Overview
Deputy Manager, Disability Service – Newcastle University
Salary: £35,608 - £37,694 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits including a generous holiday package, pension schemes, and health and wellbeing initiatives. Closing Date: 07 November 2025.
The Role
The Student Wellbeing Service is seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate to the post of Deputy Manager. Reporting to and working closely with the Manager of the Disability Team, you will play a pivotal role in the effective operational and team management of the service.
The role requires strong line management skills to lead and support staff, oversee daily operations, and uphold service standards. You will also form a key part of the senior escalation process, offering expert advice to internal and external colleagues and students in complex or high-risk situations, ensuring responsive, informed, and legally compliant decision-making. This includes contributing to the delivery of high-quality support that meets the University’s statutory obligations, ensuring appropriate guidance, reasonable adjustments, and tailored support for students with disabilities, including those with mental health challenges.
A central aspect of the role involves line management of Disability Practitioners; supporting them to remove barriers to success for students with disabilities and co-occurring conditions, to ensure these students experience equitable access to all aspects of university life – including learning, teaching, assessment, accommodation, and additional support. The post holder will also promote a positive, respectful, and inclusive culture that supports team cohesion and student access, progression, and retention.
The role will involve close operational collaboration with the Students’ Union, university departments, and key external stakeholders to support strategic priorities and ensure compliance with legal and sector obligations regarding disabled students. The role is primarily campus-based, with the potential for some home working once the role is embedded. There may be occasional flexible hybrid working dependent on service need. The fixed working hours are Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Confident employer which means that we offer an interview to any applicant applying under the scheme that meets the essential criteria for a role. Interviews to be held on Thursday 27 November 2025.
If, having read the job description and person specification, you require information that is not covered, please contact Sandy Alden by email sandy.alden@ncl.ac.uk. Further information about the Student Wellbeing Service is available online.
To apply, please upload CV and cover letter evidencing how you meet the essential criteria as described within the person specification of the job description. Please also provide answers to the 3 mandatory application questions.
Key Accountabilities
* Service Leadership: Work alongside the Manager to lead and develop a professional, welcoming, and accessible service that responds effectively to the diverse needs of the student population.
* Integrated Student Support: Collaborate with colleagues across SHWS to support an integrated and holistic student support model.
* Representation and Partnership: Represent the service and university at local and national multi-disciplinary groups where required, building and maintaining partnerships to support a safe and positive student experience.
* Line Management and Development: Provide effective line management to direct reports, monitor performance against targets, and support staff development to ensure high levels of performance.
* Operational Oversight: Support day-to-day operational and personnel processes, including induction, absence and leave management, probation, and performance reviews.
* Policy and Procedure Development: Support the development, review, implementation, and evaluation of relevant policies and procedures to ensure effective and inclusive service delivery.
* Service Governance and Quality Assurance: Oversee service governance, including compliance with training, supervision, and data reporting systems, ensuring data informs service planning and resource allocation.
* Training and Guidance: Work with university teams to provide education, training, and expert guidance to the wider university community.
* Legislative and Sector Knowledge: Maintain current knowledge of relevant legislation, sector standards, and policy developments to inform the university’s provision of reasonable adjustments and risk mitigation.
* Professional Standards and Student Support: Promote ethical practice and uphold professional standards within the team, maintaining a student-facing role where appropriate and prioritising wellbeing and professional development.
The Person (Essential) – Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Proven strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and support a team through change.
* Ability to support and direct colleagues and key third parties in challenging situations.
* Considerable knowledge of and familiarity with relevant legislation and its implications in higher education.
* Understanding the effects of a range of disabilities on individuals and risk management in disability support.
* Excellent communication skills, written and oral, with the ability to deliver training to a diverse audience.
* Proven ability to create and manage service data recording and reporting systems to inform service delivery plans and demonstrate impact.
* Excellent IT skills.
* Experience of working in partnership with external providers to effect positive change for a key client population.
* Ability to maintain high levels of personal and professional resilience.
* Ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures.
* Evidence-based advice and guidance skills.
* Strong attention to detail.
* Ability to exercise initiative and judgement in managing student support and to work independently.
Attributes and Behaviour
* Able to set own priorities in alignment with institutional, team and area objectives.
* Encourages creative and innovative thinking in self and others.
* Recognises urgency and takes decisive action when required.
* Builds relationships with internal and external stakeholders to gain support.
* Can present own view while listening to others and respecting different opinions.
* Tailors communication to the audience, adjusting style and format as needed.
* Uses face-to-face communication regularly (team meetings, one-to-ones, etc.).
* Takes initiative to drive future success by presenting new ideas and approaches.
* Accepts change as part of achieving organisational goals.
* Compares large amounts of information quickly to identify key issues.
Qualifications
* A recognised degree or equivalent qualification and/or experience.
* A relevant professional qualification such as Advice and Guidance, Autism Practice, or related fields (e.g., registered Nurse, Mental Health, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist).
Newcastle University is committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a Disability Confident employer and a member of Athena SWAN and the Race Equality Charter. We encourage applications from individuals who reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
Additional information
Requisition ID: 28713
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