Chief Operating Officer, University of Brighton

The University of Brighton is a community of circa 18,000 students and around 2,150 staff. We were awarded a TEF Silver for our teaching quality rating and a strong research record, factors which contribute to our reputation as a leading modern university.

We are a thriving, multi-campus coastal university delivering innovative career-focused courses at undergraduate and postgraduate degree level and our research and teaching transforms lives and benefits communities worldwide. The university offers a wide range of jobs in both academic and support roles, with competitive salaries and flexible working opportunities.

More than just an educational institution; we are a community of passionate students, educators and professionals dedicated to transforming lives and shaping futures.
The University has been part of the city of Brighton & Hove since 1859, starting as a school of art in the kitchens of the Royal Pavilion and growing to become today’s diverse and inclusive organisation. We take pride in making a significant impact in our local community and reaching out globally, based on our strong commitment to partnership working. The notion of global challenges and our commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals runs throughout all our practices, alongside our core values of inclusivity, sustainability, creativity, and partnership, all of which shape how we work and operate.
We have circa 18,000 students and around 2,150 staff studying and working at our campuses in Brighton. Aside from business and law, subjects taught here range from all the health professions to engineering, robotics, and computing; psychology and education to illustration, fine art, and fashion; and sport science to pharmacy, biomedicine, and genomics.
We have high aspirations and the potential to match them – we jumped 22 places in the 2024 Guardian University Guide and saw a further jump in this year's Complete University Guide. In REF21 more than 88% of our submitted research rated as having ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact beyond academia. We are in the top 50 universities in the UK (United Kingdom) for graduate prospects – 91.4% of our graduates are in work or further study (Complete University Guide 2024). In September, the Office for Students (OfS) announced that the University of Brighton has been awarded an overall rating of Silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
Our students play an active role in their learning experience with us – they are truly at the heart of all that we do. We are investing in improvements to provide them with the best possible experience, including new homes for our School of Business and Law and School of Humanities and Social Science on the Moulsecoomb campus alongside student accommodation, and other social and wellbeing facilities. At our Falmer campus, we are creating new and expanded state-of-the-art facilities for our School of Sport and Health Sciences.
We promote equality in everything that we do and value the different contributions and experiences of everyone who is part of our community. We were awarded an institutional Athena Swan silver award in 2021, having held a bronze award since 2013. And our academic schools all hold bronze or silver awards. In 2019, we achieved a Race Equality Charter Bronze award. The University was also placed at number 14 in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List for 2024, and won a Stonewall Gold Award in recognition of its work in creating a welcoming workplace for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) colleagues.
Our commitment to sustainability runs throughout all our practices, from the management of campuses and facilities, through procurement, travel, food, ethical investment, community engagement, research, teaching, and learning. Our award-winning campaign, c-change, engages staff, students, and members of the community in driving forward progress towards a fully sustainable university.
Click here to read the position description
All applications must include:
- A full curriculum vitae/resume
- Quoting the relevant role reference number: A040207
- A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job description and The University of Brighton that particularly attract you to the post (Microsoft Word document)
- Contact details for three referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of six years employment)
- A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (which you will be redirected to once you have submitted your application) *
Right to work checks
If you are successfully shortlisted, our partner, Yoti, will contact you to complete an online right to work check. This is a quick and secure process, ensuring that all necessary legal requirements are met before proceeding further in the recruitment process.
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and the University of Brighton’s objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and therefore we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. So that we can successfully achieve these aims, while it is not mandatory we would encourage every applicant to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring form” so that we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process and the information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion on this role please contact:
Owen Francis, Director or Beth Stickney, Principal Researcher, on +44 7703 821 996
Candidate adjustment
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
Closing date: 6th February 2025
Stakeholders: TBC
Final Interviews: 13th or 14th March 2025 - TBC
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date(s). We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.