Head of Student Experience

Company:
Victoria College of Arts and Design

Position:
Head of Student Experience

Job Location:
Onsite, Canary Wharf, London

Employment Type:
Full-Time

Work Schedule:
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Salary Range: £60,000 – £70,000 per annum

Direct Reports:
Student Information Team, Student Engagement Team, Student Services, Health and Wellbeing, Careers and Employability & Academic Skills

Victoria College of Arts and Design (VCAD) is an independent higher education provider with campuses in London and Manchester. We deliver programmes in partnership with Arts University Plymouth and are proud to serve a community of mature learners, first-generation students, and individuals balancing study with work and family life.

This is an exciting moment to join a growing institution that places student success at the heart of everything it does.

The Head of Student Experience is a senior institutional leadership role responsible for shaping, delivering, and continuously improving the student experience  will provide strategic oversight of all student-facing services — including student support, wellbeing, financial guidance, and employability — and will play a key role in ensuring VCAD meets and exceeds its obligations under the OfS's B3 student outcomes conditions and any applicable Access & Participation commitments.

Working closely with the Directors and academic leadership, you will foster a culture of student success, resilience, and belonging, and will ensure that every student — regardless of background or personal circumstance — has the support they need to achieve their potential and progress with confidence.

• Work closely with the Directors of VCAD, Heads of Department, and professional services colleagues across all campuses to develop and implement a coherent, inclusive, and ambitious Student Experience strategy.
• Contribute to institutional planning, risk management, and regulatory compliance, including the College's preparedness for OfS registration and ongoing compliance with OfS Conditions of Registration — in particular the B3 student outcomes conditions relating to continuation, completion, and progression.
• Lead institutional responses to the National Student Survey (NSS) and other student feedback mechanisms, ensuring insight is translated into meaningful and measurable service improvements.
• Represent the student experience function at Board and senior leadership level, providing data-informed reports and strategic recommendations.

• Lead the design and delivery of a comprehensive, inclusive, and technology-enhanced student support service that proactively identifies and removes barriers to student success.
• Ensure VCAD's full compliance with all relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010, GDPR, and sector guidance relating to student mental health, safeguarding, and disability support.
• Manage, mentor, and professionally develop a diverse team of student support and student success staff, promoting a culture of high performance, empathy, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the management of student experience budgets and resources, ensuring value for money and appropriate allocation in line with institutional priorities.

• Design and implement data-driven strategies to improve student retention, continuation, completion, and progression outcomes, with particular focus on students from widening participation backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
• Establish robust systems for monitoring individual student progress, enabling early intervention and timely, targeted support for students at risk of disengagement or withdrawal.
• Ensure the accurate and timely collection, analysis, and reporting of student experience data to inform institutional decision-making, statutory data returns, and OfS regulatory reporting.

• Develop and lead a meaningful employability strategy that equips students with the skills, confidence, and professional networks needed to succeed in their chosen fields.
• Build and sustain productive relationships with industry partners,…