Internal appointments to senior posts announced

Ian Blenkharn has been appointed to the post of Director of Education and Student Experience. Ian will be responsible for delivering world-class educational services to Colleges whilst ensuring the best possible experience for our students.  The Director will help to ensure the successful delivery of the University’s Education Strategy as Exeter establishes itself as one of the best in the world.  He will also be responsible for all aspects of educational support throughout the student lifecycle – from recruitment through to employability. The directorate will encompass all aspects of student operations (student records/study abroad), quality and enhancement, programme development and library services.  A particular focus will be to bring international and domestic student recruitment together, streamlining the process and ensuring a consistent approach. The team will be accountable to Colleges for the recruitment of all undergraduate and postgraduate taught students. A key aspect of the role will be to sustain and develop the sector-leading relationship with our students through the Students’ Guild and FXU.

Sean Fielding will take the role of Director leading the new Impact, Innovation and Business Engagement function.  It covers corporate partnerships at national and international levels as well as regional and local business development (including the Innovation Centre and Science Park), and place-based innovation, Cornwall and EU Structural Funds. Establishing this role recognises the crucial need for the University to secure significantly greater income from the strategic relationships it builds with its key private and public sector partners.

Linda Peka will take on the role of Director of College Services. Linda will be responsible for the overall leadership of College Operations and will line-manage the College Registrars (formerly College Managers). As Chair of a new College Services Board, the Director of College Services will bring together the operational leaders of all College Support Services (including Research, Education, Global Engagement and Development, Business and Innovation and Policy, Planning and BI) along with College Registrars to ensure PS resources are fully aligned to College strategic and operational priorities and that services are responsive to, and supportive of, in-year opportunities and challenges. Linda will remain College Registrar for the College of Life and Environmental Sciences whilst taking this overarching responsibility.

The appointments of Matt Davey and Hannah Rundle have also been confirmed as College Registrars to the Business School and College of Humanities respectively.

Dr. Michael Wykes has been appointed to the role of Director of Planning Policy and Business Intelligence. Michael will have overall management and leadership responsibility for Policy, Planning and BI and will ensure that the Service supports institutional strategies (at both Institutional and College level) efficiently and effectively. He will be responsible for analysing, monitoring and reporting on Key Performance Indicators and Global and UK Rankings. Working closely with the Offices of the Senior Executive, this role will also provide policy, planning and BI support for the Senior Executive and Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group.

An announcement will be made shortly regarding an interim appointment to the position of Director of Research, pending an external recruitment process.

Professor Janice Kay, Provost, said: “I am confident that these new appointments will make a significant contribution to the University’s continued success and strengthen its position as we face the challenges ahead. I am sure you will join me on congratulating our colleagues and wishing them well in their new roles.

The new leadership structure will be implemented from 1st August 2015 and will mark the beginning of the transition to the new structure and way of working. The most efficient way of structuring teams will be assessed through the supporting projects of the Professional Services Transformation and such changes will be introduced in a timely manner under the leadership of the new Directors.