Deputy Director for Student and Library Services

About ARU:
ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

About the role:
We are seeking an innovative and inspiring individual to join our team as the Deputy Director for Student and Library Services (Employability, Careers, and Student Enterprise). This is an excellent opportunity to significantly impact the career prospects of our students and graduates.

As the Deputy Director, you will lead the Employability Service, driving strategic planning and operational activities to align with ARU’s goals. You will engage with employers and build strong relationships with professional bodies to enhance opportunities for our students. Collaboration is key, and you will work closely with senior management, faculty leaders, and external partners to embed employability priorities across the university. Ensuring quality and compliance, you will monitor and evaluate service performance, adhering to data protection and other regulations.

You will manage key initiatives, including ARU Temps, our temporary staffing agency, contribute to ARU’s Access and Participation Plan, and lead various strategic projects. Additionally, you will play a pivotal role within Student and Library Services as a member of the senior management team, deputising for the Director when required and leading service-wide initiatives.

We are looking for a strong leader with a strategic vision to develop and implement strategies with measurable outcomes. Experience in leading large teams and managing change is essential, as is financial acumen and an understanding of budget control. You will need a higher degree, or relevant professional qualification at post graduate level, plus significant demonstrable professional experience. Excellent written and oral communication skills are a must, with the ability to present complex information clearly.

If you would like an informal discussion about this role, please contact Libby Homer, Director of Student and Library Services, libby.homer@aru.ac.uk.

We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our benefits page for full details.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that ARU will carry out online searches as part of the due diligence on short listed candidates.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Committed to being inclusive and open to discuss flexible working.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.

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