Head of Student Services - University of Wolverhampton

Malvern’s core purpose is to provide, with our partners, students from around the world with the opportunities to reach their full potential via access to transformational learning, teaching and support. Our mission is to provide international students essential academic and English language skills, cultural experiences and the support they need to thrive in their academic studies, daily life and career development.

Our company values are:

• COMMITMENT to, and UNDERSTANDING of, our students, colleagues and partners
• FLEXIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY in our approach
• EXCELLENCE in every aspect of our operations

We are now seeking a Head of Student Services for our International Pathway Centre at The University of Wolverhampton to be responsible for ensuring an exceptional student experience by creating a supportive, safe, and engaging environment. This role is student-facing and plays a vital part in nurturing a positive, inclusive, and customer-focused culture. The post-holder will have accountability for the entire student journey, including welfare, safeguarding, attendance management, and delivering data-driven insights to continuously enhance the student experience.

Main duties

• Student Experience: Serve as the primary point of contact for all student services, ensuring that the student experience is seamless, engaging, and consistently high-quality. Collaborate with academic staff, support teams, and senior leadership to ensure all aspects of the student journey are aligned with the Centre’s vision and values. Develop and implement initiatives to improve student engagement and satisfaction, gathering and acting on student feedback to inform continuous improvement.
• Safeguarding and Welfare: Act as the Centre’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL, ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, and maintaining up-to-date safeguarding policies and procedures. Provide proactive support for student welfare, including mental health, accommodation, and any pastoral care needs, liaising with external agencies as required. Ensure all staff are adequately trained in safeguarding and welfare protocols, fostering a safe and supportive environment.
• Attendance Management: Oversee and monitor student attendance, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and timely interventions for students at risk. Implement attendance improvement strategies and collaborate with academic and support teams to address attendance-related challenges. Use attendance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities to improve engagement and retention.
• Customer Service: Lead by example to promote a culture of outstanding customer service across all student services functions. Ensure all interactions with students are professional, empathetic, and aligned with the Centre’s commitment to delivering an excellent student experience. Handle complex or escalated student concerns, ensuring timely and satisfactory resolutions.
• Data and Insight: Collect, analyse, and report on data related to student experience, attendance, welfare, and engagement to inform decision-making and drive improvements. Use insights to recommend strategic changes to enhance service delivery and student outcomes. Ensure compliance with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Essential Skills & Qualifications:

• Significant experience in a student-facing role within an education setting, preferably in an international context.
• Leadership experience, with a track record of managing diverse teams and delivering on strategic priorities.
• Knowledge and experience in safeguarding, welfare, and attendance management.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements in an education setting.

Personal attributes:

• Student-Centric Approach: A strong commitment to enhancing the student experience, with an empathetic and approachable leadership style.
• Leadership and Collaboration: Proven ability to lead teams, work collaboratively across departments, and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Safeguarding Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures, with the ability to act as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
• Data-Driven Mindset: Analytical skills with experience in leveraging data and insights to drive decision-making and improvements.
• Problem Solving: Adept at handling complex situations with a calm, solution-focused approach.
• Customer Service Orientation: Demonstrated ability to foster a culture of exceptional customer service and student care.

This job specification is not exhaustive and may involve the fulfilment of other duties as deemed required by the organisation. This role is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS.

Please submit your application to careers@malvernplc.com.