Job Description
Job Title:  Head of Student Communications
Posting Start Date:  19/06/2025
Job Id:  1207
School/Department:  Marketing Admissions Recruitment & Comms
Work Arrangement:  Full Time (On site)
Contract Type:  Permanent
Salary per annum (£):  48,149.00 - 57,422.00
Closing Date:  18/07/2025

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

 

Overview

 

Effective student engagement and communications is essential to helping students feel informed and connected, and contributes significantly to creating the best student experience. This in turn leads to increased retention rates, improved student satisfaction and positive student outcomes.

 

The Head of Student Comms leads student engagement and communications, developing and delivering a clear vision that meets the needs of a diverse and evolving student audience and that is aligned with the university's strategic goals.

 

They lead, develop, and manage the Student Communications team, providing strategic insight and fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.

 

Student-centred education and student voice continue to be at the heart of what we do as a University and how we do it. The Head of Student Communications leads a comprehensive engagement strategy to ensure that we are continually listening to our students, reflecting on their views and concerns, and responding appropriately, as well as helping to create an environment where students feel well supported, safe and valued.

 

Main duties and responsibilities

 

  • Lead, develop, and manage the Student Communications team, providing strategic insight and fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.
  • Develop and implement a student communications strategy that meets the needs of a diverse and evolving student audience, while aligning with the University’s strategic aims.
  • Oversee student communications and campaigns across a variety of channels, including digital, social media, and in person channels.
  • Oversee communications across a matrix-structure, identifying opportunities for collaboration to create communications that foster a more coherent student experience.
  • Drive impactful student engagement campaigns, ensuring that they meet strategic organisational needs to deliver impactful results.
  • Implement an insight-led approach based on student feedback and analytical data.
  • Build and develop strong internal relationships across University departments and teams, as well as the Students’ Union, to advise and influence communications approaches.
  • Advise senior leaders, faculty based staff, and University colleagues on communications strategies, based on strategic insight and best practices.
  • Be innovative and proactive in identifying new opportunities for communications and engagement, adapting the student communications approach to meet the changes in channel trends and audience behavior.
  • Oversee the creation of high-quality, accessible content that meets the needs of a diverse Sheffield student population.
  • Lead or contribute to crisis and incident communications, leading an incident communications team where required, ensuring timely and accurate messages are shared when needed.
  • Stay alert to areas of reputational risk, advising senior leadership of communications approaches where needed.
  • Keep up to date with relevant communications insight and HE issues through sector-wide networks whilst keeping abreast of new trends and developments in the communications arena.
  • As a member of our Professional staff you will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to the professional behaviours set out in the Sheffield Professional Framework. Please follow this link for further information: Sheffield Professional Framework.
  • As a member of staff you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
  • Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

 

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

 

Criteria

Essential or desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

A good honours degree (or equivalent experience) in Journalism/Communications/Marketing

Essential

Application

Significant knowledge and understanding of student engagement and communications and the needs of a diverse and evolving student audience

Essential

Application and Interview

Experience managing individuals or teams, supporting staff development, ensuring performance, and encouraging collaboration

Essential

Application and Interview

Expertise in leading and delivering multi-channel communications, including digital, social media, and in person engagement.

Essential

Application and Interview

Expertise in leading and delivering  communications campaigns, taking creative approaches to meet audience needs and align with strategic aims

Essential

Application and Interview

Experience of undertaking analysis and evaluation of projects,

campaigns and activity to measure performance against agreed

objectives and identify areas for improvement or change

Essential

Application and Interview

Ability to work with pace and initiative, prioritising a demanding workload and meeting tight deadlines.

Essential

Application and Interview

Ability to negotiate with and influence senior colleagues in the development of communications strategies and approaches

Essential

Application and Interview

Ability to build, develop and maintain effective team working and relationships at all levels using a collaborative approach, identifying

and seeking key relationships to enable the successful achievement of the department’s goals

Essential

Application and Interview

Excellent communication, writing, and editing skills, including the ability to translate complex information into engaging narratives

Essential

Application and Interview

Experience of leading communications and engagement around change programmes and reputational issues, and during crisis and incidents. Excellent judgement and ability to identify potential issues and provide guidance and direction to manage them.

Essential

Application and Interview

Awareness of the higher education sector in the UK and the specific challenges around student engagement.

Desirable

Interview

 

Further Information

 

Grade

8

Salary

£48,149 - £57,422 with potential to progress to £64,605

Work arrangement

Full-time

Line manager

Deputy Director of Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Communications (Communications)

Direct reports

Communications Officer and Student Experience and Communications Officer

Our website

 

For informal enquiries about this job contact Lindsey Wilson, Deputy Director of Marketing, Admissions, Recruitment and Communications (Communications) on l.m.wilson@sheffield.ac.uk

 

 

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the intervews will take place on the 31 July/1 August 2025.  We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage following the shortlisting on the 21 July. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Lindsey Wilson.

 

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

  • A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
  • Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
  • Generous pension scheme.
  • A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
  • A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
  • Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
  • A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
  • A range of generous family-friendly policies
    • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
    • support for those going through the menopause
    • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
    • and more


More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

 

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

 

Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).

 

 

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.

 

Disability Confident