Senior Manager / Manager (Student Life)

About the role

The Office of the Provost (Student Life) oversees the governance of student life for more than 50,000 students, covering residential life, sports, the arts, community engagement, student wellness, support services and more than 240 student organisations. The Senior/Manager supports the Vice Provost (Student Life) through policy research, analysis and development, strategic planning, coordination, review and evaluation of university-wide Student Life priorities.

Key responsibilities

• Plan and carry out policy research, environmental scans and literature reviews on higher education trends and institutional priorities, benchmarking best practices and stakeholder views
• Engage internal and external stakeholders to gather insights for Student Life policies and strategies
• Lead the drafting of policy papers, briefing notes, presentation decks, management reports and other strategic communication materials
• Lead the planning, implementation and review of strategic projects and initiatives, coordinating with cross-functional stakeholders and evaluating outcomes
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation and reporting of Student Life activities, including submissions to senior management and external stakeholders
• Support the analysis of an annual university-wide student survey or other surveillance systems, turning data into recommendations, reports and visual presentations
• Work with faculties, hostels and administrative offices to gather inputs and support decisions on policies, strategies and programmes
• Mentor junior colleagues where applicable and undertake other strategic projects as assigned

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, economics, communications, social sciences, business or a related field; a postgraduate qualification (Masters, PhD) is advantageous
• 2-3 years of experience in policy, strategy, planning, governance, higher education, public administration or a related area; experience in a large or complex organisation is advantageous
• Strong research, analytical and synthesis skills, able to turn complex evidence into policy recommendations for senior decision-makers
• Strong written and verbal communication, including experience with executive papers, management reports and briefing materials
• Ability to lead cross-functional projects independently and to manage multiple priorities within timelines

Required skills

• Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Statistical software such as SPSS or Stata and data visualisation tools are an advantage