Head of Student Engagement and Success

Contract: Fixed term up to 12 months

University College Birmingham (UCB) is seeking an experienced student engagement professional to provide leadership to its recently refreshed Student Engagement and Success team.  

As part of the ambitious Student Support and Wellbeing Directorate, the Student Engagement and Success Team supports students to overcome any non-academic challenges they face during their time at UCB through the creation and delivery of institution-wide events, 1:1 support, and mentoring - the team is driven by a passion to ensure all students are supported to maximise their potential. 

Working as part of the Directorate’s senior management team, the postholder will build excellent relationships across the institution and with external partners and stakeholders and will be expected to play a key role in strengthening our approach to supporting students. The successful candidate will bring significant experience of working with young people and students in a similar setting and will possess an excellent understanding of the barriers to engagement and how these can be overcome. 

With a focus on student belonging, retention, and success, the Head of Student Engagement and Success will use their excellent leadership, management and innovation skills to ensure that all students at risk of disengagement are supported and have equal opportunity to succeed. 

The postholder will also support the development and delivery of the Access and Participation Plan, ensuring initiatives and projects are delivered within budget and are aligned to strategy. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with demonstrable experience of developing and implementing student engagement initiatives within a relevant educational setting. 

The successful candidate will be expected to start in role in March 2026. 

For an informal chat about the role, please contact Ben Pithouse, Director of Student Support and Wellbeing at bpithouse@ucb.ac.uk

Benefits: 

• Generous allocation of annual leave
  • 26 days’ paid leave per year
  • 12 Bank Holidays & Concessionary Days
• Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Employer Contributions – 20.9%
• Subsidised private healthcare provided by Aviva including a Digital GP Service.
• Employee Assistance Programme inclusive of counselling services, financial wellbeing support and bereavement support
• Annual health MOTs with our Registered Nurse
• Excellent staff development opportunities including professional qualification sponsorship
• A variety of salary sacrifice schemes including car, technology home and cycle.
• Heavily-subsidised on-site car parking in central Birmingham
• Hybrid working opportunities
• Free on-site gym membership

Closing Date: Sunday 30 November 2025

How to apply: Please click 'Apply’ to be redirected to our website, where you can download an application pack.

Standard Information: UCB is an equal opportunities employer. 

University College Birmingham is proud to be TEF rated Silver, with a Good Ofsted rating

UCB has achieved the Investors in Diversity Bronze Award.

All applicants for employment at the University will be expected to undertake an Enhanced Check with the Disclosure and Barring Service prior to commencement.

Advert information