Director of Service and Impact

About the Role

Since our foundation, King’s has been deeply committed to serving the needs of society. We have a long tradition of active engagement with the world and its most challenging problems, above and beyond what might be expected of a university. This commitment to Service is embedded in our education, research and operations. For nearly 200 years, we’ve harnessed the power of our minds to build a better world. Our mission is to ensure that our research, education and commitment to Service result in positive change and value for people, planet and society.

The Director of Service and Impact is therefore a critical role and key appointment for King’s. The role is a cross-university strategic and operational leadership role positioned to drive forward and deliver the university’s ambitions to harness knowledge with purpose, to create impact in the world, and to make the world a better place.

Day-to-day, as a member of the leadership team of the International, Engagement & Service (IES) Directorate, you will lead a unit that brings together three teams that engage with students, staff, and our external partners - Sanctuary, Volunteering and One King’s Impact teams. In parallel, you will play a visible and crucial leadership role across King’s, working with faculties and directorates, to guide and support them to embed a culture of Service and Impact in their work across education, research and business operations.

IES is a recently established Directorate at King’s that brings together the expertise of teams engaging with communities and partners locally, national and globally. The directorate provides strategic leadership for the university’s engagement at home and abroad, while providing a home for a portfolio of innovative programmes that generate and measure impact and serve the communities we work with and for. 

We encourage applications from candidates who have experience from both within and outside of the Higher Education sector where they can demonstrate the skills needed to succeed in this role. This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

Essential criteria

• Experience of strategy development as well as operational management on impact-led programmes.
• Adept at working within a matrix environment, building consensus through influence, expertise and collaborative leadership.
• Expertise, experience and understanding of impact, service and social value led programmes, outcomes, organisations and funding opportunities.
• Experience of working with, coordinating and influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholder groups.
• Deep understanding and experience of financial management and budgeting, alongside an understanding of funding opportunities for Service-led activities.
• Proven ability to negotiate with internal and external partners, manage complex partnership agreements and work proactively to build new contacts and relationships
• Strong analytical and critical reasoning skills with the capability to effectively problem solve in complex and dynamic situations.
• Strong influencing and communication skills – both written and verbal – including at senior level both internally and with external stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in leading, planning and delivery of multi-stakeholder projects and the ability to determine priorities in the face of changing and competing demands and tight deadlines.
• Knowledge and understanding of HE impact frameworks including TEF, REF and KEF.

Further Information

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