred approach to student experience and global employability.
We are looking for an experienced, strategic and collaborative leader with a strong track record of delivering impactful services in a higher education complex organisation. You will bring the vision, credibility and partnership skills needed to enhance student success and help position Newcastle as a global leader in transformational education.
Newcastle University offers excellent benefits, including a generous annual leave package with the option to buy more, competitive pension schemes, and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives. At Newcastle University you will join an inclusive, global university community where you can thrive and take the next step in your professional journey.
For a confidential conversation, please contact Lucy Backhurst, Academic Registrar and Director of Student Services at lucy.backhurst@newcastle.ac.uk
How to apply
Please submit your CV and a covering statement outlining how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification.
The Role
Newcastle University’s Education for Life Strategy is ambitious and transformational and provides us with a bridge to the future of higher education. Our aim is to be a global, future-facing provider of leading-edge, inclusive and transformational higher education for our students, and our mission is to provide our students with an education for life that engages, challenges and supports them to discover and fulfil their potential.
As Director of Student Success you will lead the Student Success unit, part of Student Services, and is key to delivering our Education Strategy ambition. You will also support the University’s Research, Global and Education and Place strategies.
We are seeking an exceptional Director of Student Success; an experienced, innovative and committed leader to work across the University and beyond to enable the delivery of an outstanding student experience from enrolment to employment in all our campus locations. Reporting directly to the Academic Registrar you will lead services spanning student life, careers, employability and enterprise, and lifelong learning and skills.
Your role will contribute to the development and delivery of a customer-focused approach to drive effective service delivery (digital and physical) across the institution. You will determine the strategic direction and priorities for student experience and global employability, informed by evidence, student voice, sector insight and national and international best practice. Students will be at the heart of everything you do, and success will depend on an ability to be a visible, collaborative leader who can network with colleagues in faculties, schools and services and students and alumni, to co-ordinate approaches and deliver a customer-focused environment in which our students can thrive.
You will also play a key role in supporting the University’s transformation programme and will deputise for the Academic Registrar and Director of Student Services as required.
Key Accountabilities
* As the University strategic lead for student experience, ensure that the institution’s approach to employability, enterprise, student success and skills development supports the delivery of our key University strategies and enables our students to thrive.
* Lead and develop the Service’s provision, pre-empting national and global developments and opportunities in areas such as policy, technology, student and employer expectations, enterprise and start up, lifelong learning and skills, and professional practice to ensure student success across the student journey and into their chosen careers.
* Embed the systematic use of student insight, data analytics, sector intelligence and global best practice to inform priorities, enhance engagement, and improve student outcomes and progression.
* Be responsible for colleague and internal and external budget management of the Service and associated planning and reporting requirements, optimising resource and developing a culture in the team of innovation, agility, student-focus, effectiveness and kindness.
* Ensure a consistent, high-quality and culturally responsive student experience across international campuses and partnerships, supporting the University’s global ambitions and reputation.
* Work with Senior Leaders across all University locations to drive a customer-focused, evidence-led approach to service design and delivery, embedding continuous improvement, digital innovation and measurable impact across student services.
* Develop close working relationships with the Students’ Union and its officers to ensure our students are heard, and their views acted upon.
* Contribute to the University’s transformation programme by leading service innovation and cross-institutional change initiatives, particularly in the digital, global employability and alumni space, that enhance effectiveness, customer service and commercial opportunities.
* Ensure the University meets all external regulatory/reporting requirements in the context of student success and lifelong learning including compliance with regulatory bodies such as OfS, Ofsted, DfE etc.
* Champion equity, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of the student journey, ensuring services enable students from all backgrounds to fulfil their potential.
* Work with the Academic Registrar, other Student Service Heads/Directors and stakeholders across the University to ensure an integrated, inclusive and high-quality approach across the whole student life cycle, supporting as required on complex issues and cases relating to students.
The Person (Essential)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Understanding of the UK and global higher education landscape, including regulatory and compliance requirements, gained from extensive senior experience in large, complex Higher Education contexts.
* Experience of leading large multidisciplinary teams or services delivering multiple aspects of the student experience
* Significant senior leadership experience (normally at Director or Deputy Director level or equivalent) with responsibility for student employability, enterprise, student success or skills development strategy within a complex organisation.
* Evidence of managing substantial operational budgets and workforce planning
* Excellent people management and leadership skills, inspiring teams to reach new levels of performance and impact, whilst instilling an ethos of accountability, innovation and kindness.
* A strong and strategic understanding of employment market opportunities and challenges for university students and graduates.
* Evidence of responding strategically to national policy developments and sector trends affecting employability, skills and student success.
* Demonstrated leadership of major service transformation or digital innovation initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in engagement, efficiency and customer service.
* Strategic vision and experience with the ability to synthesise information, take evidence-informed decisions and lead and deliver change.
* Credibility with the academic community, students, employers and national networks.
* Experience supporting international student populations, global campuses or international partnerships, ensuring services are culturally responsive and consistent across locations.
* The ability to manage and prioritise workload, solve problems, and use initiative.
* Outstanding interpersonal skills, evidence of communicating, building partnerships, explaining, persuading and negotiating at all levels both internally and with external parties.
* Demonstrable experience of leading or contributing to the adoption of digital solutions or AI-enabled approaches that improve service efficiency, student engagement, decision-making or operational effectiveness.
Attributes and Behaviour
Thinking Strategically Ability to see the “big picture” think strategically and manage complexity.
Embracing Change Ability to recognise the need for change and is forward looking. Promotes the benefits of change to others and regularly comes up with new ideas. Has willingness to adopt new ways of working and to make improvements.
Team-working Works collaboratively with others, plays a positive role in teams and establishes and grows relationships across the organisation where different skills, expertise and opinions are valued.
Delivery of Services Works continually towards achieving excellent service delivery through understanding and meeting/exceeding expectations of the area, the University, students, colleagues and other stakeholders.
Influencing Persuades, convinces and influences others to achieve results and gain support.
Qualifications
Educated to degree level or equivalent. A postgraduate qualification or equivalent formal training is desirable.
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 28413