Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of Governors at Solent University.
Solent is a university with real energy, purpose, and ambition. We are proud of our Southampton roots, our strong links with employers, and our commitment to giving students the confidence, skills, and experience to succeed. Recent achievements, including our Triple TEF Gold award and our highest-ever national league table positions, reflect the quality and dedication of our staff, students, and wider University community.
Our Strategy 2035 sets out an exciting future for Solent as a leading practice-led university, open to learners at different stages of life, closely connected to industry and rooted in the needs and opportunities of our city and region. The Board has an important part to play in helping the University realise that ambition.
Governors bring external perspective, independence of thought, and constructive challenge. We work with the Vice-Chancellor and executive team to ensure that Solent remains financially sustainable, academically strong, well governed, and focused on the long-term interests of students, staff, and the communities we serve.
Through this campaign, we are seeking three new Independent Governors who will add breadth, experience, and judgement to our Board. We are particularly keen to hear from people with senior experience in higher education, academic assurance, quality, educational partnerships or transnational education. This will support our oversight of academic standards, student outcomes, and the development of Solent’s education portfolio.
We are also looking for financial leadership, accountancy, audit or risk expertise. This will strengthen our assurance and oversight as we navigate a complex financial environment, and will support future succession planning for the leadership of our Audit Committee.
In addition, we would value legal experience. We are seeking someone able to bring broad judgement, an understanding of risk and regulation, and the confidence to contribute strategically in a complex and evolving sector.
Across all three appointments, previous non-executive, trustee or board experience would be welcome, although we are equally interested in those who have gained equivalent insight through senior executive leadership. Experience connected to the creative industries or maritime sector would also be valuable, given their significance to Solent and to our region but are not essential.
Most importantly, we are looking for people who share our belief in the power of education to change lives. If you are collaborative, independent-minded, and motivated by the opportunity to help Solent fulfil its potential, I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Skills. Experience. Connections. Knowledge. For a future full of possibilities.
Solent University is all about creating opportunities: for its students, for its staff, for its partners. It offers expertise and experiences you couldn’t get anywhere else, opening doors and making introductions.
We’re focused on the practical side of higher education – giving our students the connections, experience and confidence to turn their newfound knowledge into a career with real, meaningful impact. Whoever you are, whatever your goals, we want to help you make your mark.
We are dedicated to the pursuit of university education that enables learners from all backgrounds to become enterprising citizens and responsible leaders. We are committed to promoting economic and social prosperity for the communities we serve.
Put simply – we want Solent graduates to be the passionate, creative professionals of the future, bringing expertise and energy into their communities and workplaces
The Board and the University
PERSON SPECIFICATION
You will play a key role in guiding and overseeing the strategic direction, governance, and management of Southampton Solent University. As a Governor, you will be a member of the Board which oversees Southampton Solent University’s policies, ensuring its financial sustainability and upholding its academic standards. You will demonstrate a commitment to excellence in higher education, strong leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. Diversity is core to the identity and mission of Southampton Solent University and to this appointment process.
We are particularly interested in candidates with senior experience in:
1.Higher education, academic assurance and partnerships
Solent would welcome candidates with senior experience in higher education or a closely related educational setting. This may include experience of academic leadership, academic governance, quality assurance, student outcomes, educational partnerships or transnational education. Candidates may have held roles such as Vice-Chancellor, Deputy or Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dean, senior academic registrar, quality lead, partnerships lead, or another senior role with responsibility for academic standards and the student experience. Candidates in this area should bring an understanding of the higher education landscape, including the opportunities and challenges facing universities, and be able to support Board-level oversight of academic quality, regulatory expectations, educational innovation, partnership activity, and student success.
2.Finance, audit and risk
Solent is seeking candidates with substantial experience in financial leadership, accountancy, audit, or risk. This may include current or former Finance Directors, Chief Financial Officers, audit partners, senior finance professionals, or those who have led financial strategy, assurance, risk management, or financial governance in a complex organisation. A recognised financial qualification is essential. Experience of audit committee work, internal or external audit, financial controls, risk assurance, or financial sustainability would also be valuable. This appointment is expected to support the Board’s oversight of financial resilience and assurance and contribute to future succession planning for the Audit Committee’s leadership.
3.Legal
Solent would also welcome candidates with senior legal, expertise. This may include experience as a General Counsel, senior solicitor, barrister, company secretary, regulatory leader, governance professional, or senior executive working in a complex regulated environment. For this appointment, the University is not seeking legal advice from a governor, but rather broad legal and regulatory judgement at Board level. Candidates should be able to understand risk, regulation and accountability in a complex organisation, and contribute strategically to discussions on governance, compliance, institutional responsibility and reputation. Experience of higher education, charity, public sector or another regulated environment would be helpful.
Essential criteria
Desirable criteria
It should be noted that the University would ideally like to conclude this campaign so that successful candidates can attend the Board Meeting and Away Day on 02 September 2026. Failing that, the next Board Meeting will be held on 28 October 2026.
Anderson Quigley is acting as an employment advisor to Solent University, Southampton. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.
Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact Helene Usherwood at helene.usherwood@andersonquigley.com or Aino Betts at aino.betts@andersonquigley.com at +44 020 4526 6913.
The closing date for applications is Friday 24 July 2026.
Applications should consist of:
| Closing date | Friday 24 July 2026 |
| Preliminary interviews with AQ (via Teams) | Monday 27 July – Friday 14 August |
| Shortlist Meeting | w/c Monday 17 August |
| Final Panel Interviews (at Southampton Solent University) | w/c Monday 24 August (dates and times to be confirmed) |
www.solent.ac.uk 