Senior Director for Student Life

About the Opportunity

Position overview

• Department: Student Life
• Location: London Campus
• Term: Full-time; permanent
• Salary: Up to £90,000 per annum

Benefits: The university supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, offers flexible working and parental leave opportunities, an Employee Assistance Programme which provides free, confidential advice on both home and work concerns as well as optional private medical insurance, season ticket loans and being part of the cycle to work scheme.

Reports to: CEO in London and Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Life in Boston

Start: 1st August 2026

The role

The Senior Director for Student Life in London serves as the senior Student Life leader for Northeastern University’s London campus, playing a pivotal role in creating transformative experiences through residential life, student activities, and student support. Dual reporting to the CEO in London and Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Life in Boston, the Senior Director is responsible for implementing and adapting the university’s student experience strategy within the London context while maintaining alignment with Northeastern’s global vision. The Senior Director serves as a trusted advisor to students and the primary representative of Student Life in London. The successful candidate will be a student-centred professional who values mentoring and interacting with students in a variety of formal and informal settings, while also possessing the ability to lead departments, manage resources, and collaborate across the university. They are responsible for providing a strong model for student retention and must be skilled at both implementing network-wide initiatives and advocating for London-specific needs.

This position directly supervises the Director of Residence Services and Student Support and the Director of Student Engagement, providing strategic direction and operational oversight for residence life, housing operations (including mobility programme halls management and private rented sector advisory and referral services for the wider student population), student activities programming, student union operations, and student communications without limitation. The Senior Director holds responsibility for Student Life in London and has provision across all student cohorts, including undergraduate, postgraduate, degree apprenticeship, and mobility programme students. Each cohort carries distinct welfare, support, and regulatory obligations that must be reflected in operational planning and staff development.

Duties and Responsibilities

• 30% — Strategic Leadership and Implementation
  • Implements the university’s strategic vision for Student Life on the London campus, adapting initiatives appropriately for local context, UK higher education practices, and student population needs while being true to the Northeastern experience.
  • Works closely with the Senior Vice Chancellor in Boston on strategic planning for student experience initiatives, providing regular updates on London operations and student needs.
  • Collaborates extensively with colleagues across Northeastern’s global network to implement programming, initiatives, and resources around student experience and belonging.
  • Represents Student Life on London campus committees and in senior leadership discussions, articulating how Student Life contributes to institutional priorities.
  • Develops local strategic priorities that complement and advance the broader divisional goals.
• 35% — Direct Supervision and Departmental Oversight
  • Provides direct supervision and strategic direction to the Director of Residence Services and Student Support and the Director of Student Engagement.
  • Conducts regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports, providing mentorship, feedback, and professional development support.
  • Sets clear performance expectations and conducts annual performance evaluations.
  • Oversees budget development and fiscal management for London Student Life operations.
  • Reviews and approves departmental goals, assessment plans, and major initiatives.
  • Leads the recruitment and performance management of direct reports.
  • Holds institutional accountability for the full Student Life portfolio — residential operations, student support, student activities, student union, and student communications — setting strategic direction and holding direct reports accountable for operational delivery within their respective areas.
  • This includes institutional accountability for the student support function; ensuring services are appropriately resourced and meet all regulatory requirements; and acting as the senior escalation point for the Director on complex or high-risk matters involving student support or safeguarding.
  • Ensures compliance with UK statutory and regulatory requirements.
• 20% — Student Advocacy and Campus Presence
  • Maintains an active and visible presence on the London campus, fostering accessibility and positive relationships with students and staff.
  • Advises students and resolves individual concerns, serving as an escalation point for complex situations.
  • Participates in student-facing programmes, events, and activities across Student Life departments.
  • Identifies opportunities to enhance student engagement and belonging for all learners, including full-time, part-time, undergraduate, postgraduate, degree apprenticeship, and mobility programme students.
  • Works with students in a collaborative manner to generate solutions to emerging challenges.
• 15% — Cross-Campus Collaboration and Integration
  • Partners with London campus colleagues in Academic Affairs, Experiential Learning, and other units to create integrated student experiences.
  • Ensures Student Life initiatives align with and support academic and experiential priorities and learning outcomes.
  • Builds productive relationships with faculty and staff to enhance holistic student support.
  • Connects London students to resources and opportunities across Northeastern’s global network.
  • Facilitates communication between London campus needs and Boston-based divisional leadership.
  • Represents the London student perspective in network-wide planning and decision-making.
  • Participates in divisional meetings, committees, and initiatives as required.
  • Serves on the on-call rotation for critical incidents, providing senior leadership during emergencies affecting students or residential communities, and coordinates response efforts across Student Life departments.
  • Develops and maintains emergency protocols in conjunction with campus safety and Boston leadership.

UK Regulatory and Compliance Responsibilities

The Senior Director holds senior institutional responsibility for ensuring Student Life operations comply with the following UK statutory and regulatory frameworks:

• Office for Students (OfS) registration conditions, including Condition B3 (student outcomes and experience), Condition E6 (sexual misconduct), and Access and Participation Plan commitments.
• The Prevent duty under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
• Safeguarding legislation.
• OfSTED inspection requirements as they apply to degree apprenticeship provision.
• Clery Act reporting requirements as applicable to Northeastern University London's status as a US-regulated institution.
• Working Time Regulations 1998 as they apply to on-call and out-of-hours arrangements for Student Life staff.

Person specification criteria

• Terminal degree (PhD, EdD, JD) (D)
• Master’s Degree (E)
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in designing and delivering programmes and services that support community and student development (E)
• A proven record of success in developing and enhancing a sophisticated portfolio of student life programmes at a college or university (E)
• Experience leading and developing staff (E)
• Experience with UK, American, and/or international higher education contexts (E)
• Knowledge of UK higher education regulatory frameworks (D)
• Familiarity with the Clery Act reporting obligations (D)
• Strategic thinking and planning skills; strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; and the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, and students at all levels in a complex, diverse, and international environment. (E)
• Proficiency in the development and management of budgets, knowledge of housing operations including managed residential provision and private rented sector advisory services, student development theory, collaborative learning, residence hall programming, building learning communities, crisis response, case management, and staff development (E)
• Demonstrated ability to lead organisational growth and foster cross-departmental collaboration (E)

Additional Information

Application Process: Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary.

Position Type: Student Services

Salary Range: Up to £90,000 per annum

About the University: Northeastern University London (NU London) is a prestigious higher education institution based in the heart of London and is part of Northeastern University’s global campus network. Overlooking the River Thames near Tower Bridge, NU London offers academically challenging educational programmes designed to inspire innovative thinking, encourage interdisciplinary study, and provide global experiences.

Choose NU London: As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, the University supports staff maintaining a good work/life balance, your health and wellness are of utmost importance to us, and our offerings encompass:

• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays and winter break holidays (normally 2 days between Christmas and New Year).
• Access to personalised Continuous Professional Development (CPD) plans and opportunities.
• Support with private medical insurance.
• Eye test reimbursement.
• Cycle Scheme vouchers.
• 24/7 employee assistance/ support via our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Access to deals and discounts for food & shopping in the local area.

Enquiries: Informal enquiries may be made to Rob Farquharson at r.farquharson@northeastern.edu. However, all applications must be made in accordance with the application process specified.

Application process: Applications should be made by 00:00 on the job posting's end date (if applicable). Participation in the equal opportunities section is encouraged, but voluntary. Applications must include a covering letter of no more than one page that addresses the criteria for the role and a full curriculum vitae.

The panel will be shortlisting for this position on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as possible. We reserve the right to close this post before the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.

Please note all employees of Northeastern University London are required to undergo at least a basic DBS check. Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of our students and staff, and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted requirements. You must adhere to the above if you are offered a role with NU London.

For staff’s own wellbeing, for part time roles, the expectation is if you have multiple roles, they should not exceed full time (37.5 hours per week), and for full time roles, the expectation is that this will be your only role (apart from intermittent roles). Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and will be judged on merit alone. We welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, including the Global Majority. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.