Head of Student Success (Maternity Cover)

The Widening Participation and Social Mobility (WPSM) directorate is excited to be recruiting for a Head of Student Success maternity cover until the end of 2025. The post is directly responsible for the strategic oversight of our Student Inclusion Team that leads projects with students underrepresented in higher education, focused on closing awarding gaps and supporting progression. It is also responsible for our Financial Support Team that looks after all central, targeted financial support allocated through our Access and Participation Plan and our US Federal Loans scheme.

Leading a department of Success practitioners, the Head of Success will be responsible for the successful delivery of our £6 million financial support provision which includes bursaries, hardship funds and cost of living initiatives as well as our Ignite Your Success Programme, our innovative alumni funded programme working with students from the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. You will also have key oversight of our Awarding Gap project working with Black and minoritised students as well as our targeted support for Care Experienced and Estranged students and mature learners. Focused on improving the experience and retention of students underrepresented in higher education, this role is integral to the fulfilment of our Access and Participation Plan, which launched in 2024.

Building on the work already in place you will be working closely with the Director and Associate Director of Widening Participation and Social Mobility to develop our provision in line with new guidance from the Office for Students. The ideal candidate will have experience of leading activity in a higher education institution, with an in-depth knowledge of Widening Participation policy. You will be an experienced leader who is able to develop strong relationships both within the university and at a sector level and able to create initiatives which mitigate risks to equality of opportunity. You will be a strategic, creative thinker able to create innovative projects which have students at the heart and be confident working to co-design activity.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Dr Emma Thompson, Associate Director Widening Participation and Social Mobility (interim) on E.L.Thompson@soton.ac.uk

Further details:

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applicants who support our mission of inclusivity.

Apply by 11.59 pm GMT on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk quoting the job number.

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