Executive Director of Faculty Operations

Full Job Description

Ref Number: B01-05307
Professional Expertise: Professional Services Leadership
Department: Vice-President (Operations) (B01)
Location: London
Working Pattern: Full time
Salary: See advert text
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Type: Hybrid
Available for Secondment: No
Closing Date: 12-Apr-2026

About Us

UCL is one of the world’s leading universities; globally influential, research-intensive, and committed to making a positive impact on society. We are driven by excellence, innovation, and a shared ambition to create an environment where our staff and students can thrive.

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join UCL as Executive Director of Faculty Operations. This is a pivotal, high-impact role at the heart of our institution, shaping how our faculties operate and ensuring professional services are aligned, efficient, and future-focused.

Working closely with the Vice President Operations and partnering with the Vice Provost (Faculties), you will lead a community of Faculty Directors of Operations, driving operational excellence and delivering services that enable world-class teaching, research, and student experience.

About the Role

You will:

. Provide strategic leadership across faculty operations, ensuring services are consistent, efficient and user-focused

. Lead and develop Faculty Directors of Operations, fostering a high-performing and collaborative community

. Partner with senior academic and professional services leaders to deliver operational excellence and transformation

. Champion digital enablement, simplification, and continuous improvement across faculties

. Establish and monitor performance frameworks, ensuring accountability and transparency

. Drive a culture of inclusion, collaboration and shared professional identity

. Lead planning, risk management, and business assurance for faculty operations

. Represent the faculty professional services voice in institutional decision-making

About You

You will be a strategic and inclusive leader with a strong track record of delivering in complex organisations. You will bring:

. Significant senior leadership experience in a large, complex and fast-paced environment

. Proven ability to lead transformation, drive performance and deliver results

. Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at the most senior levels

. Experience of programme and project management

. Exceptional communication, organisational and analytical skills

. The ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and lead through change

. A commitment to inclusion, collaboration and values-led leadership

. An understanding of the higher education sector and UCL’s mission would be advantageous

What We Offer

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of faculty operations at one of the world’s top universities. You will play a key role in delivering UCL’s strategic ambitions while working alongside outstanding colleagues in a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits, including:

. 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, and 6 closure days)

. Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme

. Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)

. Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan

. Immigration loan and expenses

. Relocation scheme for certain posts

. On-Site nursery

. On-site gym

. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay

. Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service

. Discounted medical insurance

Visit UCL Reward and Benefits to find out more.

Salary: £125,000 – £155,000 (Appointment will depend on experience)

Visa: This role meets the requirements for a Skilled Worker certificate of sponsorship or Global Talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa

Hybrid Working: Minimum of 40% on-site

UCL Terms and Conditions of Service

Research and Professional Services Staff

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, being fair and inclusive, and creating a place where everyone belongs.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce, including:

. People from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds

. Disabled people

. LGBTQI+ people

. For Grade 9 and 10 roles, women

Read more about our commitment here: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Key Dates

. Closing date: 12th April 2026 at 23:59 GMT (applications may close early if volumes are high, so early submission is recommended)

. Interviews scheduled for: 27th May 2026

Job description and person specification: Available at the bottom of the advert

Queries about the role or to apply for the job: [email protected]
Queries about the process, accessibility, or reasonable adjustments: [email protected]

Find out about the UCL Ways of Working: www.ucl.ac.uk/ways-of-working

Tagged as: collaboration, digital enablement, executive director, faculty operations, higher education, hybrid, inclusion, london, operational excellence, permanent, professional services leadership, programme management, risk management, senior leadership, stakeholder management, strategic leadership, transformation