Head of Student Support and Safeguarding

Job Summary

Aberdeen’s university of choice for thousands of staff and students - has a well-established reputation as an innovative and modern workplace, with multiple awards and recognition of our courses and Schools. Our mission is to transform lives and communities, celebrating the values of collaboration, ambition, and respectfulness.

RGU is on a bold journey to become the UK’s leading work-integrated university by 2030. We are committed to delivering a flexible, future-focused curriculum that attracts students, employers, and industry partners, and to providing an exceptional student experience that enhances individual growth, skills development and employability.

At the heart of this vision is the Student Life Directorate; a vibrant, student-centred team dedicated to supporting every student’s journey through and beyond their time at RGU. Student Life at RGU is about more than support; we are focused on empowering students to thrive academically, personally, and professionally and developing them into highly employable graduates. We foster a welcoming, inclusive environment where students are encouraged to develop their skills, embrace new opportunities, and prepare for successful, fulfilling futures.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of student support at Robert Gordon University through a new, senior leadership role within Student Life. In this brand-new role of Head of Student Support and Safeguarding, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of key student-facing functions, including Student Inclusion and Wellbeing, Student Partnership and Engagement, the Student Life Hub (enquiry centre), Chaplaincy, and the Res Life service in university accommodation.

Working closely with the Director of Student Life and becoming a member of the Student Life Management Group, you will play a pivotal role in delivering an ambitious Student Life strategy, ensuring robust safeguarding, effective risk management and high quality, compassionate support for students at every stage of their journey. Acting as the Student Life Safeguarding Lead and deputising for the Director when needed, you will operate with confidence at a senior level, influence across the University and with external partners, and lead skilled teams through change and continuous improvement.

This role will suit an experienced, values‑led leader who is motivated by impact, thrives in complex environments, and is committed to creating inclusive, safe and empowering student experiences.

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days), an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.

We are committed to attracting and engaging a diverse range of staff and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome, comfortable to express their ideas, and can reach their full potential. For more information, please visit Our Diverse Workforce pages.

This post is subject to the individual being required to join the PVG scheme. For more information, visit: https://www.mygov.scot/pvg-scheme/

As per the UKVI immigration rules, this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.  Sponsorship under this route is dependent on factors specific to the applicant and if tradeable points can be used under the rules.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBLE TO: Director of Student Life

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager; Student Partnership and Engagement Manager; Student Immigration Manager. Anticipated number of direct reports is 3 with a team of approximately 20-25.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

Strategic Leadership & Direction

Play a leading role in the development and implementation of the future approach to university student support and development, in line with the University’s Strategy and Roadmap to 2030.

Lead significant aspects of the delivery of the Student Life Strategic and Operational Plan 2026-2030

Service Management & Delivery

Provide leadership and line management to teams responsible for student inclusion, wellbeing and mental health, student partnership and engagement, Student Services Hub (student enquiry centre), Res Life and community building, Report and Support (preventing and responding to gender-based violence, bullying and harassment), and Student Immigration. Ensure services are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to diverse student needs.

Use data analytics and sector/RGU insights to inform strategy, design initiatives to respond to student need, and improve the holistic student experience

Oversee the operational management of budgets for the Student Support and Safeguarding team and support the Director in annual budget setting processes

Develop and review service level agreements; monitor and report on performance, using data and customer feedback to drive continuous improvement.

Embed robust systems, processes, and quality assurance measures. Review optimal use of systems and consider innovations in technology to increase impact, effectiveness and efficiency of the service.

Provide regular reports against agreed KPIs to evaluate progress against the Student Life operational plan and the University’s business plan/other strategic action plans.

Compliance, safeguarding and risk management

Operate as the Student Life Safeguarding Lead, overseeing the day-to-day policies and procedures within the Directorate for safeguarding, including the protection of children and vulnerable adults and the implementation of procedures relating to the Prevent, Contest and Declare duties

Operate as the senior lead within Student Life for assessing risk in relation to individual student cases. In that capacity, you will support the Duty Manager Team to assess risk and will make decisions about the appropriate course of action, paying regard to agreed Student Life policies and protocols relating to risk and students in crisis.

Chair the weekly Cause for Concern and Report and Support Meetings.
Oversee the Student Immigration Team, ensuring compliance with Home Office/UKVI requirements and ensuring that institutional policies and procedures are compliant and represent best practice.

Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, including data protection and health and safety, and professional codes of practice.

Operational delivery

Manage communications plans and ensure effective promotion of services.
Chair or play a leading role in various short life working groups

Participate in relevant Committee meetings

Lead and participate in cross-university working groups and projects as required.

Provide high quality briefing and guidance to the Director of Student Life and other senior members of the University on matters relating to student support and engagement, safeguarding and student immigration

Deputise for the Director of Student Life as necessary, along with the other senior managers. In this capacity, you may be required to attend meetings on behalf of the Director, and to represent Student Life on various internal and external working groups. You will be required to operate at a senior level when developing and progressing internal and external partnerships.

Out of hours rota

Participate on the Student Life out of hours duty rota (note: this attracts an additional out on call payment)

 

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Educated to degree level with at least an UG degree or significant equivalent professional experience

Knowledge and skills

Ability to influence and challenge thinking

Sound judgment and practical problem-solving skills including an ability to identify innovative solutions

Ability to reconcile student support requirements/demands with finite resources

Understanding of sector policies and initiatives in student support, safeguarding and student immigration

 

Excellent interpersonal, advocacy, and communication skills, including the ability to network externally with employers and influence at senior level.

Proficiency in analysing, managing, and presenting data to inform strategic direction.

Strong organisational and presentation skills.

Commitment to quality assurance and continuous improvement.

Integrity in managing personal data and confidential information.

Ability to work flexibly, including occasional out-of-hours events.

Experience

Significant experience of working in a student support environment and leading teams who provide 1-1 support to students

In depth experience of leading and managing at least one component of student services, ideally in the university sector

Significant experience of designing and delivering strategic initiatives and complex projects to successful completion

Track record of delivering results through working effectively with stakeholders internally and with external agencies or partners

Experience of leading, motivating, managing and developing staff and managing physical and human resources with empathy.

Experience of leading change successfully

Financial and budgeting experience.

BEHAVIOURS

Behaviour 1: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 2: Team Development - Experience of providing advice or guidance to new starts, delivering training or instruction to others on specific tasks or activities and identifying the training and development needs of the team and carrying out performance appraisals 

Behaviour 3: Service Delivery - Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards 

Behaviour 4: Decision Making - Experience of using own judgement to make decisions, making collaborative decisions with others to reach conclusions and providing advice or information that will influence the decisions of others

Behaviour 5: Pastoral Care and Welfare - Experience of calming and reassuring those with work/study related problems who may be experiencing distress, dealing with difficult welfare situations or confidential matters and providing support for those in considerable distress or requiring long-term complex support

Behaviour 6: Team Work and Motivation - Experience of being an overall team leader for one or several sections, setting the goals, and directing to effectively meet team objectives.