Vice-Principal at Durham University

Durham, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Apr, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

15 Jan, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Student Development, Higher Education, Communication Skills, Problem Solving, Diversity Commitment, Digital Competence, Planning, Networking, Staff Management, Financial Literacy, Stakeholder Engagement, Team Development, Regulatory Compliance, Operational Planning, Community Building, Support Provision

Industry

Higher Education

Description

The University At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally. Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here. Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page. Please note: the interview date for this post will take place on Friday 13th February 2026 The Role and Department Josephine Butler College is seeking to appoint a Vice-Principal to a 1 year fixed position to cover the maternity leave of the current Vice-Principal Harriet Tebbs. Josephine Butler College is a friendly, vibrant, and inclusive community. Opened in 2006, we are named after the 19th-century social reformer, Josephine Butler, who had a profound influence on society's view of women's health and education. Her legacy of advocacy, commitment to social justice and kindness serves as an inspiration to our students, staff, and broader College community. Josephine Butler College is led by Professor Gillian Hampden-Thompson, who took up the position as Principal/Head of College in July 2023. This is an excellent and unique opportunity to work within the collegiate system at Durham University. Furthermore, the College is currently heading towards celebrating its 20-year anniversary during the 2026-27 academic year, allowing the successful candidate to not only make a contribution to those celebrations but also enjoy being part of the community during those celebrations. The acting Vice-Principal will be a member of the College senior management team and will have a strong strategic and developmental emphasis. The post holder will be involved in a wide range of activities aimed at furthering Josephine Butler College and University strategy, especially in relation to the personal development of students, embedding the wider student experience, and the future development of the College. Working as a part of a close-knit team, you will support the provision of student support within the College in partnership with the Student Support and Wellbeing Directorate. The Vice-Principal will act as deputy to the College Principal (a) in ensuring the College offers a supportive and stimulating environment for academic study, cultural and developmental activities, and social interaction which engages students, staff, Senior Common Room members, visitors and alumni; and (b) in promoting and enabling intellectual curiosity, personal effectiveness, wellbeing and resilience, and a sense of community and responsibility among all students. Balance and focus of responsibilities will be agreed with the College Principal. Please note: Appointment to this post is fixed-term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended. MATERNITY LEAVE COVER Appointment to this post is fixed-term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended. The post may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager. Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description. Working at Durham A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: • You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. • We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS). • No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance. • We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. • We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. • Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16. • Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). • We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community. • You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions. • Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. • If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas. Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here. Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered. Your application should cover the following criteria: Essential Criteria Qualifications/Experience 1. Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience). 2. Experience and expertise in student development and support. 4. A good understanding of higher education in the UK and an appreciation of the role of colleges in a collegiate University. 5. Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including students, external s stakeholders and more senior colleagues. 6. Experience of networking effectively and developing strong and productive working relationships, to influence perceptions of the University. Skills/Abilities/Knowledge 7. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally. 8. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues. 9. A commitment to diversity, equality and internationalisation. 10. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including [digital communication tools, Microsoft 365 applications, business systems]. 11. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition. 12. Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines. 13. Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels. 14. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions. Desirable Criteria 1. Experience of alumni/ stakeholder engagement 2. Track record of staff management and development experience. 3. Financial literacy and ability to liaise with finance colleagues over budget matters and financial transactions. 4. Experience of working in a diverse and multi-cultural environment and an understanding of needs of students from underrepresented groups. How to apply To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above). While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview. Submitting your application We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. What you need to submit • A CV: and • A supporting statement which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification. Contact details For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Professor Gillian Hampden-Thompson (gillian.hampden-thompson@durham.ac.uk). Typical Role Requirements College Delivery/Development - Working with staff and students, develop and maintain a vibrant and distinctive community, which engenders a sense of belonging, and where students can grow and develop in confidence academically, socially and culturally. - Use your expertise to further the College, Division and University Strategy, especially in relation to the personal development of students. - Working in partnership with the Assistant Principal and the Student Support and Wellbeing Directorate, assist in the provision of student support. - Lead the development of appropriate structures, procedures and initiatives for maximising students’ personal development. - Use your professional experience and knowledge of Higher Education to provide subject matter advice and to support the Principal to resolve problems, shape processes and activities, and develop systems. - Use your managerial and leadership expertise to identify priorities and shape the College environment and ways of working to achieve the required outcomes. - Seek ways to continually improve services and take a lead role in the development and implementation of assigned policies, processes and standards, those relating to student enrichment. - Ensure all activities, processes and transactions are accounted for accurately and promptly to meet regulatory, professional service and policy standards. - Lead and participate in internal business meetings, working groups and sub-committees at operational service level to influence governance, organisational policy and service standards for the College and Division. - Implement processes to manage the integrity and security of all commercially and professionally sensitive and personal data. - Deliver activities and participate with others to generate external income. - Provide professional guidance and advice to students and service users with complaints and referrals. - Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values. Planning and Organisation - Contribute to the scoping and resource planning across a range of activities at operational and strategic level. - Working with the College Principal, lead on the College planning process, annual reporting, and periodic review. - Contribute to the formulation, review and implementation of Divisional and University policy as required. - Allocate and monitor designated budgets, expenditure and resources. Team Development - At the discretion of the Principal, line manage other members of college staff, including identifying development needs, conducting regular staff Annual Development Review and performance reviews. - Recruit, induct, train and develop new team members, ensure continuity of service provision and encourage skills development. - Work in partnership with the Junior and Middle Common Rooms to support the ethos of student leadership and cocreation with College and, as appropriate, to advise on, influence and facilitate student-led college activity. - As required, handle and support HR issues and support the welfare and wellbeing of your team, referring more complex issues to specialist services or more senior managers. - Ensure you can deliver the required services by devolving and delegating responsibilities to other colleagues. Stakeholder Engagement and Communications - Help build and sustain an influential network of alumni and contacts both internally and externally to influence and promote the reputation of the College and the University. - Use creativity and innovation for communication and promotion purposes, to engage and influence internal and external stakeholders. - Develop external relations, identifying and developing opportunities for employers, alumni and donors to contribute to the College via extra-curricular activities and increased levels of participation. - Liaise and engage with key stakeholders and internal and external contractors to ensure excellent service delivery. - Support the Principal in ensuring the College provides an accessible, friendly and professional service which is responsive to stakeholder feedback. - Represent the College and University at promotional events, marketing them effectively to potential student applicants, parents, schools and sponsors; contribute to the delivery of presentations at conferences. Useful links If you would like further information you may find the following will help Josephine Butler College - Durham University Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. MATERNITY COVER Appointment to this post is fixed term to cover the substantive post holder’s maternity leave and is not anticipated to be extended. SECONDMENT The post is full time 1 year period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager. When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

Responsibilities

The Vice-Principal will support the College Principal in ensuring a supportive environment for academic study and student development. They will also be involved in strategic planning and enhancing the student experience within the College.