Head of Student Outcomes (maternity cover)

About the role:

The Head of Student Outcomes will lead and manage a high-performing team to deliver a whole-institution strategy to improve outcomes for underrepresented groups with a focus on closing the attainment gaps, the transition and success of students from underrepresented backgrounds and the continuous development of student leadership programmes. The role will focus on developing faculty specific interventions and implement strategies to improve their outcomes and evaluate effectiveness of different interventions.

Head of Service and/or Senior Managers have operational responsibility for a portfolio of education and student professional services, as:

• A departmental lead within the Students and Education Directorate; or
• Project/programme/departmental lead within an academic faculty; or
• the lead of defined divisional-wide initiatives

They contribute and lead on activities which positively impact the student experience. This includes ensuring:

• Close working with their Associate Director, and across organisational boundaries, to identify and action opportunities to improve efficiency and consistency of service (or project) delivery
• Efficient resource utilisation and organisation of work resources within their department (or project)
• Proactive engagement with service users and stakeholders to facilitate mutually effective working relationships
• Their department (or project) embeds a culture of service, transparency and continuous improvement

This is a full-time maternity cover (35 hours/week), and you will be offered a contract until 29th January 2027.

About you:

Essential criteria

• Relevant work experience and/or education: a wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you to be successful in this role. Relevant work experience might include work in other universities, or any large, complex organizations. Relevant educational experiences might include higher education in a related discipline, professional qualifications or other training.
• Ability to engage in collaborative working across King’s professional services, Faculties, and academic and student communities.
• Experience of working in a federated environment where facilitation and networking skills are core to resolving complex cross departmental problems.
• Strong strategic understanding and up-to-date knowledge of the barriers relating to closing the attainment gap and student success.
• Significant line management experience with the ability to lead a team through change. 
• Significant experience on leading institutional projects around student attainment/ awarding gaps, mental health and wellbeing and outcomes in a higher education setting.
• Experience of managing the delivery of complex projects for underrepresented groups on time and to budget, especially when delivered in collaboration with internal and external partners.
• An ability to work effectively and build strong relationships with people at all levels including academics, professional service staff and students.
• Demonstrate ability to analyse and interpret complex datasets and use data to inform change.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to communicate a clear vision of what is to be achieved within an environment suitable for meaningful two-way feedback.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability and initiative to develop solutions to overcome challenges, ensuring implementation and effective change.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple deliverables at once and consistently meet tight deadlines. 
• Provide inspiring and purposeful leadership for all staff, always ensuring an inclusive culture of high professionalism is achieved.

Desirable criteria

• Adept at maintaining progress on multiple agendas and projects simultaneously.
• An understanding and working knowledge of governance in the higher education sector, and the regulatory and legal arrangements for UK university governance.
• Proven ability to drive both structural and cultural change in a student experience context.

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