Associate Director Disability and Inclusion

About the role

An immediate and exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Student Support directorate to provide leadership, expertise and direction in relation to the experience of our disabled students at the University of Southampton.  This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in transforming how we deliver reasonable adjustments to disabled students by taking a whole university approach.  The ideal candidate will be truly passionate about the experience of disabled students and will be expected to create a culture of learning and innovation in support to ensure their experience is an exemplary one. 

As Associate Director you will be responsible for the strategic leadership and management of a multi-disciplinary Student Disability and Inclusion team which provides tailored support to students ensuring equal opportunity and a fair chance of success.   You will also be responsible for leading the design, development and implementation of a specialist unit for autism to enhance the work we are already delivering as part of our Access and Participation plan.  

About you

We are looking for a leader with excellent communication skills and proven experience of managing outcomes in relation to disabled students. Committed to high performance and continuous improvement, you will have a good grasp of the challenges facing disabled students in higher education and a track record that includes transforming service delivery in a relevant context. 

You will be able to work in highly complex situations, often with conflicting demands, applying judgement and initiative to prioritise activity. You will also have proven ability to manage budgets and use rigorous data collection and analysis to inform your decision making.  

Key to this role is the ability to quickly develop relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues from across the University and Student Union and to be recognised as an expert in this area.

As our Student Support provision operates a 24/7 service, you will be expected to be a member of an ‘Out of Hours’ rota that provides management escalation for our 24/7 service.

About University of Southampton  

As well as additional benefits that will make your life easier, such as a generous holiday allowance and additional university closure days, we will support your long-term future too, with access to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), subsidised health and fitness facilities and a range of discounts. We believe equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to making the University of Southampton a welcoming, vibrant, and successful organisation. Having a diverse workforce, inclusive of people of all ages and beliefs, from different racial, educational, and social backgrounds opens up a wealth of possibilities, makes us more creative and accelerates our impact on society. We welcome applicants that value the diversity of our community and are willing to play their part in supporting the mission of inclusivity. 

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact:

Karen Hooper, EA to the Director of Student Support (k.hooper@soton.ac.uk)

Please include your CV and a cover letter with your application.

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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