Senior Student Returns Officer

When you work for the University of Lancashire, you’ll be part of a thriving community of talent that’s united in a common commitment to transform lives. We do this by delivering an outstanding educational experience and creating prosperity and opportunity in the communities we serve. Whatever your role, you’ll be playing a vital part in helping us achieve our vision.

About the role:

We are seeking a detail‑oriented Senior Student Returns Officer to join Academic Registry. You will support the preparation and submission of the University’s statutory student data returns, ensuring all submissions are accurate, high‑quality and delivered to strict deadlines.

You will lead on preparing key returns, including the HESA Student Record, HESA Aggregate Offshore Record, Health Education England returns, Graduate Outcomes and Discover Uni. As an operational lead for data validation, you will ensure the integrity, accuracy and quality of all externally submitted institutional data.

About you:

This is a great opportunity to contribute to the development of statutory reporting processes within a collaborative environment. If you are passionate about data integrity, compliance, and improving student outcomes, we would love to hear from you. Your expertise will directly support institutional performance and enhance the student experience.

The postholder will hold a relevant undergraduate degree and have substantial experience working with large, complex datasets to strict technical standards. You will bring strong analytical skills, a methodical approach to data integrity, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly to non‑technical audiences.

You will have advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables and complex functions), experience using SQL for data extraction, and familiarity with databases and reporting tools, alongside a strong understanding of data quality, governance, and integrity.

Use of AI in applications:

We value genuine interest in the role, and AI can support your application. However, all examples and statements must be truthful, based on your own experience, and written in your natural communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI can appear generic and may lack the detail needed to assess your skills and experience.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What we can offer you:

We offer a fantastic package of rewards and lifestyle benefits – from generous annual leave to a comprehensive employee benefits platform, including a 24/7 online GP. Our people are our greatest asset, and we’ll support you to develop your skills and realise your career ambitions while making a positive difference to others.

About us:
We are a diverse, multicultural university committed to an inclusive culture where everyone is welcomed and respected. We particularly encourage applications from individuals who can help further diversify our community and contribute to an environment where all feel included.

We are dedicated to providing a safe place to study, work and visit, protecting children, young people and adults at risk. Our safeguarding policy, safer recruitment procedures and related guidance are available on our Safeguarding page.

For roles involving regulated activity or listed as exceptions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, applicants must disclose spent and unspent convictions and complete the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. DBS checks are only requested when legally required.

Advert information