Senior Education Policy Manager

Newcastle City Library; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in the UK is seeking a candidate to lead the Education Policy and Governance team. The role involves guiding educational change, ensuring high academic standards, and implementing effective policies. Candidates should have a degree, extensive knowledge of the UK higher education sector, and strong leadership and communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary and a range of professional development opportunities, fostering a culture of growth and inclusivity.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Great pension scheme

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of the UK higher education environment and regulatory requirements.
• Substantial experience in policy development and implementation.
• Ability to write detailed evidence-based reports.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Education Policy and Governance team and foster a high-performance culture.
• Develop and deliver educational policies and strategies.
• Support the University’s Education for Life 2030+ Strategy.

Skills

Effective leadership

Managerial skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Degree level qualification

Job description

Salary: £47,389.00 – £50,253.00 per annum with progression to £56,535.00

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, a great pension scheme and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 04 January 2026

The Role

Do you want to help shape the future of education at Newcastle University? We are looking for someone to lead the Education Policy and Governance team within Registry and Education Services to help bring about educational change and enhance the student learning experience while ensuring we maintain high academic standards and ensure teaching excellence.

You will guide and motivate the team working across the University with colleagues and students, maintaining and developing key policy and process areas within the team’s remit, supporting committees and working groups and organising and running events.

We are based in Kings Gate in the heart of the University and Newcastle city centre.

We are committed to professional development of all our colleagues, and you will benefit from a range of development opportunities including access to QAA member benefits and sector networking opportunities.

The role is offered on a permanent basis at full-time (1 FTE). The hiring manager will discuss the requirements of the role, should you be invited to interview.

If you are considering relocating to join us, to find out about our relocation package options, please contact the hiring manager.

To apply, please provide evidence of how you meet the essential criteria outlined in The Person by uploading a letter of application along with your CV.

All informal enquiries should be directed to Rachel Dearlove, Director of Registry and Education Services ([e-mail])

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 19th January 2026

Key Accountabilities

• Leadership and management of the Education Policy and Governance team, creating and embedding a high‑performance culture and enabling team members to fulfil their full potential.
• Maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of the external quality assurance and regulatory context, leading work to ensure the institution responds to external changes and continues to meet regulatory obligations and education goals.
• A key member of the Registry and Education Services leadership team, working to develop and deliver the service’s strategic plan and contributing to the wider Student Services strategic plan.
• Supporting and enabling the implementation of the University’s Education for Life 2030+ Strategy through policy development and process improvement.
• Interpreting and assessing internal and external drivers influencing strategy and policy in relation to academic governance and the management of data relating to taught programmes.
• Providing effective policy and support to the PVC Education, Education Deans and education leadership through the University Education Committee (UEC) and wider groups, ensuring effective policy and committee support.
• Writing and presenting reports/briefing papers and making recommendations to relevant University committees, and developing and delivering presentations and workshops for staff to support a high‑quality education and student experience.
• Developing and steering the implementation of University regulations, policies and processes relating to education, managing and contributing to the review and development of these policies and systems.
• Ensuring the Education Policy and Governance team provides effective advice and guidance to colleagues for the effective implementation of policies.
• Ensuring effective support for the development and implementation of University policies and processes for student voice and representation, working with the Student Life team.
• Ensuring efficient processes are in place for recording and publishing information about taught programmes and modules, including responsibility for University returns to the Student Loans Company and other national bodies.
• Any other duties consistent with the post’s grade as requested by the Director of Registry and Education Services or Academic Registrar.

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Thorough and extensive knowledge of the UK higher education environment, including sector regulatory requirements for quality assurance and academic governance.
• Effective leadership, managerial and motivational skills.
• Substantial experience of policy development and implementation, embedding external regulatory requirements into institutional policy.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues across faculties and professional services at all levels.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and co‑operatively as part of a team.
• Sophisticated task management, prioritisation and planning skills.
• Significant experience of managing processes and systems relating to learning and teaching within a higher education setting, and analytical and process improvement skills for data and systems.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write detailed evidence‑based reports and make informed recommendations.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Demonstrable commitment to own professional development.
• Embraces and initiates change, promoting creativity and supporting change with and amongst colleagues.
• Uses data to inform decision making and approaches.
• An ability to work inclusively and respectfully with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, recognising the value that diverse perspectives bring to an academic community.

Qualifications

• Qualified to degree level (or equivalent).

Equal Opportunities Statement

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.