Appointment of the Associate Directors of People and Culture and Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing

University of East London

Welcome

Thank you for considering joining the University of East London at this exciting time.  The University has been on a transformational journey over the past five years, led by our Vice-Chancellor and President, Amanda Broderick.

Our strategy, Vision 2028, had guided us to a position of financial stability, significant organisational growth, and, most importantly, better outcomes for our inspirational student body. The next phase of our strategic progress is supported by our new People Strategy, which outlines the People and Culture Directorate crucial role in the continuing success at UEL.

Each of these roles provide an opportunity to develop and grow a new function and team, to operate strategically and contribute to the direction of the University and to foster a supportive and high-performing culture across the team.

After a year at UEL, I have learned that it is an exciting, challenging, dynamic and rewarding place to work – the next step is making it one of the best places to work in the UK, delivering our People Strategy objectives – I do hope that you apply to join me on this journey.

Joseph Cooper
Director of People and Culture

About the university

The University of East London is a vibrant and diverse university located in Stratford and Docklands. Our goal is to become the leading careers-focused, enterprising university in the UK, one which both prepares our students for the jobs of the future and provides the innovation to drive that future sustainably and inclusively.

Born in 1898 to serve the skills needs of the 2nd industrial revolution, the University of East London has commenced Year 4 of its transformational 10-year Vision 2028 strategic plan led by our Vice-Chancellor & President, Professor Amanda Broderick, to advance Industry 5.0 careers-1st education. We have a clear route-map to provide a springboard for the jobs and opportunities of the future; drive diversity in the 5.0 talent pipeline – working in partnership to promote talent wherever it is found; and to create an inclusive and sustainable, green future.

The University of East London is one of the most diverse and vibrant universities in the global capital. Our pioneering and forward-thinking vision is making a positive and significant impact to the communities we serve, inspiring both our staff and students to reach their full potential.

As one of the most socially inclusive and international Universities and comprising one of the most diverse staff populations in the UK (50% of our professoriate identify from black or minority ethnic backgrounds), we are hugely proud of our track record in reducing inequalities (ranked 1st in the UK & 2nd globally, Times Higher Education Global Impact Rankings, 2020) and our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of Vision 2028.

People and Culture Directorate

The People & Culture directorate (approx. 40 staff) is  organised across five distinct core functions, aligned to the delivery of our People Strategy –  Talent Acquisition & Onboarding, Employee Experience & Development, Operations, Systems & Service, Employee Relations & Policy and Health, Safety & Wellbeing.

The People & Culture is responsible, in partnership with stakeholders across the organisation,  for delivering the University of East London’s People strategy in furtherance of the UELs strategic progress outlined in our Vision 2028 strategy.

We are focused on the delivery of customer-centric and operationally excellent services to create an environment where people are attracted to work at UEL to be supported to develop and grow and deliver their best work in a high-performing and supportive environment.

Learn more about our vision, strategy and team here.

UEL CAMPUSES

The East of the capital is full of opportunities with businesses, developments and innovative careers at every turn. The Olympic Boroughs have the youngest, fastest growing, and most multicultural neighbourhoods in the UK. There has never been a better time to live and learn in east London.

25,195 total students enrolled at UEL & partner institutions (as of 1 December 2021)

  • One new tech company is formed every hour in London.
  • There will be 125,000 new jobs in East London by 2030.

With campuses in Stratford and the Royal Albert Dock , we’re at the heart of it all. Global businesses are making the area their base and the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf create a brilliant backdrop. Because industry in the area is connected to the rest of the world, so are we.

Docklands Campus

Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment, with modern lecture theatres and seminar rooms, a 24/7 library and learning centre, and a multimedia production centre – complete with audio and visual labs and studios

Stratford Campus

Our historic Stratford campus is located in one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford’s thriving town centre, as well as  the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which hosted the 2012 London Olympic Games. The Stratford campus is home to The School of Education and Communities, and Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub which houses Nursing, Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Occupational Therapy.

University Square Stratford (USS) Campus

University Square Stratford is one of London’s most modern and well-equipped campuses. It is home to our institute of Performing Arts and we teach business, law and criminology here too. Our Legal Advice Centre gives students the opportunity to give back to the community by offering free advice to those unable to pay for it.

Sustainability

These works aim to create fun and dynamic spaces for the UEL community to thrive today, tomorrow and for years to come. While we make these improvements, we clearly have UEL’s vision in mind to be the most sustainable university in London. In-line with this, the Connected Campus team works with local suppliers to create sustainable outcomes, carefully considering where resources come from and maximising equipment by efficiently keeping these in circulation for as long as possible. The programme also supports innovative solutions to recover and regenerate materials no longer need so they can be used for other purposes.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Inclusivity is at the heart of our institution. We are continuously pushing boundaries and finding solutions to complex social, environmental, and economic challenges.

  • Ranked number 1 in the UK for addressing inequalities (2nd in the world) by the Times Higher Education Global Impact Ranking, 2020.
  • We hold the Athena Swan Bronze award for gender equality, are a disability-confident employer, and we are working closely with Stonewall to ensure inclusivity for our LGBTQ+ staff and students.
  • The University of East London achieved a Bronze Race Equality Charter (REC) award in May 2019.

We help students develop big ideas for a kinder world, inspiring the workforce of the future through a careers-based education and giving back to the local community. We foster an academic environment that motivates diverse thinkers to turn inspiration into reality, encouraging innovation and creativity.

Office for Institutional Equity

What we do

Realising our ambitions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion add up to what we call institutional equity. Our Institutional Equity Strategy is founded upon the core principles of fostering inclusivity, promoting staff and student success, enhancing belonging, and promoting equitable culture and practice.

We are developing a dynamic approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion based around our Institutional Equity Strategy.

Our community

There’s plenty of choice in London. But you won’t find anywhere like the University of East London. Nowhere else quite matches us for a unique sense of community.

Our community is made up of 25,195 total students from 140 different countries studying at the University of East London and collaborative partners.

  • Ethnicity breakdown*: Asian 34%, White 26%, Black 24%, Mixed 5%, Other 4%, Not known 6%
  • Gender breakdown*: Female 57% , Male 43%

We embrace diversity. As our campuses are home to people from all walks of life, who join us from all corners of the globe, it ensures our students develop new ideas, discover new opportunities and make new connections.  (*From available data for 2020/21. Figures rounded to nearest whole number)

Vision 2028

At the University of East London, we’re constantly adapting. Today’s world is changing constantly. Tomorrow’s problems are unknown. Society depends on experts for answers. Everything we do is geared towards preparing for an unpredictable future.

Vision 2028 is our ambitious 10-year strategy. We’re working with industry to reshape education for the benefit of all, giving students from any background the skills and opportunities to thrive in a changing world.

Our priorities remain resolute to our mission: driving career-ready student inclusion, increasing our reputation for the benefit of our alumni and social impact of the University.

Progress

In Year 3/4 of Vision 2028, we continued to be tested by the global pandemic and since then have taken decisive action to advance our education and research impact, while responding dynamically in constantly changing circumstances.

Our multi-layered Covid response system kept our community safe, our Dual Delivery framework engaged students to ever-higher levels, and our series of wellbeing initiatives provided intellectual, emotional and physical support during a historically difficult time. We also took the opportunity to explore new themes.

In Year 3 of Vision 2028 we moved forward with the following strategies:

  • Becoming a leader in the local and global climate change conversation and a net-zero carbon institution.
  • Supporting the health and wellbeing of students, staff and the local community with care, compassion and commitment.
  • Harnessing the power of sport to transform lives individually, locally and nationally.

This year we also celebrated the launch of our multi-million pound Connected Campus improvement programme, designed to increase the accessibility of our campuses to our community and to enhance the education and industry interface.

Now, as we continue to focus in Year 4 of Vision 2028, our careers-first vision has remained constant. We empower our learners, build Industry 5.0 career-readiness, and nurture an inclusive industry-facing environment that is central to the creation of a more diverse talent pipeline.

Strategic objectives

Future professional

Employer-led careers zones: We are proud to announce ground-breaking collaborations with world-leading companies to drive graduate-level careers and fulfil rewarding life goals.

Sustainability

Education 4.0: Implementing cloud technologies to improve performance, generate cost savings, and provide an outstanding learning experience for students.

Future Graduate

Maximising mental wealth: The world of work is changing and so are our degrees. We are developing professional fitness to accelerate employment readiness for a 4.0 and 5.0 economy.

Future Life

Innovation Pioneers: Our academics are pioneers of new thinking that impact people and the planet. Their knowledge advances practice, policy, and well-being in every community we serve.

Working at UEL

At UEL, we pride ourselves on our growing global footprint and impact, along with our place at the beating heart of a vibrant and richly diverse local community. With civic engagement and widening participation informing how we reach out within east London, we take our responsibility for changing lives seriously, with drive, innovation and a clear sense of partnership.

Determined to address the challenges of an evolving higher education landscape, UEL is creating more focus, more direction and more professionalism around its offering to students and employees alike. We are increasingly investing in world class research and a modern campus that seeks to inspire and enable.

You can look forward to a warm, sincere welcome, genuine camaraderie, career choice and mobility. Your time at UEL will be characterised by support, empathy and an enthusiasm to be flexible around your personal and professional journey. You will find an institution led with passion, visibility and purpose, where your impact, resilience and sense of collegiality will directly contribute to UEL’s future and those of the students whose lives you will touch and change forever.

Induction

Induction is of crucial importance to UEL. It helps our new colleagues settle in and ‘feel at home’ – and means they are more likely to become effective and committed members of our team. All new staff joining us benefit from guidance, support and information, particularly in their first few weeks.

We ensure all line managers are aware of the importance of induction and are supported with a checklist of activities and events that should happen in the first six weeks of employment.  All new staff should be assigned an experienced colleague on their first day, who can help them with the settling in process.  In addition we run corporate induction sessions which are a great opportunity to learn more about our culture, vision and values and to network with other new colleagues from across UEL.

Facts and Figures

We employ over 1700 staff from 67 countries.

As Bronze Investors In People medallists we are in the top 20% of 15,314 organisations that take part.

Senior management team

The roles

Associate Director of People and Culture - Operations, Systems & Service (AQ2021)

Apply now

Associate Director of People and Culture – Talent Acquisition (AQ2022)

Apply now

Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Experience (AQ2023)

Apply now

Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Relations & Policy (AQ2024)

Apply now

Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing (AQ2025)

Apply now

Terms of appointment

  • Pension Contribution – We offer a 20 per cent pension! You contribute 4 per cent and we’ll contribute 16 per cent. If you prefer not to make any contributions, we’ll still pay in 10 per cent for you.
  • Holiday – You’ll receive 30 days per year, plus bank holidays. We usually close for three days during Christmas, so you should gain an extra three days.
  • Shared Success Award – This is a discretionary high-performance annual bonus scheme that pays up to £4,250 pa.
  • Hybrid & Flexible Working – Most of our roles are open to some hybrid and flexible working. However, this is dependent on the duties / responsibilities of the role and won’t be available for all roles (average two days a week in office).
  • Healthcare Cashback – We provide access to the Simply Health cashback scheme so you can cover yourself and family at the right level for you.
  • Employee Discount Portal – Discounts on a wide range of items including tech products (inc Apple / Samsung etc) to holidays and naturally occurring retail spending from food shopping, dining out, clothing, DIY to cinemas. In March 2023 our ‘Success Together’ retail discount card will launch. This is a UEL-branded pre-pay Visa debit card which provides access to discounts (averaging saving of 7.5 per cent) at 94 retailers such as Argos, Asda, B&Q, Boots, Halfords, M&S, New Look, Pizza Hut, Primark, River Island, Sainsburys, Waterstones, Wilko and Zizzi among others.
  • Cycle to Work Scheme – This offers you an average discount of over 30 per cent for purchase of bikes and accessories with no minimum spend. The maximum cost is £3,000 allowing the purchase of e-bikes.
  • Volunteering Leave – We offer you an additional two days per annum on full pay for any charitable work. This is a time matching scheme, so you’ll need to do four days volunteering using two days from your holiday entitlement.
  • Eye Care Vouchers – We’ve partnered with Specsavers and we will pay for your examination as well as making a contribution to the cost of the frames.
  • Rail Tickets – We offer an interest free loan for the purchase of rail tickets.
  • Employee Assistance Programme – We’re all human and sometimes need some extra support. Our EAP offers you free and confidential access to a range of counselling and support services to help manage difficult situations. You can also access eight free counselling sessions.
  • Relocation Assistance – This may be available depending on your individual circumstances.
  • Death in Service – The benefit we hope you never need. Three times your pensionable salary is payable for all members of the pension scheme.

Facilities: (some facilities are based at our Docklands campus, so we provide a free bus service to get you there and back)

  • Gym Membership – Full gym (Docklands campus) access is available to all UEL employees for £20 per month.
  • Car Parking – car parking is available at all our campuses.
  • Our Docklands campus provides beautiful views overlooking the river next to City Airport and is only a few stops from the Elizabeth Line. We’re an open university campus with 24-hour security offering you loads of facilities including: Costa Coffee, coffee bar (free coffee every Friday at 10-11am), canteen (free breakfasts every Wednesday morning), gym, shop and a bar that are all less than 100 metres from Cyprus DLR station.
  • Our Stratford campus is in a vibrant area with loads of shops, bars, and restaurants on the doorstep, all within a few minutes’ walk from the Maryland and Stratford stations.
  • Overnight Accommodation – Ensuite rooms are available to all employees at our Docklands campus from £36 per night. This is a popular benefit and should be booked in advance to ensure availability.
  • Lockable bike shelters and shower facilities are available at all our campuses.

As an employee of UEL you should be eligible for a wide range of discounts, examples include:

  • 25 per cent off your monthly bill with O2 Open.
  • Up to 20 per cent off selected Apple products.
  • TOTUM Discount card gives discounts off over 350 brands and a free Taste card.
  • Eligibility for Costco membership and £10 off your first year’s membership fee.
  • Discounts are offered by the above retailers and are subject to change at their discretion.

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the University, an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is:

  • Noon on Monday 7th August for AQ2022 and AQ2023
  • Noon on  Monday 14th August for AQ2021, AQ2024 and AQ2025

Applications should consist of:

  • A full CV.
  • A covering letter (maximum of two pages) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
  • FOR EXTERNAL CANDIDATES – Please include details of two referees on your CV, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the role(s) in strict confidence, please contact our team below:

AQ2021, Associate Director of People and Culture – Operations, Systems & Service: Aisha Alimi on +44(0)7743 927 786 or aisha.alimi@andersonquigley.com 
AQ2022, Associate Director of People and Culture – Talent Acquisition: Samantha Bryan-Ross on +44 (0)7510 384713 or samantha.bryan-ross@andersonquigley.com.
AQ2023, Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Experience:
Samantha Bryan-Ross on +44 (0)7510 384713 or samantha.bryan-ross@andersonquigley.com.
AQ2024, Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Relations & Policy:
Aisha Alimi on +44(0)7743 927 786 or aisha.alimi@andersonquigley.com 
AQ2025, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing:
Carolyn Coates on +44 (0)7825 871 944 or carolyn.coates@andersonquigley.com 

Final Panel Interview Dates:
AQ2021, Associate Director of People and Culture – Operations, Systems & Service: Tuesday 10th October
AQ2022, Associate Director of People and Culture – Talent Acquisition: Thursday 28th September
AQ2023, Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Experience: Tuesday 26th September
AQ2024, Associate Director of People and Culture – Employee Relations & Policy: Thursday 12th October
AQ2025, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing: Tuesday 3rd October