Vice-Principal (Job Number: 26000932)

Working Arrangements

Flexible, some evening and weekend work

Closing Date

Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement

Please note that the successful applicant will require DBS disclosure. Further info:

The Role and Department

University College (Castle) is home to 1,100 undergraduates, 450 postgraduates, 400+ senior common room members, and nearly 50 staff.

Our shared vision: Inspired by our enduring heritage, University College aspires to be a welcoming and inclusive learning community dedicated to empowering individuals, fostering a deep sense of belonging, and enabling all to flourish through service, scholarship, and shared purpose.

Our community is co-created by students and staff through facilitation of 40+ student-led sports and societies, enrichment and mentoring programmes, charity initiatives and volunteering opportunities, wellbeing support, performing arts opportunities, vibrant social events, and more.

The highly collaborative college leadership team includes the Principal, Vice Principal, Assistant Principal, Alumni and Development Manager, Chaplain and Solway Fellow, College Operations Manager, Curator, and Food and Beverage Manager.

The VP maintains an intentional link with each colleague, providing continuity and big picture perspective to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of University College.

As a partner in leadership with the Principal, the VP shepherds delivery of our college objectives, enlivens our shared vision and drives culture change.

Specific admin responsibilities include coordinating the administrative team, monitoring a complex budget, coordinating college communications, facilitating college misconduct protocols, and managing student internships and employment.

The Vice Principal leads the College’s multi-faceted and highly collaborative enrichment programme.

This includes supporting the JCR and MCR, coordinating all new student induction activities, supporting internships, overseeing library and study space, facilitating prospective student visit days, and inspiring academic engagement programmes, all of which enable the University’s current strategy of enabling a unique Wider Student Experience offer.

As the University’s oldest College, Castle partners with a wide range of internal and external constituencies.

The Vice Principal plays an important role in maintaining these relationships, including the Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Institute for Advanced Studies, International Office, World Heritage Site Senior Manager, local community partners/events, Castle Research Group and the DU World Heritage Site governance framework.

Managing the complementary and competing demands for events and engagement here, both internally and externally, requires the VP’s attention to ensure congruence with the college’s co-curricular education focus and support castle access for the broader community.

Please note this role must be fulfilled onsite here at Durham Castle, which is part of the Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site and involves navigating historic staircases, cobbles and environmental controls.

Please note: We anticipate scheduling interviews on 15 September.

We encourage early applications, as this role may close before the advertised deadline if a large number of applications are received.

Person Specification

Your application should cover the following criteria

Qualifications/Experience

• 1. Educated topostgraduate level (or equivalent experience).
• 2. Professional practitioner with experience educating / coaching / mentoring / supporting university students in a co-curricular environment.
• 3. Experience of managing and developing a team.
• 4. Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of students and colleagues, including more senior colleagues.
• 5.

Experience of participating in internal or external education or learning networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and positively influence the University’s reputation.

• 6. Experience of implementing policies and procedures and supporting education improvements.

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 contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels.
• 9. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions.
• 10. An understanding of issues associated with confidentiality and an ability to balance confidentiality with the need to share information appropriately.
• 11. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including social media, Canva and Microsoft 365 applications.
• 12. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition.
• 13. Knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines.
• 14. Demonstrable experience or understanding of working in a heritage environment.
• 15. Experience providing after hours on-call support for urgent situations.
• What you need to submit
• A covering letter which outlines your interest in this role and how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification.

For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Professor Wendy Powers, Principal and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor:

• Typical Role Requirements
• Service Delivery/Development
• Contribute to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University’s values.
• Collaboratively assess the student experience and college culture, identify and design improvements, and implement meaningful change.
• Use creative and innovative practices.
• Contribute to alumni engagement and fundraising activities that generate support for the college and her students.
• Use your professional knowledge and experience as an educational administrator to resolve problems, shape processes and activities, develop systems, and provide subject matter expertise and advice.
• Use your leadership and managerial expertise to identify priorities and shape the college to achieve the required outcomes.
• Develop and apply an in-depth understanding of university policy and external developments when carrying out your role.
• Ensure that policy and regulatory standards are met and carried out in college.
• Ensure data (commercially sensitive and/or personal) is appropriately stored and managed.
• Planning and Organisation
• Contribute to the development of operational plans such as emergency response, business continuity, etc.
• Gather student feedback about college progress toward our vision, analyse the feedback and recommend/initiate improvements.
• Lead on the delivery of professional development and support initiatives.
• Monitor designated budgets, expenditure and resources.
• Team Development
• Manage and develop the people, performance and resources (of one or more teams) to ensure that a customer-focused service is provided.
• Help shape the skills and expertise needed to deliver a professional service by recruiting, inducting and training team members and structuring the team in a way that will best meet operational and strategic priorities.
• Ensure that your team can deliver the required services by devolving and delegating responsibilities to appropriate team members.
• Carry out regular performance reviews to provide feedback on objectives and expectations and identify any development needs.
• Ensure that your team continues to develop by coaching and mentoring team members and delivering any training needs.
• Support the welfare and wellbeing of your team referring more complex issues to specialist services.
• Handle most HR issues and support the welfare and wellbeing of your team, referring more complex issues to specialist services or more senior managers.
• Actively participate in the after hours on-call duty rota.

On average, colleagues serve in an on-call capacity one week per term and 3-5 days per vacation period.

Most situations can be handled remotely; however, on-call staff must be able to respond in person onsite within 60 minutes if necessary.

• Influence University policy, standards and governance by leading operational business meetings, working groups and sub-committees.
• Provide professional guidance and advice when managing complaints, referrals and specialist services.
• Build and sustain an influential network of contacts, both internally and externally, using these to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers and positively influence the University’s reputation.
• Represent the College and the University at promotional events and contribute to the delivery of presentations.
• Identify opportunities to develop and increase participation in special interest groups.
• Any other reasonable duties.

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.

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.

#J-18808-Ljbffr