SUN Project Lead

The University of Portsmouth is a global employer of choice where exceptional people create, share and apply knowledge that makes a difference.

Experience the pride of being part of a select group – one of only four universities in the south-east of England to achieve a prestigious Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Additionally, we proudly rank among the top 140 universities globally in the Times Higher Young University World Rankings.

Ambition, Responsibility and Openness drive our every endeavour. Join our esteemed institution with a proven track record of success, and where dedication to excellence is key. We want people to make their mark in a professional community that truly values people, innovation, and achievement.

The Role:

We are seeking a talented and enthusiastic Project Lead to join the Southern Universities Network (SUN) and contribute to the national Uni Connect Programme. This exciting role will be based at the University of Portsmouth, working in close partnership with the SUN central team at the University of Southampton and regional partner institutions.

As SUN Project Lead, you will manage and deliver a range of outreach initiatives, with a particular focus on supporting students from underrepresented groups – including military families and young men in secondary schools.

Key Responsibilities:

• Designing and delivering impactful projects for secondary and post-16 students.
• Producing high-quality resources for students, parents/carers, and educators.
• Providing CPD opportunities for education professionals.
• Advising the SUN Delivery Group to ensure outreach remains relevant and inclusive across the
• Collaborating with schools, universities, and local authorities to foster strong relationships and ensure alignment with strategic goals.

What We're Looking For

To excel in this role, you will have:

• Experience delivering projects or events in educational settings
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with young people and professionals
• Proven ability to manage projects and collaborate across multiple organisations
• Knowledge of the education system and the widening participation agenda

Whilst there is a need to be in Portsmouth a few days a week, hybrid working is available for this role.

The interviews are currently anticipated to be held on 19 November 2025.

This appointment is a fixed-term contract until 31 July 2026.

For internal candidates it may be possible to apply for this role under the Secondment Policy . If you wish to apply as a secondee, you must have approval of your line manager in advance of submitting your application form. Please confirm in your application that your line manager has approved this.

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this post.

If you have any queries regarding this position, please contact Claire O'Neill, Head of SUN, at claire.oneill@soton.ac.uk

Employer, External Only: University of Portsmouth Academic Services Ltd (UASL)

Discover the advantages of joining our university. We offer a range of attractive benefits and opportunities to enhance your work experience:

• Competitive salary, including incremental progression within your scale.
• Generous pension scheme.
• Generous leave entitlement of 32-35 days a year, plus bank holidays, and an additional Christmas closure.
• Family-friendly policies supporting flexible working.
• Staff discounts and loyalty schemes.
• Staff car parking and discounted public travel.
• Excellent training and development opportunities.
• Staff wellbeing programmes.
• Recreation facilities, including discounted gym membership, food on campus schemes, use of the Library and staff social activities.
• Discounted learning.
• Start-up business mentoring from expert entrepreneurs via our Entrepreneurs in Residence programme.
• The perks don't stop there – click 'apply' for further information on My Reward and Benefits

UKVI Statement

Prior to submitting your application, kindly ensure that you can either demonstrate or acquire the necessary right to work in the UK. If you currently do not possess the right to work in the UK, please be aware that our offer of employment is conditional upon you obtaining it.

ED&I Statement:

We are strongly dedicated to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within our community. As an Athena SWAN and Race Equality Charter award holder, a member of Stonewall and a Disability Confident Employer we are passionate about creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, regardless of your background. We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills, perspectives and experiences. In addition, we want our workforce to be representative of our diverse student population. Please see our EDI Framework and objectives .

Please note that this vacancy may be closed earlier than advertised, so early applications are advised.