Deputy Director (Talent, Performance & Culture)
About ARU:
ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.
Shape a University Where People and Potential Thrive
At ARU, excellence is personal, collaborative and purposeful. We are looking for an inspiring senior leader to shape the talent, performance and culture agenda that enables our people, students and University community to achieve more.
This is an opportunity to lead meaningful, institution-wide change. Working closely with the Chief People Officer, University Executive and senior leaders, you will build the capability, confidence and inclusive culture needed to deliver ARU’s ambitions.
What you’ll be doing:
You will lead a broad, high-profile portfolio spanning talent management, succession planning, leadership and career development, performance, equity and inclusion, organisational development, and employee experience. Your work will create clear pathways for colleagues to grow, strengthen leadership pipelines and embed a culture of continuous feedback, accountability and belonging.
You will:
- Develop a forward-looking talent and succession strategy that identifies and develops future leaders.
- Modernise performance management, making meaningful appraisal, feedback and development part of everyday practice.
- Lead leadership development, coaching, mentoring and high-potential programmes that build capability across ARU.
- Champion equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging throughout the employee lifecycle.
- Shape organisational design, workforce planning and culture transformation in support of institutional priorities.
- Use workforce insight and analytics to turn evidence into measurable improvements in organisational effectiveness and colleague experience.
- Lead and develop specialist teams across equity and inclusion, learning and development, organisational development, and performance management.
The leader we are looking for:
You will be a credible, curious and influential senior leader with substantial experience of leading talent, culture, organisational development or transformation in a complex organisation. You will combine strategic thinking with the ability to turn ambitious plans into practical, engaging interventions.
Your strengths will include exceptional facilitation and coaching, a strong grasp of talent and performance practice, and a proven ability to bring people together around change. You will be passionate about inclusive leadership and creating an environment in which every colleague feels valued, supported and able to fulfil their potential.
Experience in higher education, or another regulated and knowledge-led environment, will be valuable, as will a relevant postgraduate qualification or equivalent professional experience. Chartered professional membership, such as CIPD, is desirable.
Why ARU?
ARU is a university community that celebrates individuality, champions new ideas and inspires greatness. Here, you will have the platform to influence how people experience work, development and belonging across a multi-campus institution, while helping deliver a collective impact for students and the wider world.
Bring your vision and expertise to ARU, and help build a culture where everyone can belong, achieve and thrive.
Interviews are expected to take place on 18 November at our Chelmsford campus. An online stakeholder discussion will be arranged separately.
Informal enquiries can be made to Richard Mills, Recruitment Partner, at richard.mills@aru.ac.uk, or Iole De Leo, Senior Recruitment Advisor, at iolanda.de-leo@aru.ac.uk.
Find out more about working with us and how we recruit.
We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our benefits page for full details.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that ARU will carry out online searches as part of the due diligence on short listed candidates.
We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
In accordance with Home Office guidance and the Asylum, Immigration and Nationality Act 2006, ARU has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to work in the UK and in the role for which they have been recruited. Prior to their start date, the successful candidate will be asked to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK.
For candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, ARU is a UKVI-licensed sponsor and may be able to provide sponsorship for eligible candidates appointed to skilled roles, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. Eligibility for sponsorship will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Further information about UK immigration requirements and working in the UK can be found on the Home Office website.
Committed to being inclusive and open to discuss flexible working.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy once we have received sufficient applications.
Guidance Notes:
Please download the Job Description Person Specification for key requirements. To apply, demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the criteria.
