Director of Strategic Planning and Performance

Location: Birmingham (Bartley Green, B32 3NT)

Birmingham Newman University is entering an exciting period of growth and transformation through our ambitious new Strategy, BE MORE: Our Future, Our Birmingham Newman. Building on excellent student satisfaction and our unwavering commitment to social mobility and values-driven, high-quality, inclusive education, we are now seeking our first Director of Strategic Planning and Performance to support the governing body and executive leadership in our strategic ambitions.

Reporting to the University Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer and working closely with the University’s Leadership and Management Teams as well as colleagues across the University, you will establish and lead our new Strategic Planning and Performance Directorate, building on the strong foundations of our existing Planning and Systems Development (PSD) team.

Your portfolio will bring together strategic and integrated annual planning, institutional performance and analytics, statutory returns, student number planning, student systems development and strategic programme delivery. You will also play a leading role in maturing our approach to data and business intelligence, and will act as Programme Director for our multi-year Student Records Systems and Processes Transformation Programme.

You will bring substantial experience and expert knowledge of strategic and operational planning, process improvement and business intelligence, together with an in-depth knowledge of higher education and a successful track record of leading complex change programmes and developing high-performing teams. Ideally, you will have understanding and experience of student records systems change, leading student processes redesign, and building and embedding robust data governance, literacy and quality assurance systems.

You will combine intellectual curiosity and strong analytical judgement with empathy through change, resilience and a highly credible and collaborative leadership style. You will be confident engaging with senior decision-makers, but equally enthusiastic about co-creating with colleagues, developing people and building the systems, processes and capabilities needed for the future.

Above all, you will have strategic vision, but you will also be a builder and a doer - someone energised by the opportunity to create something new and make a tangible difference.

Join Birmingham Newman University and help shape the infrastructure, insight and ways of working that will enable our University, our people and our students to BE MORE.

Candidates are encouraged to contact Yvonne Salter Wright, University Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer at y.salter.wright@staff.newman.ac.uk, with queries or to discuss the role further.

An online application form and further details about this role are available by clicking the 'Apply' button above. Please submit your completed online application form by the advertised closing date noting that CV are not accepted in place of a fully completed online application form.

Closing date for applications: Monday, 16 November 2026

Interviews will take place on campus on:  Tuesday, 8 December 2026

Birmingham Newman University offers a wide range of staff benefits including 35 days annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time posts), pension scheme, chaplaincy and spiritual care, library services, free on-site parking, discounted travel scheme, cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme, occupational health and counselling services and staff development opportunities. Further details of the full range of staff benefits available can be found on our website: https://www.newman.ac.uk/knowledge-base/staff-benefits/ or please contact the Human Resources Department.

Birmingham Newman University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Birmingham Newman University is located on Genners Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, B32 3NT.

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