Head of Governance and Secretariat

£competitive basic salary (commensurate with experience) plus comprehensive reward and benefits package

Are you an experienced governance or regulatory compliance specialist or are you a senior lawyer or other professional interested in moving into governance or regulatory compliance?  expert knowledge of HE governance and regulatory compliance?  If you are interested in contributing to the University’s future strategic development and have leadership and management experience, excellent organisational development skills and the strategic ability to shape and guide planning and decision making, Manchester Metropolitan University could be your ideal next career move.

About us

With over 5,100 staff members across the university, and around 41,000 students – including some 6,000 choosing to study for a postgraduate qualification – we are a big institution with even bigger ambitions. We are proud to be at the heart of one of Europe’s most diverse and vibrant cities, and with shared traditions of industry, innovation and inclusivity, our impact reaches around the globe.

We are committed to providing excellent education to transform our students’ lives, and to delivering high quality research with powerful real-world impacts and benefits, as evidenced by our highly successful REF outcome: 30% of our research, across more than 740 academics, has been rated as world leading. And 91% of our research impact is world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021).

Where you’ll work

You’ll lead the Governance & Secretariat team which sits within the Legal & Governance Directorate.  Legal & Governance is one of our Professional Services Directorates that have the vital role of delivering the strategies, services, systems and processes that underpin our academic mission.  Supporting a community of over 40,000 people within an organisation with an annual turnover of more than £245 million, the Directorates deploy extensive professional expertise to ensure the continued success of the University and the wellbeing of its staff and students.

About the role

You will be responsible for providing strategic, professional leadership for the University’s governance arrangements.  You will be responsible for ensuring that the University operates within its prescribed constitutional and regulatory framework and that the business of its Board and committees is properly conducted, providing relevant and expert advice to the Board of Governors and the University’s leadership.  You will be the main point of contact for the Board of Governors and you will lead on committee servicing standards across the University.

About you

You will be able to operate at a senior level and have an ability to influence and manage senior leaders within an organization.   You will be highly organised, self-motivated, with excellent written and verbal communication skills and have a good eye for detail. You will be able to manage your workload to tight and conflicting deadlines whilst providing a first-class service and building effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels, including the most senior members of the University and the governing body. You will also be able to provide effective leadership for this area across the University.

To apply for this post, please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role, via our recruitment system. For informal enquiries regarding the post, please contact Caroline Hilton, Director of Legal & Governance at c.hilton@mmu.ac.uk

Closing date: 12 May 2024

Interview date: 17 June 2024

Manchester Metropolitan University is committed to supporting the rights, responsibilities, dignity, health and wellbeing of staff and students through our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.