Director of Education and Student Experience

University College London (UCL) is one of the world's leading universities, ranked 9th globally (QS World University Rankings 2026). Founded in 1826, it was established to widen access to education and to connect academic excellence with real-world impact, an ethos that continues today through strong links to policy, practice, and innovation across London and beyond. UCL now hosts more than 50,000 students and 18,000 staff and has produced over 30 Nobel laureates.

The Faculty of Life Sciences brings together cutting-edge research and teaching across the biological and biomedical sciences, pharmacy, and neuroscience. Its work addresses major global challenges, including disease, climate change, sustainability, technological change and the data revolution, and inequality. We are ranked 1st in Europe for Biology in Edurank, 6th globally for Life Sciences, 9th for Biological Sciences, and 3rd for Pharmacy & Pharmacology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026).

The Director of Education and Student Experience (DESE) holds overall responsibility for education strategy and operations across the Faculty, working in partnership with the Vice-Dean (Education), Dean and Director of Operations. The DESE ensures Faculty actions on education delivery and student experience align with UCL policy, provides operational advice to senior leadership, and exercises general administrative and pastoral oversight of all students; undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research.

As the senior professional services strategic and regulatory lead for education across the Faculty, the DESE holds a visible role across UCL, leading Faculty education committees, quality assurance and enhancement processes, and matters affecting students at both UG and PG level. Working closely with faculty staff and Divisions, the DESE supports and leads education staff, both academic and professional services in developing best practice, ensuring policy compliance, and improving education and student experience outcomes, while collaborating with senior colleagues in OVPESE and Student Registry Services.

Alongside the Dean, Vice-Dean (Education) and Director of Operations, the DESE leads the development and implementation of Faculty Learning and Teaching Strategies, and oversees the development, approval, review and withdrawal of programmes and modules. Key responsibilities also include leading decisions on registration, progression, extenuating circumstances, suspensions, withdrawals, terminations, admissions, appeals and student discipline; chairing and participating in UCL and faculty committees; leading the EASE team and its education administration function; leading major quality assurance cycles; and leading student number planning and admissions targets.

The successful candidate will have evidence of higher education to a degree level or equivalent as well as evidence of continuing professional development including regular attendance on internal and external study programmes. The successful candidate must have relevant and substantial experience of student support within an education setting, including a wide range of pastoral support activities. Experience of the interface between these roles and those of Registry officers and other corporate support services is also important. Significant experience of leadership within Higher Education, including management of staff and resources and building teams is also essential.

The UCL Ways of Working supports colleagues to be successful and happy at UCL through sharing expectations around how we work. As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: As London's Global University, we know that diversity and inclusion are fundamental drivers of creativity, innovation, and excellence, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong, thrive, and reach our full potential. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. Our department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.