£43,391 to £53,994 per annum (for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £62,093 per annum)
Onsite: This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.
Role Overview
We are seeking an exceptional senior leader to provide strategic and operational management for the Nuclear Skills Academy (NSA) and the Infinity Prototyping Centre (IPC). This pivotal role ensures the delivery of a high‑quality, compliant, and sector‑leading provision that supports our institutional priorities and strengthens our strategic partnerships.
Responsibilities
- A strong track record of strategic and operational leadership, ideally within higher education, public sector, or similarly complex organisations.
- Experience of governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance, with the ability to maintain audit‑ready operations.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to operate effectively at executive level.
- Highly developed analytical and briefing skills, with the ability to translate insight into clear, strategic recommendations.
- A collaborative, values‑driven leadership style, with a commitment to continuous improvement, professionalism, and student experience.
- Proven people‑management experience, with the ability to build motivated, high‑performing teams.
- Oversee the delivery of high‑quality events, briefings, and engagements that reflect the professionalism of the University including enquiry management of tours, VIPs, operational efficiency of building utilisation.
- Lead the strategic and operational management of the NSA, ensuring alignment with the University’s institutional priorities and long‑term vision.
- Drive continuous improvement across all areas of activity, embedding innovation, efficiency, and best practice.
- Support the development and future integration of the IPC, ensuring scalable, sustainable, and compliant operational models.
- Act as a key interface with the Vice‑Chancellor’s Office, anticipating requirements and ensuring the provision of high‑quality, timely, and strategic briefings.
- Ensure all outputs to senior leadership are evidence‑based, risk‑informed, and aligned to institutional priorities.
- Provide oversight and assurance that NSA activity reflects the expectations and standards of the University Executive Board.
- Lead on the implementation and oversight of governance frameworks within the NSA and IPC, ensuring full alignment with university policies and regulatory requirements.
- Embed a proactive, risk‑aware culture, ensuring risks are identified, managed, and escalated appropriately.
- Maintain a state of audit readiness, ensuring all processes, controls, and documentation are robust, transparent, and consistently applied.
- Oversee compliance with external regulatory bodies (e.g. Ofsted, OfS, ESFA), ensuring all submissions and activity are accurate, timely, and defensible.
- Develop and sustain high‑value strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior industry partners.
- Provide strategic oversight of partnership performance, ensuring proactive management of risks, opportunities, and stakeholder expectations including monitoring adherence to SLAs.
- Enhance the profile and positioning of the NSA and IPC through effective engagement and partnership delivery.
- Work in partnership with senior colleagues across the University to ensure integrated, compliant, and high‑quality delivery.
- Align NSA operations with key institutional functions including Health and Safety, Security, academic delivery, and professional services.
- Champion a collaborative, value‑driven approach that prioritises both student experience and organisational effectiveness.
- Support the Academic Lead with scorecard development and performance reporting, ensuring accuracy, insight, and strategic relevance.
- Provide line management to staff including oversight of the Reception function, fostering a high‑performing, accountable, and professional team culture.
- Promote a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous professional development.
- Support the University Executive Board through the coordination of papers, insights, and reporting to inform decision‑making and strategic direction.
- Ensure the effective management of core operational functions, including office management, communications, and administrative systems.
- Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.
Experience
- Significant experience in a strategic operational management role within a complex, regulated organisation.
- Proven experience of supporting senior leaders and executive‑level decision‑making, including preparing concise briefings, papers and performance insights.
- Experience of strategic planning and delivery, translating organisational priorities into effective operational plans and outcomes.
- Experience of working with performance frameworks, dashboards or scorecards, using data to provide insight and drive improvement.
- Experience of governance and assurance processes, including supporting committees, boards or formal reporting cycles.
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries to deliver outcomes through influence rather than authority.
- Experience of complex programmes, partnerships or multi‑stakeholder activity.
- Experience within higher education, skills, or apprenticeship environments.
- Experience supporting Executive Boards or similar governance structures.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
- Strong understanding of governance, risk management, and assurance, including the ability to identify, assess and mitigate organisational risk.
- Sound knowledge of regulatory and compliance environments.
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship‑building skills, including the credibility to represent the organisation externally and operate effectively at senior level.
- Excellent strategic thinking and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to anticipate issues and develop pragmatic solutions.
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with confidence engaging senior leaders, external partners, and diverse stakeholder groups.
- Ability to distil complex information into clear, concise, and actionable insight.
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing demands and deadlines.
- High level of personal resilience, discretion, and judgement, particularly when dealing with sensitive or complex issues.
- Confident user of digital systems and data to support analysis, reporting, and operational delivery.
Business Requirements
- Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to strategic delivery, governance or operational leadership.
- Willingness to provide support at University events from time to time e.g., Graduation, Clearing and Open Days, (some of these events occur outside of normal working hours, such as evenings and weekends).
- Ability to work outside of normal working hours (including some evenings and weekends), if required to support business needs.
Qualifications
- Postgraduate qualification or equivalent professional experience in leadership, management, public administration, or a related field.
- Formal training or certification in areas such as project/programme management, governance, or risk management.
Benefits
- Generous annual leave entitlement of 38 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata).
- Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family‑friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.
- Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers.
- Discounted onsite gym.
- Holiday purchase.
- Cycle to Work scheme.
- A flexible working environment.
- A commitment to personal and professional development.
How to Apply
You can apply by submitting an online application. Once you have signed in or registered with us you will be able to begin your application. If you are creating an account for the first time, please ensure you provide an email address that you access regularly as this will be our main means of contacting you regarding your application.
This vacancy is only available to internal applicants.
The University reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you require any assistance, including the provision of any documentation in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@derby.ac.uk.
Please note all applications must be submitted online by Midnight GMT on the closing date of the vacancy.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.
We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.
Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non‑binary‑inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.
When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender‑neutral title ‘Mx’. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non‑binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.
The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant’s name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.
However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.
At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.
Drive change and lead innovation, apply now to shape tomorrow.
Important Information
To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.
The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.
